You’ve heard about Annie Sloan’s infamous chalk paint, right? I guess The Decorologist gets around, because a few weeks ago their PR person was kind enough to send me a “starter kit” to experiment with!
They must have heard I have a ton of painting projects on my to-do list, and that I’m not a huge fan of sanding and priming. What, you say? No sanding or priming??? You heard me right – the rumour is: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint will adhere to ANYTHING. With NO sanding or priming required.
No Sanding or Priming – Yahoo!
I’ve heard tell that it works on unfinished and finished wood, painted finishes of all kinds, melamine cabinets, plastic, and metal. Wow! So will it work on these super-shiny orange candlesticks from Pottery Barn? You’re about to find out. Below are the candlesticks after the first coat of paint. I was afraid the paint would be runny and streaky, but that was not my experience. It brushed on great – very similar to regular latex paint.
After One Coat of Chalk Paint
The paint dried fairly quickly. I was able to recoat in an hour. It dried to a very matte, chalky finish.
After 2nd Coat of Chalk Paint Dried
The next day, I applied Annie Sloan Clear Wax to the candlesticks with a brush. Then I buffed them with a clean cloth to get this nice eggshell sheen:
Duck Egg Blue Chalk Paint with Clear Wax
They turned out so pretty! I really like them the way they looked with the clear wax, but the client I am doing these for prefers a more weathered look. That’s where Annie Sloan’s Dark Wax comes in. I simply applied the dark wax lightly with a different brush, then buffed with a clean cloth. I could have gone heavier, but I didn’t want to overdo it.
Duck Egg Blue with Dark Wax
Another option would have been to sand the edges after applying the clear wax and before applying the dark wax, but these candlesticks are not wood and I didn’t especially want the orange to show through.
Duck Egg Blue with Light Coat of Dark Wax
Which do you prefer – the clear wax or the dark wax? I love them both, and I can’t wait to get started on some larger projects with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint! I’ve got a cabinet, two monster armoires, and a cedar-lined closet to tackle now . . .
The one and only Annie Sloan will be holding a one-day workshop on March 26th at the Courtyard Franklin Cool Springs Hotel! Seats are limited, so find out more now about this workshop or the others on her U.S. tour at http://anniesloanunfolded.com.
Oooohhh! I love this. I have never heard of this paint. So Thank you, Thank you Kristie! I like the weathered look ( dark wax) the best… XoXo
Katie, you’ve GOT to try it – you’ll love it! It’s a bit pricey, but a little goes a long way (and did I mention NO SANDING OR PRIMING???)
Lovely! Have been reading about ASCP, but where can we buy it here in the States???
Never mind – found it!
http://www.anniesloan.com/acatalog/North_American_Stockists.html
thanks for the link, Lee Ro!
Those candlesticks look great. Haven’t tried the chalk paint yet but will get to at the workshop (thanks to the Back Porch Mercantile in Knoxville) . I’ve heard lots of great things about it and am looking forward to using it. Thanks for sharing your project.
Angie
Great info on this Kristie. I have a friend who is going to be painting a dresser to convert to a media cabinet and she was thinking about trying this out. I’ll have to send the link to your post to her. I like the clear wax look but they are both a nice look. The no sanding or priming is HUGE.
I have had this on my list to try for ages and just received an email about their newest product: Crackle Varnish. Looks great… and a nice addition to the line. I even have a retailer in my area so may head over this weekend!
Love the look with the dark wax!
i love the paint, love the clear wax… not so much the dark… makes things look a bit dirty to me… love the sheen of a thin clear buffed wax job… so easy w/o priming and sanding…. been using it for more than a year… surprised this is your first time at it…. enjoy!
Oooh, I can’t decide between the two! I suppose it would depend on how I would be using them. I am more drawn to the weathered look, but I love them both! I have heard so much about Annie Sloan’s paint products, and I would love to try some out, but I am a bit intimidated! I love seeing before and after’s, though. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
wow, really impressive — although I liked the original orange color better…. and I cannot believe I have a local store who carry this paint right here in the same town! I have to check it out.
Love the duck egg blue and the finish with the dark wax.
Not having to sand and/or prime is a huge bonus. I think the time you save and the money you save on primer makes up for the higher price of the chalk paint.
I NEED to try this paint!
Lucky, lucky you to be given a starter kit! Wow!!! I have 2 projects in mind for our bedroom, a kidney-shaped table and a floor-standing jewellery armoir. I’m headed down the road of Paris Grey with maybe some dark wax… but I have to finish up some projects before I let myself be swept away by Annie. This post is definitely inspiring me to get those projects off my plate! Candlesticks look great, and I don’t know which I like better – they both look awesome. What I’m dying to see is your closet once it’s painted 🙂
Me too!
They look great! I have not tried her paint yet…I’m just not sure about spending the money on it yet. Maybe down the road.
Beautiful candlesticks! Do you know if Sloan makes a product to add more gloss to finished pieces? Thanks!
I’ve been hoping you would do a post on this paint. I wish it would have been available when I painted my kitchen table and bathroom cabinets. I am dying to try it on one of the old miscellaneous pieces of wood furniture in my bonus room but have no idea what color to use.
Hi Kristie, I don’t know if it’s just me or my iPad, but a roll of pictures of the same sleigh bed is running through the middle of your blog.
Which color is this blue? I like it very much! I’ve been using the paint for some time. The dark wax makes a piece look aged. It all depends on the look you’re going for.
I started painting furniture with ASCP and now I’m ready to try the standard latex products. I hear Sherman Williams and Ben Moore make some excellent product!
Enjoy!,
Barbara
About how much does the paint cost? I am painting my cabinets and would love to use this paint! They do not sell it online rit now and I can not find the price.
Anne,
Annie Sloan Chalk Paint runs around $37 a quart. It’s not cheap, but it doesn’t take as much to paint furniture and cabinets as it does to do walls, right? And you save the time, mess, and $$ of the prep work and priming.
Actually the paint is sold online all over the place. However, there are also 191 local retailers in America. You can check out the retailer closest to you at http://www.anniesloanunfolded.com.
imagine my confusion until I realized it was chalk paint and not chalkBOARD paint….”why is she painting candlesticks with chalkboard paint?” doh!
Just started my Annie Sloan project today! An old door headboard and two nightstands in old white. Love how the candlesticks turned out. Wouldn’t have thought of that application!
Beautiful! I like both! But lately I’ve been shying away from antiqued finishes {if for no other reason, just to be different}. Congrats on receiving a kit to try! Thanks so much for sharing this on Fabulous Friday at Faith, Trust, & Pixie Dust. Please come back next week!
Warmly, Michelle
I’ve been loving this paint~I did my kitchen cabinets with it and was super happy with the results. I have the duck egg and will be doing a bathroom vanity. I like them both ways with the dark and the clear wax, I find that the dark wax changes the color, so sometimes I use it to do just that if a color is too bright or fresh. I’ll be at the Boston workshop April 2nd!
Do you know if this paint is available in the US to purchase? I am finding it hard to find information on how to buy it without shipping it from the U.K.
yes, they know sell it in the U.S. you can find retailers here: http://www.anniesloanunfolded.com/retailers
Kristie, if painting furniture with this paint, what might you recommend as a sealant/finish? I’ve used it on a side table but it’s gotten some spots and I am nervous for a spill or something that might ruin the finish. I like the chalky finish without any seal though. Thought you might have an idea on that? Thanks for any input!
Annie Sloan makes both a dark wax anda clear wax to finish and/or seal the paint.