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Last month I tested out spray chalk paint and blogged about my experience with it here.  Much to my surprise, a lot of people liked that post (yay!), and wanted to know all about the product.  Because of that, I figured that people might also want to know about spray wax and spray topcoat that can be used for finishing projects painted with spray chalk paint or hand painted with chalk paint.  So once again, I got to work testing it out and am sharing all the details on spray wax finishing for chalky finish paint projects. 

For those of you who may not be overly familiar with chalky finish paint, wax is a commonly used sealant or topcoat on pieces that have been painted with chalky finish paint.  It’s popular because it seeps into the paint to form a protective finish and produces a really beautiful and subtle sheen on the surface.

Wax typically comes in a tub (like this – my usual brand of wax) and is applied with a special wax brush (like this), or sometimes a lint-free rag (though that usually results in an uneven application).  It dries to a haze and then must be buffed to get a beautiful shine.

To me, wax didn’t seem like something that can be sprayed.  Because of that, I first decided to test out the Krylon Spray Wax on a dud of a project (a painted thrift store tray), in case it wasn’t going to work.  Most recently, I tested out the Rustoleum Chalked Protective Topcoat on a stool I painted with Rustoleum Chalked Spray Paint.  Although it is not a true wax product, it is a spray topcoat suitable for chalk painted projects.  Here are my thoughts on both of these products! 

Odor

The wax I usually use STINKS.  I’m talking “plug your nose because it smells like you doused your house in gasoline” stinks.  And that odor sticks around for a couple of days.  (Some other brands of wax like this have virtually no odor.)

Conversely, the Krylon spray wax did not smell nearly as bad.  While it DID have an odor, the smell dissipated after a couple of hours as opposed to a couple of days.

The Rustoleum Chalked Protective Topcoat had no real odor.

The bottom line is you will still need a well-ventilated area if you’re going to use spray wax or spray topcoat.

Application

Spray wax and spray protective topcoat could not be easier to apply.  It comes out of the can so smoothly and evenly.  A bonus of application of spray wax is that you do not need to purchase another supply – the wax brush.

There is definitely some overspray, however, so surrounding areas should be covered.  That’s not really an issue with regular wax. If you spray paint regularly, you may want to purchase this awesome pop up spray shelter, which protects your projects from debris flying onto them.  I love mine!

Time

I don’t think that applying wax by brush takes an extraordinarily long amount of time.  That being said, spray wax or spray topcoat may take slightly less time to apply.  (But any time saved may be negated during the buffing process (if applicable – see below.)

Sheen

Like regular wax, spray wax does have a slight sheen.  To me it didn’t seem as rich and velvety as the sheen that’s produced by brush-on wax, but it does give a nice look that’s not achieved with poly products.

I tried to capture the sheen achieved with the Krylon spray wax in this photo.  You can kind of see it in the top right corner, but it’s not the best photo. 

The Rustoleum Chalked Topcoat in matte gave a beautiful finish with a hint of sheen – not too dull and not too shiny.

Buffing

All waxes, once dried to a haze, must be buffed to produce a sheen.  To me it seemed that buffing spray wax was much more difficult than regular wax.  The finish felt stickier than regular wax (once dried), and it took a lot more buffing to remove the excess wax.  This could be a huge pain on a larger piece that’s been sprayed.  I really did not like this aspect of the spray wax.

Conversely, with the Rustoleum Chalked Topcoat, no buffing was required.  The finish dried nice to the touch with no stickiness, and the sheen was beautiful.

Discoloration

Although the Krylon spray wax appeared yellow on parts of the white paint to which I’d applied it, once buffed there was no visible discoloration of the finish.  In this photo you can sort of see the yellow I’m talking about (prior to buffing).  My experience with regular wax is the same.

I tested the Rustoleum Spray Protective Topcoat on a blue piece and did not notice any discoloration.

Spray Wax Durability

Wax is never the best finishing choice for pieces that will be getting a lot of use – like a table top.  With that being said, spray wax seems to be as durable as regular wax.  I tried scratching some of the sealed finish off, and it withstood my attempts.

And similarly, the Rustoleum Chalked Topcoat also seems to be quite durable, though I haven’t used it on a heavy-use piece.

The Bottom Line

So here’s where I ultimately come out on these products:

If you’re not regularly using chalky finish paint and don’t want to invest in a wax brush, spray wax or spray protective topcoat is probably perfect for you.  You will be able to get several projects sealed with one can (depending on the size of the projects, of course), and likely be happy with the finished product.

