How to paint furniture without chalk paint. Chalk painting furniture was all the rage several years ago and yes, I have tried it! As a long time home decor addict I have tried pretty much every method of painting furniture. My tried and true method of painting furniture remains the same as it was years ago. Why? Because it works and stands the test of time! I still have a couple of wood pieces that I painted back in my college days! Let’s talk about what I don’t and what I DO use instead!
There are now numerous brands of chalk paint. The chalk paint revolution and subsequent frenzy was started by Annie Sloan back in 1990. She started her own line of chalk paint which was the first commercial brand that I know of. Using chalk paint was easy, since you didn’t have to sand wood furniture. Contrary to the commercial chalk style paint, I used to make my own chalk paint before that was even available. I learned how when I studied art and in my brief art teaching career.
I LOVE a nice, elegant semi gloss finish on furniture.
The Chinoiserie dresser above is in our dining room and I found it a couple of years ago at a thrift shop. It’s an old Thomasville piece that resembles Henry Link Bali Hai faux bamboo. I wanted a lacquer finish but did not want to spend the money to have it professionally done. See my tutorial in THIS POST, which again…did not involve chalk paint. Clearly I’m happy with the results 😀 and in contrast to a chalky finish this is glossy!
My New Dining Room Table Project
One day we were up at our beach home and I was taking a break perusing FBMP. Facebook Marketplace…a most wondrous place for furniture! I had been thinking of replacing our existing dining table with something smaller. At $20… indeed a SCORE, but in really bad shape though so this table needed to be rescued and revamped. I should note that the seller had this listed simply as “a project table”!
The Gustavian lines called to me and the size was just perfect. Additionally the oval shape works better for our small dining area. I knew that it would take some work, but it’s not my first rodeo and I was ready for the challenge!
How To Paint Furniture Without Chalk Paint
Supplies That You Need
- Sandpaper in various grits, depending on the finish
- Tack cloth or cheesecloth
- GOOD latex primer
- Can of acrylic wall paint in satin
- Can of clear gloss poly acrylic sealer
- Angled paint brush (cut in brush)
- Mini paint roller (foam)
This table was obviously in someone’s garage and used as a work table. The top was covered in rings and drips of paint and grease. I hand sanded the top only down to the original finish, which was fairly straightforward. Then I used a tackcloth to remove the dust.
Next I set up an area inside the a/c of the house laying down a painter’s drop cloth to protect the floor. Then I gave the entire table a good coat of primer using Kilz.
How To Get A Smooth Finish On Wood Furniture
The best way to get a smooth finish on wood furniture is by rolling the paint! It will adhere well and settle nicely by using a foam roller.
We have done dozens of painting jobs over the years this way! On the table, of course I could only do the rolling application on the top. On the legs I used a 2″ cut in brush of good quality. The example below is from our recent beach house laundry room renovation.
Of course the type of paint matters! Allow the primer coat to dry for a full 24 hours. I know that it can be tempting to give it a fresh coat of paint sooner…don’t. I use Benjamin Moore Advance Paint in a satin finish to paint furniture without chalk paint. This is a water base paint and is low VOC, so can be used indoors with no mask. All of the paints that I use have little to know odor and these days are water based. They work just as well as the old oil based paints used to, as long as you paint properly and give enough curing time between coats. I do wear disposable gloves to protect my hands and nails and below is a shot of the paint used. It’s simply called WHITE.
Give your furniture nice even light coats. While it might be tempting to slather the paint on like cream cheese to a bagel…NO! I gave this table 2 coats of paint about 12 hours apart and allowed a day to dry before sealing.
The Detailing
When painting furniture, don’t overlook the details! The apron of the table had this beautiful reverse dentil molding. I highlighted it with my favorite tinted wax using a cotton t-shirt rag. Less is more and I applied a tiny amount while I had my finger wrapped in the rag. Then I rubbed it in and wiped off the excess with a fresh part of the rag. For the brass hardware, I brought out the beauty by using this shade of Rub N Buff applied in the same manner.
