…q&a’s

Hey Readers! I had a ton of questions this past week and did not have time to get to all of them before Zumba this morning! TBC.

“Have you ever made your own chalk paint”

No, I haven’t. Chalk Paint is technically only Annie Sloan as she trademarked the name. Other brands are other brands that describe their product as “chalk paint”. It’s kind of a clarification that needs to be made out there. That being said, I do know people that have made a product that works like ASCP to refinish furniture. I, personally, don’t have the time to be making batches of paint. I’d rather focus on the actual painting.

“Can you give me a formula for pricing?”

No, I can’t. I find that it really depends on the area and market that you are in. My best advice is to go shopping yourself and see what is out there and what people are getting for their pieces. If you buy a piece of furniture and refinish it at least try to sell it for double.

“If I don’t have a wax brush what can you use in its place? There are only a few stores that over AS products near me and none of them have that brush…I will eventually find it but just so I can finish this piece, what would you recommend?”

I have actually been using lint-free cheese cloth or pieces from my husbands old t-shirts to clear wax and buff. I used to use the wax brushes more, but I do like how you can control a cloth and buff as you go.

“I am crazy about a cast aluminum or iron (not sure which it is) vintage patio set that’s losing some paint. If I get it, can I paint it with AS paint or does it have to be power sanded and painted with some other medium?”

Well, you have a choice. If you want it perfectly smooth yes, you will have to sand and probably power sand to get all the chips off. This will give you a smooth look when you go to paint over the metal. If you are okay with it being “rough” or cannot power sand then you can lightly sand as much as you can, then paint, then go over the piece with your sanding block and distress as you would a wood piece of furniture. Just be aware that metal will show through as opposed to a wood look. There are no rules – it’s simply what you like the look of. If you hate how it turns out then start again.

“When you paint you don’t try to get the paint right in the grooves, right? What about if the table or piece is a light wood underneath?”

Great question. I tend to leave the grooves and crevices unpainted as I go because I like the aged look it gives. The exception to this is when I’m doing a newer and/or lighter piece of furniture. I don’t want any of that newness coming through to give the secret away that it’s not old & weathered. In this instance I will make sure those spaces are painted and then go over them with my dark wax to get that same aged look.

“So I was going to use the french linen, like I did for the cabinet I finished. However, I LOVE the white washed look. Is it possible to do a white wash over the french linen color?”

If you want to get a white-washed look over any piece you need to get yourself another little plastic container for mixing. Pour some of your Old White or Pure White into the container and then add water until it is thin enough that it does not stick to your brush, but rather drips quickly off like water. You want the mixture to be fairly thin. You can play with the thickness. Do a sample on part of your piece and let dry to see if you like the effect. When you paint the mixture on your piece, you want to mostly see the color underneath. It is meant to be a thing overlay on your piece. Play, play, play!

 “Have you used any of the ASCP on fabric?”

No, I haven’t but I’ve received this question before. I’m just not sure the right project has come along…or what I feel about painting fabric in general.

“I am a cat lover and need some advise about keeping cats from SCRATCHING furniture !! I LOVE LOVE LOVE my cats but one is LOVING my furniture too much. What to do?”

I will divert from paint for my fellow cat lover! I have little scratching pads near my chairs that they go to first. I also have burlap sacks & faux fur rugs that I sometimes drape over my chairs if I see it happening. Or a cool trunk or stack of books near the piece.

“I was told by a local interior design shop where I purchase the paint to apply two coats of the dark wax after distressing to get a darker shade… do you agree?”

No, I don’t. That is not what the dark wax is for in my opinion. The dark wax works best when it is applying sparingly to those little crevices and corners that are on your piece. The point is to use it to create that worn & weathered look where someone might have brushed against the piece for years & year. It is not meant to be a full coat layer on your piece. It would not go on evenly for sure as it is not the same consistency as your clear wax.

“I was wondering where can you purchase Annie Sloan’s paint products?”

You can do a search for your local stockist online. If there is not stockist near you then find a shop that ships. Stylish Patina in Falls Church ships ASCP.

“Can I use this on a crib?”

ASCP is non toxic. My recommendation would be to always use one of those plastic bite bars that they make for the side rail of cribs. If you see any flaking or chipping after years & years I would sand and repaint in the case that your baby did get any paint in his/her mouth.

Got questions? Email me at cbensten@blueeggbrownnest.com