Websters In Europe: January 2015

What is Chalk Paint, You Ask?

Chalk paint is a type of paint that requires little to no prep work, adheres to most surfaces, distresses beautifully, and dries quickly with a super-matt, extra durable finish.

And Why Would I Use Chalk Paint?

Chalk Paint is a much better alternative to your ordinary emulsion paint when ageing new pieces, updating antiques, crafting and decorating as it has an aged nature to it. The matt look, along with a bit of distressing and wax can make any 'ol piece look like a valuable heirloom.

So, What is Websters Chalk Paint Powder?

Websters is a fun, affordable, all natural powder you add to any brand, any colour of emulsion paint to create your own designer quality chalk style paint! Because it is an additive, you can simply make as much or as little chalk paint as needed for your project, ergo, no waste!

How Does Websters Work?

It's simple, really! I will take you through, step-by-step, and show how YOU can create this stunning look in under £5!

First, You've Got to Find the Right Piece!

I found this piece in a local charity shop for CHEAP! It was old, beat up, and in dyer need of some Websters and TLC.

Don't let this photo fool you, it was in bad shape!

Next, Pick Out Your Paint!

To me, this is the hardest part! The possibilities are endless! You can actually pick out

ANY BRAND, ANY COLOUR YOU WANT!

Because it is a small piece of furniture, I only needed a 125 ml Sample Pot.

I went with Santuary's Soft Feather Matt.

Believe it or not, I painted my entire piece with just

ONE of these sample pots and it only cost me £2.29!

(I recommend you go with a flat or matt colour, as these tend to work better. If you are using a semi-gloss or satin, simply add a little bit more (1/2 Tbsp. or so) Websters to your mix to cut the sheen.)

Now For The Prepping, Or Lack There Of!

In most cases, your piece will just need a good wash! That's it! Because of the nature of Websters, your paint will stick to most any surface without the need of labor-intensive sanding! It's a beautiful thing, I know!

I recommend a scrubbing sponge to remove any dirt, grime, and impurities
that may be caked on from years of wear and tear.

While Your Piece is Drying, Mix Up That Websters!

Following the instructions on the bag, I mixed 1 Tbsp (15g.) of Websters

with 1/2 Tbsp. (7 ml.) of water.

*I only used half of the Sample Bag of Websters (£4.99 per bag)

which is enough for a 250 ml sample pot of paint.

Stir until it's smooth and there's no lumps!

*I've seen lots of people use empty baby-food jars.

They add the Websters and water, close the lid and shake, shake, shake!

Finally, add the Websters and Water Mix to your pot of paint. Close the lid.

Give it a good shake. Now you've made your very own designer quality chalk paint and you're ready to get painting!

First Coat Done!

Depending on the look you're going for, and depending on how dark your original piece compared to the colour you are painting it, you may need a second coat.

Because my piece was so dark originally and I decided to paint it an off-white, I will definitely need a second coat! Drying time is quick with Websters, so it won't be long before you're starting on your second coat!

On To The Next One! (Next Coat, That is!)

And there you have it! A perfectly painted, updated antique!

Depending on your style, you may want to stop there

and just seal it with a wax or polyurethane.

Or, if you're like me, and love the distressed look, you can easily distress your piece.

Distressing!

There are many different techniques to distressing your piece. I used a fine-grit sandpaper and gently rubbed along the edges and the high points of the piece.

*You can find our How-To Video and other distressing techniques here!

Waxing & Sealing Your Piece!

Last, but not least, you can wax your piece to seal it, but also to add a bit more age and dimension. First, and most importantly, use a clear wax to seal your piece. The wax acts as a barrier as chalk paint is very absorbent to anything it comes in contact with.

Then you can accent your piece with a darker wax! I used Fiddes and Son's darkest wax- Jacobean. A lot of people are afraid of dark wax but I absolutely love the character it adds to my pieces!

Using my Fiddes & Sons wax brush, I work in small areas and get the dark

wax into every nook and cranny that I want defined.

Then I use an old rag with a bit of clear wax on it to take off the excess dark wax off.

*The trick is to first seal your piece with clear wax. This allows for the dark wax to be more forgiving, as you can pretty much wipe it all off with more clear wax.