Chalk Paint Failure

Let’s talk about failures.

Some failures are significant. For instance, Failure to Launch. Or Failure to Thrive. Both bad.

Failure to make your own chalk paint is not such a big deal. 

Do you know what chalk paint is? Not “chalk board paint,” but Chalk Paint. See it here. See that it is very expensive. See how this lady and this lady decided to make their own versions of chalk paint with great success.

See how I tried the same thing with great failure:

The chalk in the paint turned the nice rusty red color (Valspar’s Bangkok Rust) into MAUVE. Well, technically it wasn’t mauve after I applied the paint, but the texture was rough and grainy, so I had to sand it down, which gave me mauve. I wonder if after I applied a polyurethane coating to it, it might not be so mauvey, but who knows. I hated it all together.

You see, I was going for a bright red. Two months ago I primed all my barstools with a spray paint primer. Then, I went ahead and began painting the chairs with red spray paint. Then I ran out of time to paint the other chairs on this spray paint craziness day. But, it’s a good thing I didn’t waste any more time on that spray paint job, because the red paint began chipping off badly within the first day.

(Duh. I didn’t sand at all. I was lazy. Hmmm… I got bad results because of laziness??? Why didn’t anybody ever tell me that if I take the easy, lazy route, I wouldn't get great results?!)

You know what somebody DID tell me? To sand it all down at that point and start over. OR to try chalk paint, which isn’t supposed to require any sanding or priming at all! This great a wise and seasoned advice came from a blogging friend Cassie at Primitive and Proper. I met her at a blogger brunch and love everything about her. You should follow her blog, okay?

Cassie is truly a professional furniture re-finisher/painter and she told me maybe I could try the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint route. This route could also be coined the “rich lazy man’s technique.” DELETE “rich”, INSERT “ambitious” and we’ve got Angie making her OWN version of chalk paint.

And we also have Angie failing. It’s okay. I am alright. I am moving on.

I am going back to what I know is true and right in the world.

Have I told you about my favorite paint ever? It is called “Benjamin Moore Wood and Metal Enamel.” Enamel is the perfect word for it. It is better than paint. It dries like a slick rock. Go ahead, try to scratch it off. I dare ya! Remember this jewelry holder frame thingy that I showed you a peek of before Christmas?

I painted that open frame in a turquoise color, then proceeded to wrap it with a copper wire. I was not gentle. There isn’t a hint of scratch anywhere on that frame. See? It’s tough.

Anyway, am headed over to Benjamin Moore to get my hands on some RED Wood and Metal Enamel. It isn’t cheap. But here’s what I know: It won’t need a primer. It doesn’t need a polyurethane coat. It will make my chairs tough. It will make me happy. I WILL finish this home goal.

I am excited to finish the bar stools and then show you the finished product. Did I tell you that I reupholstered them in a “laminated” fabric? Which means they are WIPEABLE! More on that genius product later, friends.

See you soon! Go paint something or go read about Cassie painting something.

Or just go do something else. I don’t even care. Whatever.

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