Wow, interesting!!

VERY interesting..... I feel a science experiment coming on!

I'll be trying that too and I have just the piece to experiment with. :) Thanks!

Thanks for posting this. I have mentioned on a number of posts that the chalk paint was something simple. Used acrylic craft paint (large bottles) for my projects and swore it was close to the same...ignored though. Most artists know there are simple recipes to their mediums used. I did't pursue this and am so glad you did.

Reminds me of the old days of crackle finish which is nothing more than hide glue between coats, diluted with water for whatever results wanted. Of course I'm also reminded that the boat was missed not being someone who could market these things as the chalk paint lady has. And in an economy looking for such.

Link below is the one you posted. Thanks again. Would love to hear of the projects from this and am definitely going to try it too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chalk Paint Recipe

I just might be painting this weekend!

Thanks so much for posting this! I too am interested in chalk paint, but one thing that might cause me to drag my feet is that the Annie Sloan stuff seems so hard to find. I don't even think I can buy it locally. I hope someone who tries out this recipe right away will post their experience!

I do plan to try this, not sure how fast I can get to it. I'll look for the powdered calcium carbonate tomorrow.

One of the 'selling points' of the AS chalk paint is the ability to paint with no prep, wax over your new paint and then RE-PAINT over the wax with more chalk paint with no prep if you want a different color. I talked at length with a woman here who is a supplier and she assured me this is true. The paint experience part of my brain has trouble understanding this. She also told me this paint is extremely durable on objects to be left outside and there's no need to use an exterior type paint. Again, hard for me to grasp. She understood my skepticism and offered to do a girls experimenting paint day for me and 3 of my paint buddies. Since we've all had decorative painting businesses and she doesn't need to do a basic seminar for novices, she can let us more or less teach ourselves and we will only need to pay for materials. She's confident that we will be believers when we're done and we're trying to find a date that works for all of us.

Honestly, the AS paint sounds too good to be true, but I'm not a chemist so will keep an open mind. However, if it IS true, then I have to wonder how adding one of the 3 or 4 suggested products to latex or acrylic paint can possibly produce the same no prep, fast dry, re-paint properties that AS claims. And how could all of the suggested additives produce the same results? As far as the look or feel of the paint, that I absolutely believe can be duplicated with some experimentation. It's the miracle properties that I wonder about.

I just finished one coat on the end of my island. I used an oops can I had and Plaster of Paris, since that's the only thing I could find easily. One coat covered fairly well over a dark walnut-looking stain with no prep except to wipe off any loose dirt, dried super fast, but it has a very grainy feel when I rub my hand over it. I used a paint mixer attachment on my drill to blend, so maybe it's the plaster that gives it the texture. I plan to distress a bit after two coats and then wax. Not sure if I'll finish this weekend, though. Lots of other plans and it's a pretty big island!

I can test the painting over wax after I get this thing done.

I recently tried out AS chalk paint for the first time. I also had a hard time believing that no prep was required and that it would work right over poly finishes and equally well on wood, metal, etc. But, I have to say, it's fantastic stuff! It covers very well in a couple of coats, dries fast, and a little goes a long way. The AS chalk paint is pricey at $34.95 per quart, but as I mentioned, a quart will cover a lot. I painted two bedside tables with only about a third of a quart or so, maybe less. So, that comes out to around $10 for the paint. For durability, an aged look, and a nice sheen, I used the clear and dark waxes. They work great. With no prep (sanding, stripping, etc.) and the fast dry time, one could easily complete a furniture panting job in a day or two. Brush strokes seem to disappear as the paint dries. Exposed to air, the paint will thicken, but adding a spritz of water will thin it. I only used a little paint at a time in a disposable container. The paints clean up with soap and water and have no odor.

I have no affiliation with AS chalk paint. This is my personal experience and opinion.

I live in rural WI, and believe me, I have no local dealer options here. But, I ordered online from Classic Wall Finishes, and I was able to get a sample card ($4.99) showing all the colors before placing my order for the paints. I purchased Duck Egg Blue and Old White. They're gorgeous.

I had never used chalk paints before, and I was very concerned about making a mistake. So, I e-mailed Classic Wall Finishes (bestfurniturepaint.com), and to my surprise, a lady there called me and explained to me step-by-step what to do. It was very helpful. They also sent me a free sample of the Paris Gray color.

Here is a link that might be useful: BestFurniturePaint.com