Co-financed by the European Union
Distressing furniture with Beta Chalk Paint
Chalk Paint has taken the DIY decor and furniture upcycling world by storm! Offering a beautiful muted finish and a wide range of colours, Beta Chalk Paint has become one of the leading products for finishing new furniture as well as upcycling of old furniture.
The distressed wood look has become very popular recently and it is easier to apply than you might imagine.. here's how!
What you'll need:
(follow link to find these products in our shop section and order online)
- Base paint such as Beta Platinum Acrylic Eggshell - LINK
- Beta Chalk Paint in desired colour/s - LINK
- Paintbrush and/or roller and tray - LINK
- Masking tape / paper - LINK
- Sandpaper and/or scouring pads - LINK
- Varnish or finishing wax - LINK
Preparation of piece:
Clean piece of furniture very well, removing all dust and degrease to remove traces of old furniture wax or polish. Unless desired, fill in any dents or deep scratches using a wood putty.
2 or multi-colour distressed effect:
- After proper preparation of piece, apply one or two coats of Beta Acrylic Eggshell in the desired base colour by brush or roller, allowing each coat to dry thoroughly before applying the next coat.
- Once base colour has dried completely, apply one or two coats of Beta Chalk Paint in the desired top colour by brush or roller, lettingit dry completely between coats.
- When final coat of Beta Chalk Paint has dried completely, sand or rub protruding areas of furniture using a fine foam sandpaper (P240 - P320) or using red (very fine) or green (ultra fine) cleaning and finishing pads to expose the base colour applied. This works best on areas of the furniture that would naturally suffer wear and abrasion such as chair legs, backs and edges, the areas around handles and knobs and tops. Depending on the chosen type and roughness of sanding material, a different look may be achieved - smooth distress marks resembling natural wear or scratched distress. A combination of techniques may be combined to achieve the desired look.
- Once desired level of distressing has been achieved, apply 2 coats of Beta Waterbased Satin or Gloss Varnish by brush or roller, allowing to dry completely between coats. For a more natural, silky finish, Beta Beeswax or Pinewax may be used. Apply 2 coats using a soft cloth, amiking sure to get into crevices. Allow wax to dry between coats.
Colour and Wood distressed effect:
- Prepare pre-varnished wood (check our preparation guide above). On new, raw wood pieces, sand to a fine finish and apply one coat of Beta Waterbased Satin Varnish diluted 2 : 1 with water as a sealing coat.
- Apply two coats of Beta Chalk Paint in the desired colour - usually a colour which contrasts with the natural colour of the wood. Allow paint to dry thoroughly between coats.
- When final coat of Beta Chalk Paint has dried completely, sand or rub protruding areas of furniture using a fine foam sandpaper (P240 - P320) or using red (very fine) or green (ultra fine) cleaning and finishing pads to expose the base colour applied. This works best on areas of the furniture that would naturally suffer wear and abrasion such as chair legs, backs and edges, the areas around handles and knobs and tops. Depending on the chosen type and roughness of sanding material, a different look may be achieved - smooth distress marks resembling natural wear or scratched distress. A combination of techniques may be combined to achieve the desired look.
- Once desired level of distressing has been achieved, apply 2 coats
of Beta Waterbased Satin or Gloss Varnish by brush or roller, allowing
to dry completely between coats. For a more natural, silky finish, Beta
Beeswax or Pinewax may be used. Apply 2 coats using a soft cloth,
amiking sure to get into crevices. Allow wax to dry between coats.
Useful Tip
