Chalk Paint a Kitchen Table and Chairs

To say I was nervous about chalk painting my kitchen table and chairs is an understatement!  You see, up to this point I have only painted small pieces of furniture.  I really love it though, it’s so therapeutic and satisfying to see an object change from something you don’t like anymore into something you love.  So, I decided to put my fears aside and try to transform this dining set.  Here we go, let’s chalk paint a kitchen table and chairs!

Table and chairs before chalk paint

Here’s my brown, faded, kitchen table and chairs. Can you believe what a mess they are?? This is what happens when you use a table meant for indoors on an outdoor covered deck for several years!!!

Most of the metal parts of the table and chairs were in good shape, but the metal feet were starting to rust. So, as you can see, this set is need of a major makeover.

I want to redo the table and chairs to make them look better but I also want them to match the decor style I have chosen for the main living spaces in my new home. I am trying to achieve a French Country look rather than a rustic farmhouse vibe that they have now. So, I’ve decided to paint them white and antique them with brown wax to make them look older. Hopefully they’ll look like something from a French cafe!!

Why Chalk Paint a kitchen table and chairs

Chalk paint is so easy to use because you don’t have to sand your furniture before you begin.  One less step, especially one as messy as sanding, is a plus in my book!! It will also cover metal! Another difference in chalk paint and regular paint is that you have to give it a finish coat of wax to protect it.  If you want the piece to have an antiqued look you can use a dark or white wax instead of clear.  The waxing step is super easy, so don’t let that hold you back from trying this technique. 

Choose your paint

Annie Sloan is the person who developed chalk paint and she patented the name. Her brand is the best, but also very expensive. You can buy cheaper chalk-type paint at your local home improvement store.  There’s no law that says you can’t mix and match products. Since I am new to chalk painting, I have decided to try different brands to figure out what I like best. For this project I am using Behr Chalk Paint in Farmhouse White.

Next, I’m using Annie Sloan Clear Wax and going over that with Valspar Antiquing Wax in Dark Satin.

supplies to chalk paint a kitchen table and chairs

Gather or purchase the following items:

• Product to clean furniture
• Tack cloth
• Drop cloth, plastic, or cardboard
• Chalk paint
• Paint key
• Stir sticks
• Paint brush
• Clear wax
• Brush for clear wax
• Dark wax
• Brush for dark wax
• Lint-free rags or paper towels

STEPS TO CHALK PAINT A KITCHEN TABLE AND CHAIRS

PREP

1. Clean the furniture- don’t leave this step out, you need to have a clean surface to start with.  You can use soap and water or a product like Krud Cutter.
2. Prep area- put down a tarp, plastic or large piece of cardboard to protect the floor.

1. Prep furniture- apply painters tape to any areas that you don’t want to get paint on.
2. Remove dust- always use a tack cloth right before you paint to remove particles before you start to paint and in between coats.

PAINT

1. Stir paint
2. Apply by painting in different directions.  You will get better coverage and texture if you apply going in different directions.
3. Follow product instructions for how much time to allow between coats  It will usually take more than one coat and possibly 3 to 4 coats if going over a dark color with a light color.

Here’s an example of how to apply the paint in different directions.

Here are the four chairs after the first coat of paint. It always looks terrible and I have to remind myself that it will be okay after a couple of more coats!!

The table looks even worse after it’s first coat lol!!!

It took three coats of paint to get good coverage. Here is a picture of two of the chairs showing the difference between the second and third coat.

Here are the table and chairs after three coats of paint!! The finish finally looks even and there is no sign of brown peaking through.

WAX

I could have left the table white and just used a clear wax on it.  However, I want this table to have an antique finish, so I will be adding dark wax on top of the clear.

Here is the brush I used to apply the clear wax.

1. Apply a thin coat of clear wax, in a small area, going in every direction.
2. Wipe away excess with a clean white cloth or lint free paper towel.
3. Apply dark wax to the same area and wipe off excess.
4. Continue this process until the entire piece is covered.

I applied the wax to the metal parts of the chairs, beginning with the clear and then dabbing the dark wax sporadically.

It leaves dark brown areas inside the crevices and darkens all of the white paint it touches.

When all of the metal was waxed, I moved on to the wood. This was the part that scared me the most. It’s easy to use dark wax on furniture that has lots of indentions but I find it harder to apply to flat surfaces. It’s just going to take more practice to become comfortable with this part. Below is a picture of how I started to apply the wax.

At first I only put the wax on the highest parts of the wood, as you just saw in the picture above, but then decided I wanted it darker and ended up putting it everywhere. The next picture shows the difference between a chair with wax and one with out.

When the chairs were finished I moved on to the table. I was very nervous but I worked in small sections and I actually love how it turned out. Sure looks like a hot mess when you first apply the dark wax.

Once you wipe it off, it looks so much better! See what I mean, look at all that texture!!

kitchen Table and chairs after chalk paint

Here we have the finished project. Not too bad for my first big furniture makeover. I know I still have a lot to learn but this makes me very excited to try it again! In fact, I have several large pieces of furniture I want to paint!!

Now look at the kitchen set after adding decorations to the room. Well, do you think I achieved the French Country look I was going for?? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

I hope you enjoyed following along as I learned how to chalk paint a kitchen table and chairs! If you enjoy DIY projects, check out our post on how we built the shelf with corbels that is beside the table.

How to Builde a Shelf with Corbels

Want to learn more about how I made over the eat-in kitchen to go from boring to beautiful click the link below.

Eat-in Kitchen makeover

Blessings, Donna and Rich