…blue egg q&a’s

Hey Guys. Here are you Q&A’s for this week. Got questions? Email me and I will post. cbensten@blueeggbrownnest.com

Some of the older pieces that are waiting for me in my garage have a thick, clear coating (maybe varnish?).  Do you sand or use a liquid deglosser on pieces like this to be sure your paint adheres well?  

You do not need to sand or prep your pieces if there is some kind of poly or finish and the furniture is REAL WOOD. If the piece it not real wood, if the piece is new and if the piece has a coating on it then you may have difficulty having paint adhere. If unsure do a test spot. You will know right away.

On pieces with doors (buffets, dressers, armoires, etc.), do you paint the inside of the piece?  If so, do you wax it?

I do not paint the interior of any drawers. If there are doors like in a cabinet on a buffet or open like a secretary I always paint these interior places.

I currently use American Paint Company chalk paint as Annie Sloan is very difficult to find in St. Louis, Missouri.  Have you used paints other than Annie Sloan?

I have used The Real Milk Paint Company’s milk paint and Cece Caldwell as well as many hardware store paints for furniture. I have seen and talked to sellers of American Paint Company and was also given a few samples to try out. I have not done so yet, however. I am drawn to the colors and European aesthetic behind ASCP.

I can’t find a crackle that works well. I don’t like the large cracks but prefer a more subtle crackle texture. What would you suggest?

I have experimented with crackle very little so I don’t feel as though I could speak to it well. I do know that if you are after that type of look, milk paint is a good medium.

The RH finish is by far my favorite. Is there a way to mimic that look with ASCP and waxes and if so, what is the process??

Yes, but you have to have oak to make this look work. If you do have oak, then you want to do what I call a weathered-wood or lime look. I have done a tutorial to help on this process. It is basically painting over the wood and then wiping it off. The paint seeps into the cracks, but is lighter in the smoother areas. You could use Old White or I think even the Coco would offer a beautiful RH look.

(Regarding the zebra rug recommendation) The comments are that it piles alot and you have to vacuum it often….was that the case with yours?

It is like any other wool rug. Yes, it piles. I have 3 kids, 3 cats and a dog so I am vacuuming all the time regardless. It’s worth a little vacuuming for a great look.

I am new to all of this so bare with me. Have a question for you? Can you give me a 123 step for painting. I watched your tutorials not sure what to do after the dark wax? Do I need to seal it with something or just let it dry an leave it.

You just leave the dark wax. If you have applied it too heavily then you really want to go over it with a soft, fine steel wool and wipe the excess.

 

I’m interested in your opinion on what ASCP colors to paint the attached furniture pieces (dining buffet and end tables) for resale that would appeal to the masses.

When thinking about resale you want to strike a balance between your taste and what a broad audience may see as their taste. You will be spending time & energy refinishing, marketing & selling. Be sure to pick a color that people will like. You won’t even go wrong with a white or a cream.

My main reason for writing is that I read the article on you in the Washington Post and I felt….inspired. I am currently working at a job that I like, not love and having to spend time away from my kids. I would love any feed back that you could give me, any direction that you could point me in or any positions or any franchise opportunities that would give me a chance to turn my hobby into my career. I am tired of sitting behind a desk all day, I want something that allows me to be creative.

I hear you loud & clear! I looked for something like this my entire working career! It is hard to find, but if you want it and are willing to take a bit of risk and a pay cut then it is out there. I’m not sure what you like to be creative at, but if it is making or repurposing then you could start out selling on Etsy. It has been a huge resource for creative people to sell their wares. Keep your eyes open as you look for opportunities. They may start small and grow into business opportunities.

Do you have to seal it to make it durable for everyday use, or is it even possible to put that much wear and tear on a piece without destroying it?

If you are nervous you can totally poly your table. Otherwise, embrace the aged/shabby look of your table and let it wear as it will. I have many, many painted surfaces that have held up and when they no longer do I will refresh my pieces.

I’m nervous to begin this project any advice?

It can be nerve-wracking to alter a perfectly good piece of furniture. To make yourself more comfortable, collect your materials and review the steps. Make sure you also have some pictures of what you want your piece to look like. The last piece of advice that I always say is that if you hate the piece as it is then what do you have to lose?

I have the cabinets painted and have started to wax, but the wax is just making it look muddy.  I assumed I needed to apply the wax all over (not just in crevices since there aren’t many of those).  I don’t necessarily want a distressed look so I didn’t take a sander to them.  Don’t know if I should continue with the waxing and hope it looks alright once everything is done or stop and change directions completely.

Okay. Stop what you are doing and let’s take a step back to evaluate. The dark wax is meant for detailed areas and not the whole darn piece. If you are using dark wax all over then it will look muddy. I use my dark wax on the sanded bits to create an aged look. If you do not want a distressed look then you should not be using dark wax. Re-evaluate what look you are going for.

My question is whether you know if the red in the mahogany is going to start coming through again over time. I know that people use Killz and other blockers to prevent knots and grain from showing through paint, and there’s a lot of info online about that. However, I actually do want the knots and grain to show through the paint wash, so I don’t care about that. I just don’t want the redness to come back and change the color. I can’t seem to find anything online about this unless you’re staining new, untreated wood. I’m using paint in a wash, not a stain, and the wood will be stripped, but is 20+ years old, so not new.

If you are worried that red will show through then you should absolutely use a shellac on the piece before you paint. In my experience you will see this type of bleed-through right away. If it covers, then the red should not come through over time.