I’ve blogged about many different chalk paint projects, but I felt like I needed to provide a basic, step-by-step chalk paint tutorial for you.
Chalk paint is so great because it requires no prep work. You don’t need to sand or strip paint – you just go for it! For this tutorial, I’m using a wooden plaque I picked up at a craft store. But you will use this same technique on furniture, cabinets, or whatever else you are chalk painting.
For the chalk paint, I am using Annie Sloan chalk paint. You can find local retailers by going to her website. There are several other chalk paint options out there – don’t be afraid to test them out!
First, paint the entire piece with chalk paint. I often use a brush (for larger areas I sometimes use a small roller), and you’ll find that a little paint goes a long way. You may only need one coat, but I find that I usually need two. This paint dries really fast, and you’ll be able to tell when it’s dry. Apply the second coat of paint AFTER the first coat is dry.
You can use other finishes, but Annie Sloan’s wax is one of my favorites. Apply two coats of wax on the piece using a wax brush. You DO NOT have to wait for the first coat to dry before adding the second coat. I love wax for furniture pieces, but I would NOT recommend wax on tabletops, desktops, or cabinets. Go here to see why I don’t recommend wax on kitchen cabinets.
Like the paint, a little wax goes a long way. It’s pretty easy to see if you’ve missed any spots. After you have applied the wax with the brush, use a lint-free cloth to buff and remove any extra wax. 
This next step is optional. Dark wax is good if you want to bring out details and/or like the aged look. You must first apply the clear wax BEFORE you apply the dark wax. Go easy on the dark wax. You won’t need much! 
In this tutorial, I only applied dark wax around the edges. You can buff with a lint-free cloth as you did with the clear wax.
If you first applied the clear wax BEFORE you applied the dark wax, you can use the clear wax to erase and dark wax mistakes or if you find that you want a little dark wax. Dip the cloth in the wax and rub away the dark wax. 
You can sand the edges if you really like the distressed look. In my tutorial, it’s hard to see the distressing since I painted white over a light wood. However, sanding the edges can add a lot of interest. Especially if you paint over a dark piece of wood. 
One more thing you can add to the chalk paint is gilding wax. This can be found at any craft store and comes in a variety of colors. I used my finger and apply this. For this tutorial, I applied the gold wax to the edges. 
And that’s the end of the tutorial! Once you get started, you’ll find that chalk paint is really user-friendly. Here are some projects I’ve done with chalk paint: This first project is a headboard I paint with chalk paint (I also painted the upholstered fabric). The headboard was gold, and I painted it with gray chalk paint and used clear and dark wax. I also distressed/sanded it. To see more, click HERE.
This next piece was a dark trunk that I painted with gray chalk paint. I used clear and dark wax as well as the gold gilding wax.
This ornate piece is part of my daughter’s bedroom set which was originally white. I used gray chalk paint and clear and dark wax. I also sanded it.
This is my daughter’s headboard. The piece was originally white, and I painted it with turquoise chalk paint. I used clear wax and sanded. To see more in her room, click HERE.
This is a hutch I painted for my kitchen. The hutch was originally dark, and I used yellow chalk paint. I used clear and gold gilding wax and heavily sanded. You can see more if you click HERE.
I painted the legs on my dining room table gray. The table was originally dark, and I used clear wax and a little sanding. You can see more by clicking HERE.
This is a free dresser that was handed down to me. It was dark, and I used white and gray chalk paint. I also used clear and dark wax and sanded the piece. You can see more by clicking HERE.
This is a bench that we made from a headboard. The headboard was originally a tan color, and I used green chalk paint with clear wax. I also sanded it. You can see more on this project by clicking HERE.
I also have a FREE chalk paint tips printable you can get by clicking HERE. I hope after reading through this tutorial you have the confidence to go for it! Chalk paint is a fun and easy way to instantly transform a piece. Go create something!
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Your nails look so pretty 🙂 I love how the wax can transform the pieces.
Thanks, Heather. 🙂
Thank you sooo much for sharing! 🙂
Q: Roughly how big of a furniture piece does a can of chalk paint cover, with the recommended 2 coats?
