…blue egg Q&A’s

Hey! Here are your Q&A’s. Got questions? Email me at cbensten@blueeggbrownnest.com

I am struggling with waxing a full table top getting it to look even without streaks any advice appreciated.

So, you want to scoop up about a table spoon of wax on your lint-free rag, put it on your surface and really press in using a back and forth motion. As you go the color will deepen. The color will be lighter in the areas that you have not hit with your clear wax so go back over those areas and make sure you cover them. If you think you’ve used too much wax then take a clean lint free cloth and go over the surface, wiping off as you go. If you are getting streaks that are not curing then you are using too much wax and/or not wiping the excess off well enough.

Have you ever painted furniture with a color, say Graphite and painted on a lighter color and wiped of some of the color with a cloth to distress it? 

I have done something similar where I paint an undercoat, say Old White and then lightly paint over with a deeper color, like Duck Egg. You get a really beautiful and rough look. Most of my clients seem to want something a bit “cleaner” so I tend to only use this look on my own pieces. If you choose to wipe some off as you say you may consider adding some water to the coat you will use. It will wipe off more easily and give you are translucent look.

I applied two coats of wax to the top and buffed it. My question: How many layers of wax do I need to apply to insure a hard finish so I will feel comfortable letting my grandkids sit and eat at the table:)?  Friends say I should apply several coats of polyurethane.  What would you suggest?

The problem with a poly is that 1)It will deepen the color 2)It will add a bit of a sheen even if you use a matte poly. If you do a coat of clear and let it cure for a few days you should be fine. I have 3 kids, 3 cats and a dog and we don’t tip-toe around our painted surfaces.

I am using ASCP color Provence( this is my daughters favorite color that ASCP does)  on the main body of the piece and wanting to make it a little funky and fun!!!! So I thought about the English yellow in the bookcase area and outside of desk cubbies and drawers, or maybe the fold down desk area EY and Provence cubbies…  I also thought about doing some stenciling in the bookcase area…maybe old white over the English Yellow or Provence ( inside of Secretary only)???? What do you think??? What would you do as a second color to complement the Provence painted body????

I personally do not love the look of alternating colors on one piece. That being said, I LOVE the look of an interior being different. For example, the interior of a secretary of china cabinet being a different color or a pop of color. I too LOVE Provence! However, I would consider using a different interior color for contrast. Maybe a deeper blue? I must confess that I am not a huge fan of yellow in general.

I would love for my furniture to be available to everyone, not just people in my area. what are your pointers on shipping? i have never shipped big pieces like that and don’t know if it would be worth it.

Shipping SUCKS! Sorry, but it does. It’s not easy and takes alot of time and effort. I use USHIP when shipping to other states, but you have to find a shipper going your way and make sure you get a fee that your client will agree to. This being said, you can sell more if you are willing to ship and your client is willing to pay.

I just got a great deal on a beautiful dresser I originally intended to re-finish with ASCP.  However, upon doing a bit of research on the piece, I think it might have more value if I leave it alone…  How do you know if you’ve found a hidden gem and you would actually be “de-valuing” it if you paint it or not?  I don’t feel like paying any of these “on-line antiques experts” for their opinion…

As Oprah says doubt means don’t. If you serious doubt that this is not vintage and may be a true antique then wait on painting it until you get your answer. Do your research and find someone in your area that will appraise it.

Random and maybe silly question here but I need your decorating advice.  We are expecting our second baby this summer and I plan on reusing my older daughter’s crib, which is a dark brown. I would like to find and refinish a dresser for her, though, in chalk paint.  What, in your opinion, is a color that would go best with the dark wood?  I used duck egg blue in my daughter’s room (with a white bed), but am not sure that this would go well with the dark brown.

Ooo, I just did a crib and baby dresser in French Linen. The crib originally was a dark brown so letting that wood come through ended up being really pretty.

 

I’ve watched your tutorials and finally jumped in to paint my table and chairs the Paris Gray.  They turned out beautiful, but after applying the Annie Sloan wax to the table two weeks ago, it still feels slightly sticky.  I’ve buffed and buffed; I even went out and bought a hand held buffer and, even though it’s not sticky, it shows every indentation.  IE: a heavy bowl ring, if I serve a salad, etc.  I have to rebuff it to get the imprint out.  What is your solution?  I decided I would just polyurethane the chairs and they are fine.  I’m thinking of polyurethaning the table.  Any suggestions?  

See the answer above. Also, it sounds like you have not let it sit for long enough. Let it cure for maybe up to 4 days. I let pieces for clients cure at least this much time before pick up.

Did you use a little dark wax on it as well? (console)

No dark wax used.

To sum up this email i wondered if there was any advice you could give me on how you started out or things that you have learnt in your time doing this or things that you would or would not recommend. Pretty much anything you regard as good information for someone like me :).

Congrats on your new endeavor! Check out my past posts and my “Building a Business” Series. Welcome 🙂

Watched your video and I am wondering if you sand the shine off first before you paint and also do you seal it after the wax to protect the furniture from getting scratched.

Nope and nope.

Love your cats… Are they siblings?

Why, yes. Ollie and Owen are brothers.

I want to distress my dining table in cottage white. What do you recommend using as a sealer that is durable but won’t turn yellow?

Use your clear wax. If you are nervous and want more of a sealer you can do a poly. See answer above.