If you’re a chalky finish paint fanatic like me, you’re probably better off using your regular wax.  Since you already have the wax brush and maybe even a drill buffer, the cost will be less to continue using your wax and you will get the gorgeous finish you’re accustomed to – even if you’ve painted the piece with the Rustoleum Chalked Paint or the Krylon Chalky Finish Spray Paint.

Have you tried Krylon’s Spray Wax Coating or Rustoleum’s Chalked Protective Topcoat?  What do you think of it?  Let me know – I love to hear from you!

Bre

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One of my favorite things to do is paint furniture.  I LOVE transforming ugly, forgotten, or outdated pieces into beautiful assets for any space.

But sometimes painting a piece of furniture isn’t the best idea or just isn’t an option.  Maybe it’s a family heirloom that would be “ruined” with color, or maybe it’s an antique that shouldn’t be altered in such a way.  (Or maybe you have a husband who is sick and tired of you painting every surface in your house.  Not that I’d know anything about that. . . .)

But even if you “can’t” paint a piece of old or outdated furniture for whatever reason, you don’t have to live with it the way it is!  There are lots of ways to update furniture without paint.  And they’re awesome! 

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

1.  Washi Tape

Washi tape is a FABULOUS way to give furniture a new look!  It comes in a million colors and patterns, and removes without damaging the surface.  Use it to add Greek key detailing, a chevron pattern, or even simple lines!  Wrapping it around the legs is also a fun way to use washi tape on furniture.

Canary Street Crafts has a great post on exactly how to add detail to furniture with washi tape.  Look at how beautiful it can be!

And how about using washi tape to add some pop to plain bookshelves like Honey We’re Home did?  

2.  Furniture Tacks or Nailheads

If you don’t mind a piece getting a little “holey,” furniture tacks (nailheads) or pushpins can be a great way to give a piece of furniture a new look!  Furniture tacks can be found in the hardware aisle at any home improvement store, and decorative pushpins are at any office supply store or even Target!

I used some cool Nate Berkus pushpins to update this table that desperately needed a new look and some detail!

And look at how stunning this table makeover is!  Mad in Crafts nailed it.  (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

3.  Fabric or Paper

Another great way to add some color or pattern to furniture is with fabric or paper!

I have a full tutorial on how I added fabric to my changing table upcycle right here!

I used the same method to add gorgeous wrapping paper to the drawer on my grandma’s old side table.  

Just look at how amazing some fabric looks against a wood finish!  This table makeover from Brepurposed is proof that a little color and pattern goes a long way to updating a piece!  

4.  New Hardware

Hands down the EASIEST way to update furniture without paint is with new hardware!  Hardware is seriously like jewelry for your furniture.  Change it out and LOVE your furniture!

When we renovated our kitchen four years ago, we insisted on saving the original, built-in china cabinet because we’re doing the best we can to maintain the vintage charm of the home.  So we kept the walnut-colored finish and just updated the hardware to match that of our new cabinets.  It was the perfect solution!  Now we have the original piece with a slightly updated look.  

Some of my favorite resources for amazing hardware are Anthropologie, D. Lawless, World Market, and Amazon.  Check them out and be amazed at how quickly you can change the look of a piece!

5.  Baskets (or Other Accessories)

Another easy way to change up the look of furniture is to replace drawers with baskets (if there are any drawers).

Creative Home Expressions plucked this beauty off the curb, even though it was missing two drawers, and made it her own with some new baskets!  

If your piece of furniture doesn’t have drawers that can be replaced with baskets, try adding some new accessories on or around it.  This will give the piece an updated look that you can change out whenever you feel like it!

So what do you think of these ideas?  Would you try any of them on your own furniture?  All I can say is that I sure hope my husband doesn’t read this post.  If he does, I know he will forbid any more painting of our furniture and throw these ideas right back in my face!

-Bre

You Might Also Like Upgrading a Bookcase with Wrapping Paper 

 

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that I’m a huge fan of chalky finish paint.  (And if you’re not, now you know.  Check out my chalk painted furniture gallery here!)  So of course I was totally intrigued when I saw spray chalk paint appear in my craft store several months ago.  I was a little hesitant to purchase it because I kind of despise spray paint.  Every time I use spray paint I mess something up.  Whether it’s the project, the surrounding surfaces, or my nose hairs (yes, I almost always end up with spray painted nose hairs), something is bound to go wrong.