Hi Heather! I painted a twin headboard & footboard along with a large dresser and mirror with one quart of chalk paint. It does stretch pretty far. I hope this helps! Thanks for the comment!
Sara, seu trabalho é lindo, você conseguiu um efeito delicado e elegante.
(Sara, your work is beautiful, you got a delicate and elegant effect.)
🙂
Mariangela, thank you so much for the sweet words! I appreciate that you took the time to comment!
I painted some furniture with chalk paint and then sanded. I didn’t use the wax first. What do u suggest I do now? Thanks for any feedback.
You’re fine! I sand after the wax because of the mess. Chalk paint that isn’t sealed can be incredible messy/dusty when sanded. Your furniture is fine. You can add a sealant or wax even after you sand. Good luck!
Hi, I am painting my first piece with chalk paint and I was curious if there was a certain amount of time to wait after painting, before applying the wax? Thanks for the tutorials!
As soon as the paint is completely dry, you can add the wax! This paint dries pretty quickly, so it should definitely take less than an hour for the paint to dry. Good luck!
They all look sooo good thanks for showing us how its done.
Thanks Christina. I hope you create some pretty chalkboards!
Beautiful post, thanks for sharing! Do you have any tips for waxing those intricate details? I just painted a nightstand with beautiful accents but it was difficult to ensure paint coverage so I’m nervous about the waxing process there. Thank you!
When waxing, it can be hard because wax can get caught and clump up in the intricate details. A good wax brush is helpful as well as a rag. However, there are times a brush and rug can’t get all the wax out. I’ve used q-tips (a tedious process) to clean out some of the extra wax – which is what most of us use them for anyway, right?!
When you paint with two colors of chalk paint, do you mix the two colors or paint one color and then the other? Love your tutorial and all of your furniture pieces. Thanks!
I was disappointed after putting on clear wax. I didn’t want a high gloss but there was absolutely no difference in the look before and after. Did I do something wrong? I thought it would have somewhat oh a semi glossy look.
Hi Esther. In my experience, the wax slightly changes the color and sheen. Rather than the chalky finish, it should have a low-gloss look. What brand did you use?
Hi Sara. I am soooooo in love with your work. The bug has bitten me. I found an old cupboard stashed away in an attic and cannot wait to get my hands dirty! I have bought country grey chalk paint and dark wax for the grooves. The saleslady said that I should paint varnish after the first layer of paint. Would this varnish be instead of the wax that you suggest? I would also like to modge podge renaissance transfers onto the doors and would appreciate your advice in this regard. I look forward to hearing from you. Regards, Loraine van Rooyen
Hi Loraine! Thanks so much for the sweet words. Yes, she suggesting varnish instead of the wax. I would suggest a water-based sealer called polycrylic. You can find it at any hardware store. It’s so much easier to clean up and won’t yellow over time like an oil-based sealer. However, I wouldn’t suggest using a wax and the polycrylic. I would use one or the other. In regards to Mod Podge, they have types that are specifically for furniture/higher used areas. I would suggest that for your doors. If you go to the Mod Podge website, you should be able to find what I’m talking about. It sounds like you have all kinds of fun projects planned. Good luck!!
Hi! So my bedroom furniture was a lighter wood, that I painted very dark. I have annie sloan paris grey paint. I really don’t need to sand down the dark color?? Just paint right over it with no prep? Thank you!
Hi Morgan, you shouldn’t have to sand down the darker color. Chalk paint usually adheres to most surfaces. The only issue I’ve had with it adhering is on a surface that has been waxed or a laminate piece. Good luck!
Hi, I have an old bedroom set made from cherry wood….would I be able to use chalk paint on that? It’s over 30 years old, and I want to update my bedroom. Any ideas before I go buy a new bedroom set??
Thank you for your ideas… I’m a beginner and going to paint my first piece today!
Yes! You can definitely chalk paint cherry wood. Good luck! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi, I have a dinning table and chairs that are very shiny and thickly covered in lacquer.
Would you recomend sanding first ?
Sanding is always helpful – especially if you have a shiny surface. Good luck!