As a rough guide, one litre of Chalk Paint™ covers approximately 13 square metres, or the equivalent of a small welsh dresser or china hutch.

For most purposes, one to two coats of paint are enough. Chalk Paint™ adheres to almost any surface, and there is rarely any need to sand or prime before painting. See ‘Dealing with stains coming through Chalk Paint™’ for when to prime or sand before painting.

To get started, tip the paint pot upside down and shake before use. Then open and stir well. If paint is too thick just add a little water and stir. For the best results, we recommend using a good quality paintbrush like the Chalk Paint™ Brushes to apply the paint.

Always finish Chalk Paint™ with either Chalk Paint™ Wax or Lacquer for protection.

You can paint Chalk Paint™ straight over Chalk Paint™ Wax without removing the prior finish.

Chalk Paint™ Wax is the perfect complement for Chalk Paint™. It adds durability, deepens the colours slightly and adds a very light sheen. It’s really easy to get sensational results – just use a Chalk Paint™ Wax Brush or lint-free cloth to apply the wax to paint. Remove any excess sitting wax with a lint-free cloth.

Finishing Chalk Paint™ with either wax or lacquer is essential; it will seal your finish for years to come and protect from scuffs and water marks.

As a very rough guide, you will need one 500ml tin of wax for every 3-4 litres of paint. This will vary depending on how many coats of paint or wax you use to cover a piece. And it’s always best to have a little wax left over for touching up. With the lid tightly on, it will last indefinitely.

For more information on Chalk Paint™ Wax, watch Annie’s instructional video by clicking here.

After you’ve applied Chalk Paint™ Wax, you’ll find that it will become dry to the touch very quickly. At this stage, it is still what you might call ‘soft’. It will start to harden as the solvents in the wax evaporate. This hardening process is known as ‘curing’. Curing can take between 5 and 21 days depending on ambient temperature.

You can use your finished piece straight away, but you may need to treat it with extra care until the wax has cured completely (you might want to use coasters, avoid sharp objects etc). Once cured, a piece of furniture painted with Chalk Paint™ and finished with wax will stand up to normal wear and tear.

Chalk Paint™ Wax is food-safe and toy-safe when completely cured.

Generally, wiping lightly with a damp/dry microfibre cloth should be sufficient to clean.

Stubborn marks on waxed pieces can often be removed with a little Clear Chalk Paint™ Wax on a cloth, which acts as an eraser. If you choose to use cleaner you will eventually wear away the wax, but if you would prefer to use a mild surface cleaner apply using a cloth and test in an inconspicuous area first. Regular use of cleaning products may require re-waxing over time.

Always use heat mats and coasters to protect your painted and waxed surfaces. Keep away from extreme temperatures or humidity. Like you, your finish prefers a moderate climate!

Waxes dissolve in alcohol, so using it on bars is not advisable.

Avoid aerosol spray polishes as they may contain solvents or silicone that could dissolve the wax.

As a guide, one 750ml tin of Chalk Paint™ Lacquer will cover 19 square metres (204ft ²), but this will vary according to the absorbency of the material you’re painting. For best results the lacquer should be applied in very thin coats. Results may also vary depending on previous treatment of the surface.

When applying Chalk Paint™ Lacquer, bear in mind that it is a ‘penetrating’ finish and can pull tannins or stains from the wood up through the paint. This can be especially noticeable on whites, manifesting as a yellow stain. Always test Chalk Paint™ and Lacquer on several areas before you begin your project. If a stain appears, apply a stain blocker directly over the entire surface before painting and lacquering again.

For more information on Chalk Paint™ Lacquer, watch Annie’s instructional video by clicking here.

The porous nature of Chalk Paint™ means that when the paint is applied to a surface which has been oiled or stained, it draws the stain up through the surface and into the paint, causing discolouration. To prevent this you need to create a seal between the oiled/stained/varnished furniture and your paint. You’ll want to use a water-based shellac such as Chalk Paint™ Lacquer to seal in the stain.