A very close up shot…and you could use a tiny brush for the gilding, but IRL no one gets this close!
Painting furniture is a process and be prepared to paint over the course of a few days for a long lasting job.
After ALL was dry I rolled on the sealer, using a small foam roller. Several coats were applied with 24 hours inbetween to dry. This gives the furniture a nice hard finish to protect it against water rings in the future. I used this sealer, but any water based acrylic sealer will do. I DID NOT SEAL THE LEGS…not necessary and I didn’t want them as glossy.
You know what they say in decorating about one project leading to another? How to paint furniture with house paint also called me to paint these chairs! In order to use them along with this upcycled table it was necessary. I took my time and gave the chairs two coats of the same paint (no sealer). They were already “primed” with this tutorial – Secrets To Giving Furniture A Chalk Finish. You can use this method to prime any raw finish fairly easily! As you can see I used a cut in brush and carefully painted only up until the piping. I did get a few tiny spots of paint on the piping here and there, but they aren’t really noticeable.
And finally…the finished dining room set!
It pairs well with the sideboard now and the sheen of the table has that upscale look I was going for! The FRESH PEONIES are from PETAL DRIVEN.
The old farmhouse style table has sold on FBMP and will be residing at a home in the Florida Keys!
I’m really pleased with the look and hope that you’re inspired to do a budget friendly makeover as well! Let me know your thoughts if you’d like in the comments section below!
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It looks absolutely fabulous…love it!
Thank you!
Stunning!!!!!
Thanks so much!
What a huge difference paint makes! This table is now gorgeous! Love the chairs, too! Great job!
Thank you!
Looks fantastic and lots of information and tips about “how to” Thank you for sharing Janet. I was waiting for the results and voila. The cabinet did you decide on a colour for it yet?
Glad that you found this helpful Linda! On the cabinet, I’ve only painted the inside and not sure I’ll do the exterior. Big decision, lol!
I totally understand. I think white with ? inside! oooooh another surprise to look forward to! Hey what about using a side panel try white that I know you have and try a bigger area of blue first which if I remember you were considering?
What a terrific make-over! I love the table – and what a find for twenty bucks! I like your paint technique – and I appreciate the finish NOT being chalk paint, which is a product of which I’ve never understood the allure (the feeling of it gives me the creeps LOL).
Your dining room is so elegant and posh looking. And, as always, still very inviting and comfortable appearing.
Nice job!
What a beautiful table, a great find for $20.00. You did a great job of restoring and painting. I love it.
Great post! Thanks for walking me through every detail! Not so intimidating anymore.
Cathy White
I’m so glad that you found it helpful Cathy! My best advice would be to take your time!
Your table is beautiful!!
I have painted many pieces of furniture and never used chalk paint! I now use a Benjamin Moore product called Rust Scat which works very similar to cabinet paint. And I usually use semigloss to get a little more sheen than satin gives. That way I don’t have to use a clear sealer. Before that product came out I used semigloss latex. It works but is a bit more difficult I think.
And using a roller works so well! Wish I had discovered that years ago. LOL It gives such a good finish and no brush strokes.
Thank you Frances! I have seen that paint but assumed that it was formulated to inhibit rust on metal, so have never bought or used it for wood. Sounds like it’s worth a try!
I found a very similar table with 5 leaves and 6 chairs in a junk store for $100 for my daughter, it was in decent shape, just ugly and she said she didn’t want it. I knew she would after it was painted and the chairs recovered so onward I went. Painfully sanded, my husband learned how to recane chairs and did a beautiful job, I upholstered the seat bottoms and he sprayed the table and chair frames. It was ALOT of work and we spent way more than $20 but my daughter loves her set! Wish I had seen this post before we did all of that, we certain would have rolled the table, I may have to add some wax! Love your finished product and all of your posts, thanks so much for all of the great tips!