But one day I decided to use my craft store 40% off coupon and buy a can of spray chalk paint in an effort to spruce up some intricate picture frames and ceramic candle holders that I thought might be hard to brush paint.  I gave it a go and lived to tell my story.  (Dramatic, no?)  Because I KNOW I’m not the only one whose wondered if this stuff really works, I decided to share my chalky finish spray paint review!

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

Long story short, I really love chalk spray paint for certain projects!  (Keep reading to see the nitty gritty of my review.)

It worked perfectly for my projects, which would have been really difficult to refinish with regular chalky finish paint (especially the frames, which have a lot of crevices).  The chalky finish spray paint gave me exactly the look I was going for without the hassle (and uneven finish) that regular chalky finish paint would have provided on these particular pieces.

Here are the candle holders before I sprayed them with Krylon’s Chalky Finish Spray Paint.  
And after.   See how flawless the finish is?  I added a little gold metallic accent to the finished product.

And even more recently, I used Rustoleum’s spray chalk paint, Chalked, on some thrift store baskets that I used as above-the-bed art in my master bedroom.

So now that you’ve seen what I used chalky finish spray paint on, let me give you my totally unbiased review of the products.  (Why is it unbiased, you ask?  Well, I simply mean that this post has not been sponsored in any way, shape or form by Krylon, Rustoleum, or any other entity.  It’s just me sharing my totally honest thoughts.)

Chalk Spray Paint Coverage

Like regular chalky finish paint, chalky finish spray paint has excellent coverage.  I used two coats of the product on each of the items I was refinishing, which is what I would have done for a solid finish with regular chalky finish paint.

Odor of Chalky Finish Spray Paint

There is definitely an odor to chalky finish spray paint, unlike most regular chalky finish paints.  You definitely would want to use the product outside or in a well-ventilated area.

Project Types Suitable for Spray Chalk Paint

To me, chalky finish spray paint seems like the PERFECT paint for smaller pieces that you want a super smooth and solid finish on, or those with intricate details.  I would not try to refinish a large dresser with chalky finish spray paint, just because you would have to buy so many cans of it, which would get really expensive!  But smaller furniture projects like chairs or stools are definitely doable!

If you have a larger project in mind, you would love the HomeRight Super Finish Max Sprayer, which lets you spray any chalk paint you want.  I have this product and used it to spray paint my radiators, among other things! 

Chalky Finish Spray Paint Color Choices

Unfortunately, there aren’t many colors of chalky finish spray paint available.  Hopefully the color range will increase as popularity of the product increases.  You can check out the colors here; Amazon seems to sell most, if not all, of them.

Adhesion of Spray Chalk Paint

From what I can tell, it’s awesome, just like regular chalky finish paint.  I removed the dust from the surfaces I was spraying, but I didn’t have to sand them down before spraying.  And the paint is sticking wonderfully!  Granted, I didn’t spray pieces that get a lot of use (like a table), but it does seem like it provides a durable finish.

Spray Chalk Paint Application

I actually thought applying chalky finish spray paint was easier than regular spray paint.  As I mentioned above, I am not the best spray painter.  But something about chalky finish spray paint seemed easier to use.  It did not run as easily as regular spray paint, and I got a much more even finish with it than I do with regular spray paint.  Thank goodness!  (Unfortunately I did still end up with spray painted nose hairs.  Note to self: buy a face mask.  Stat.)

Availability of Chalky Finish Spray Paint

I have purchased Rustoleum Chalked spray paint at Target, and Krylon Chalky Finish Spray Paint at Michaels.  Both brands are also available online at Amazon.

Finishing of Chalky Finish Spray Paint Projects

Both Krylon and Rustoleum also have spray wax products for finishing your chalky paint projects!  If you’re wondering how those spray waxes work, you can read that review RIGHT HERE!

All in all, I think chalky finish spray paint is a great product.  I’m really glad I bit the bullet and gave it a try, because I will definitely be using it on other projects in the future.

Have you tried chalky finish spray paint?  If so, leave me a note and tell me about your experience with it!

-Bre

Several months ago I was so lucky to find a set of nesting tables for sale on a local resale website.  They weren’t in terrible condition, but they did have some water rings, damaged veneer in spots, and an outdated floral motif painted on each of the table tops.
Nonetheless, I was PUMPED to get these babies into my possession. I knew I could make them gorgeous again.  I promptly hid them in my basement storage area, hoping that my husband wouldn’t discover that I’d brought home yet another furniture project.  (Womp womp.  He found them and promptly began badgering me about when my “Russian dolls tables” would be out of here.)

With some elbow grease and TLC I got them spiffed up, and now my painted nesting tables look better than ever!

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