If you’re painting vintage furniture, check if it’s from the 1930s or ‘40s. Furniture from that period often has an oil-based finish that will create a stain. The same can happen if you’re working with new, untreated pine. As Chalk Paint™ adheres to the surface, it will draw out any oil stains or tannins in wood, even if they aren’t visible to the eye.

If you see a stain bleeding through the paint, apply a coat of stain blocker (or knotting solution) directly over the paint you have already applied. Treat the whole affected surface to avoid any patchiness in the final finish. One or two coats of blocker applied evenly with a cloth pad will block the stain. It dries in minutes, and then you can get on with your painting.

These stains can often be pulled through if Chalk Paint™ Lacquer is applied on to Chalk Paint™. If this is the case, do the same steps as above but over the Chalk Paint™ Lacquer you’ve already applied.

For more detail on this topic please read this page on preparing your surfaces for Chalk Paint™.

Chalk Paint™ is not recommended for teak or other oily woods. Always test, if in doubt! For more information on bleed through on floors, watch Annie’s instructional video by clicking here.

Chalk Paint™ is also the perfect foil for surface damage to furniture such as coffee rings, water damage, or ink. Simply cover marks, stains and aesthetic damage with a fresh lick of paint.

As with any decorating paint, it’s not advisable to paint over small areas that need a touch up – even if you are working with paint from the same batch. When you apply a first coat of paint to a surface, the rate at which the water is absorbed by the surface (‘wicking’) has an effect on the final colour. Subsequent coats will be absorbed by the paint underneath at a different rate, leading to a subtle shade difference in the finish.

For this reason, where repairs are necessary, it’s advised to paint the entire surface of the affected area, whether this is a section of wall (from corner to corner & top to bottom) or the face of a piece of furniture (for example, a drawer front). There is no need to repaint the entire room or the whole piece of furniture! However, to save time, it’s worth testing by touching up just the small area first. If it looks fine, you can seal and leave. If not, apply as above.

he colours in the Chalk Paint™ range vary from soft and pale to bright and strong. Annie’s carefully selected colour palette is hugely flexible as you can mix colours together to extend the range and create endless possibilities. Most of Annie’s colours do not contain black pigment which can muddy colours when mixing; so you can combine hues without worry of dirtying your final colour.

If you want to make a colour paler, add Old White or Pure.

Find out roughly what ratio you need by experimenting – you could use your fingers to dab and mix colours, or a teaspoon to make small amounts. For larger amounts you could use a cup or even a tin as a measure.

Start with a dollop of your chosen colour, slowly adding the Old White or Pure. A dollop of Provence and two dollops of Old White gives you a ratio of 1 to 2, making a soft pale turquoise. Use Pure and the colour is cleaner and fresher, giving a more vintage 1950’s look.

For lots more information on mixing colours, see Annie’s book ‘Colour Recipes for Painted Furniture and More’, or contact one of her trained Stockists.

Chalk Paint™ can be applied to walls. It gives a wonderful texture and matt look. Use a large brush to apply Chalk Paint™ to walls, like the Annie Sloan Wall Paint Brush. A brush will use less paint than a roller (see Annie and Felix’s experimenthere) and will add depth and texture to the final finish. You can then wax the wall or leave it – bedroom walls look great with a soft, matte unwaxed finish. For kitchens, bathrooms and walls that require a tougher, scrubbable finish, we recommend Wall Paint by Annie Sloan.

Chalk Paint™ can transform old concrete and wooden floors, even if they’re varnished. Just apply two or three coats of Chalk Paint™ and finish with Chalk Paint™ Lacquer for durability.

Always test the paint and lacquer on a few areas of the floor before you start, to check whether any stains will bleed through. Chalk Paint™ Lacquer will often pull stains through that Chalk Paint™ doesn’t, so it’s important to test with both.

For more detailed information on painting floors, watch Annie’s instructional video by clicking here.