Dressing Table - basic chalk paint TUTORIAL
These old brown dressing tables are wonderful, so romantic!
They tend to have single or triple mirrors. Dressing tables without mirrors make great desks or hang a statement mirror on the wall behind.
There's so many different styles - all with these Louis style curvy calves.
This one still has the glass top in good condition.
And here it is before I started.
Set Up
If you're painting inside your home, make sure you have the floor properly covered to protect from dust, paint splatters and any accidents. I'd recommend a cotton/ twill dust sheet with a plastic backing. You'll find it hard wearing, when you're finished, take it outside, shake of the dust and fold it away for your next project.
Preparation
Next, prepare the surfaces for paint.
Remove all the hardware (handles) and take out all the drawers, take off the mirror/s and set safely to one side (don't trip on it).
Clean down the surfaces to remove any dirt or oils/grease. You'll find a lot of old furniture has nicotine on the surface from cigarette smoke. This can seep into paint and create brown stains.
I'd recommend a thorough wash with warm, soapy water and a soft cotton cloth.
Alternatively, buy something like these wipes. They'll remove all dirt and oils from the surface.
If there's any flakey varnish, just sand it away so the surface is smooth.
With chalk paint, there should be no need for an undercoat.
However if you do need to do any fixing work - like filling holes, I tend to do this before using chalk paint. But this type of paint is versatile, so don't worry if you need to paint and patch as you go.
Depending on the design, I sometimes leave the mirror posts joined to the table top for painting.
Don't fret about chips, these will all be painted over and become part a shabby-chic look. If you want a smoother look, just use a wood filler. This one from Amazon is natural wood colour.
PLUS you'll need chalk paint brushes.
These brushes are quite different to ordinary paint brushes. They hold the paint and are soft and flexible to use. I'd recommend the round, chalk paint brush - check the bristles are trimmed with a soft edge. If you have time, try both conventional paint brush and chalk paint round brush.
I guarantee from running years of workshops, you'll prefer the chalk paint brush.
There are quite a few different chalk paints for sale these days. I'll post a blog specifically about that soon to give you my own tips. Purchase around 1 litre of chalk paint for a dressing table. Here's a link to amazon for Rustoleum's Clotted Cream size is 750ml.
Do make sure you double check the size of the tin before buying online.
The sizes vary from very small at 250ml to 5 litre.
Check bundles as you may find chalk paint plus wax saves you money too, this one is for white chalk paint and clear wax.
Preparing to Paint
Now for the fun! Start with one coat of paint. Don't overload the brush, just dip it in about a third of the brush after stirring the paint throughly.
TIP - new brushes will shed hairs. Before use, smooth the brush around on the cotton dust mat, flick the bristles back and forth to remove any loose hairs. When painting if a hair is in the paint, pick it out before the paint dries. If you spot it after the paint dries, remove it and decide if you need to smooth the surface or touch up that bit.
Just don't panic, relax and remember, this should be fun!
TIP - Don't brush backwards and forwards like you would if you were painting a wall. The paint dries quickly and going over the surface can create blotches, paint 'tears' and lumps. Take it easy.
On this dressing table, I simply painted without using any masking tape. Just have a handy wipe ready to remove any unwanted paint drips as you go.
Start Painting!
Dive in!! Start painting in long strokes from one side to the other.
Everyone is a little anxious when they start out. You'll gain confidence.
Just remember - paint in one direction so that if the paint dries, it will have a 'grain' in the same direction. If you're a beginner, you'll be a bit nervous, be prepared to pull the brush across he wood so that the paint coverage is good. Students really are most worried at this stage, so keep going and gain confidence. Don't try to skimp with the paint. You'll be fine, chalk paint is very forgiving.
If your finish is lumpy, just leave it to dry and then if you want to, you can sand down the lumps, wipe away dust and start with the next coat.
Once the first coat is dry, start on the second coat in the same way, watch for drips - as once dry can look lumpy and unprofessional.
Preparing for the Finished Look
Decide on what finish you want - shabby chic? Its been rare for me to paint a piece of furniture without any sandpaper buffing.
When you achieve the coverage you're looking for, move on to the finishing.
It's all in the finishing!
Sandpapering - start out using a fine sandpaper and gentle brushes against the areas you want to shabby up. Keep brushing and gently scratching the surface until you achieve the look you want.
Again, start softly and build confidence as you go.
Step back and look at the item you're working on and imagine which corners would be most worn naturally.
Work and scuff with sandpaper along edges.
TIP - don't worry if you take off too much paint, reapply by lightly brushing onto the surface areas you need to rework.
Think about the finish you want. To get a smooth finish you may have to sand and paint an area until you get it how you want it, just be patient, make sure the paint is dry before you use any sandpaper and you'll get the hang of using chalk paint.
Make sure you clean off any drips or overpainting which could affect how the drawers slide back in. Sand off any dry unwanted paint.
One of things I like to do is to put a finish onto the tops of the drawers. It's nice to see that gold bling as you pull them out.
TIP - wind a bit of cotton cloth around your finger. take a small amount of gold wax (I love the antique colour) and remember, a little goes a long way. Gently stroke onto the surface over any painted area BEFORE finishing with sealing wax.
And to Finish
I used a clear wax here, it soaks into the chalk paint and once dry, hardens and protects the surface from water damage.
Sometimes I use a waxing brush, other times I use a lint-free cotton cloth. If you're just starting out, find something like an old sheet or tablecloth which has no lint to rub into the wax.
Take a scoop of wax into your cloth (about the size of a plum) and wipe across the surface.
Again, its important you work in just ONE direction and make sure the coverage is even so it doesn't dry in a patchy way. I often just leave the wax for a day and go back to buff up to achieve any shine I want.
The most common mistake is the amount of wax a beginner applies. Don't dab small amounts as if you're polishing a bit of furniture. This needs to soak in and harden to protect the surface. start with a blob of wax around the size of an apricot - and wipe it over the surface with a lint free cloth. More is better than less in this instance.
The handles were good quality on this dressing table, I cleaned and replaced them, the creams and browns from the shabby chic finish and the dark metal handles work really well together.
Guide to Timings
To prepare paint, finish and wax a dressing table this size, I usually get all the cleaning, preparation and first coat finished. Wait at least a couple of hours and add a second coat. You may need to touch areas up and add more coats depending on how skilled you are using the brush and paint.
I'll leave everything overnight and then on the second day, do the sanding and waxing. Depending on temperatures, type of chalk paint and quality of wax you use, wax curing can take up to 21 days. Generally expect the drying and curing process to take around 5 days.
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