First Lori…what a generous and loving thing to do for your daughter! Secondly it sounds like you guys did an amazing job, so pat yourselves on the backs! Next time do try a mini roller…they eliminate the brush strokes.
Beautiful! Great job. Thanks for sharing.
I thank YOU Cheryl for stopping by!
Your table is gorgeous! I love it. So many great painting tips.
Hugs to you.
Thank you on both counts Renae and enjoy the rest of your week!
Such a great job! You took your time, which I have a problem with (Lol) and it usually shows. I have a project ahead; painting cabinets which I painted about 20 years ago, that I don’t want to sand. What are my options, besides using chalk paint?
It is time consuming to do correctly Donna Marie! If you are going to DIY the cabinets and not use chalk paint you need to use a degreaser and honestly I would recommend light sanding. Then prime, allow to dry and paint. Use a roller as I mentioned on the doors, or a sprayer as the pros do.
We have a sprayer, but I like using a roller. Thanks for your answer!
I am drooling with envy…the entire dining set is stunning!!! Thanks for sharing and for the step by step process…..
Thanks Susan…I am loving the look and my home is always a work in progress!
I just used Kilz Chalk paint to paint my bed because I need it to dry fast and I didn’t want to sand. That is some good chalk paint but I like other paints better. Your table is gorgeous. I love how it turned out.
Thank you Katie!
Absolutely Beautiful!! I love everything in your room! Thank you for sharing your ideas and talent! Your posts are a wonderful inspiration!!
Thank you so much Jeanne…I appreciate you being here!
That table is stunning! Question – can you paint over chalk painted chairs? If so, do you need to sand them? Thanks!
Thank you! I would just prime, but you could just lightly sand first depending on the texture.
Must I sand to paint over chalk paint? Should I use a primer?
Appreciate you going into detail when you give a tutorial.
Thank you!
There’s quite a bit of detail in the post, and if you hover over the blue links you can click on them for more painting posts. It depends if you’ve waxed them and if so, I’d sand and then prime. If not, you’re probably okay without sanding, but I’d still prime. Hope this helps.
I love your blog!!! What paint would you use to paint kitchen cabinets? What white fir white ones? Thx
Your dining room is gorgeous. Thank you so much for the detailed information on painting. I have learned so much from your post. I appreciate you taking time to post.
Awesome helpful guide to painting furniture! Chalk paint around here is hard to find and it’s very expensive if you have a large piece to do.
The table looks great! Your right about people aren’t staring up close at your final paint job. I so don’t see what others have missed around our home until I go to re-paint the wall/trim..etc…
I love white furniture and you did a great job. I’ve painted a few pieces in the past few years. The owner of the local BM store suggested I use Aura waterborne interior paint and primer in pearl and indicated there was no need to add a sealer. Do you always do a sealer coat? I also just painted a couple of night tables but was unable to get what I needed at BM due to some shortages. I ended up using HH Beautitone’s trim & door pearl which is urethane enhanced. The tables painted up beautifully in a deep blue. Do you think I should seal the tops? The tables are in our guest room which gets used about 5 or 6 times a year.
I don’t always seal tops Char and this case I wouldn’t bother.
Great tips I love painted furniture. I paint everything wood, glass, plastic anything. When I get tired of something I just paint it.
Thanks Miki…and the power of paint is truly amazing!
Fantastic results, excellent tutorial! Thank you!
Thank you Kathy!
Love your blog! Wonderful transformation and so refreshing. Can you tell me where you purchased the white vases holding the peonies?
Thank you Debbie! Those are actually a very pale aqua and you can find them in all colors here: https://shoplohome.com/
I have a kitchen table I’d like to paint like this, but I’m worried how it will look over time with it being used daily in a family with kids. Is this finish scrubbable?
I’m not sure that this type of finish would take a beating Katherine. Most painted surfaces would likely get scratched with young kids over time.