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| BushcraftZ 2015 |
Since I have first read about Annie Sloan Chalk PaintTM
I have wanted to try it. The paint seemed like the dream paint for any crafter especially
the promise that it sticks not only to wood but also to plastic, stone, brick,
concrete and metal and best of all it does not require tedious pre-preparation
of surfaces that have previously been painted, waxed or varnished. Despite all
the excitement and the countless inspirational photos on the internet it has
taken me nearly three years to buy the paint and start a project. Although had I
read a lot about how to use the paint online and the friendly assistant at our
local agent informed me about the characteristics of the paint and how to use
it, I was in for a few surprises. Mainly because I always want to follow my own
mind and try to push parameters all the time.
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| BushcraftZ 2015 The table after stripping off the varnish, before sanding |
The project
I had an old pine table that needed a facelift. The varnish
was peeling and it had been standing on the veranda in wind and weather for a
couple of years. I also knew that I did not want to achieve a shabby chic, distressed
look with this table I wanted to use deep strong colours. My favourites for this table were Emperor’s Silk and Napoleonic
blue, finally teh decision fell on the Emperor’s Silk since I liked the combination of
this paint with the dark wax.
Preparing the surface of the table
Since the varnish was peeling in several large areas on the
table I decided to rather strip off the varnish of the entire table and sand
down the surface to ensure that the wood is smooth. I know according to Annie
Sloan instructions that this is not strictly necessary, I did not want to take
the risk with the peeling varnish.
Preparing the work area before painting
The Annie Sloan Chalk PaintTM paint promises to
stick to several types of surfaces and it really does. I learned the hard way
that covering the work area well with a drop sheet and old newspaper will save
a lot of tedious cleaning up afterwards. Also check the soles of you shoes
before walking away from the work area. Work
indoors if you can. Not only can dust stick to wet paint, especially with
light colours might ruin the effect, cold wind gusts cause the paint to dry
unevenly causing undesired streaking. I also found that applying wax is best
done out of the cold wind in a warm room.
The paint
Annie Sloan Chalk PaintTM paint was a lot thicker
than I anticipated. I was aware that it is a ‘texture paint’ and that a super
smooth finish is not to be expected. I
was however a bit surprised at first by how thick the paint really was and it
did feel a bit more ‘grainy’ to me than anticipated. One must not forget that it
is chalk paint. It is therefore extremely important to mix the paint thoroughly
before starting to paint. Shake the
container well and for the larger paint tins it is useful to stir the paint
with a wooden spatula until all the paint is well mixed.
The paint brush
I used a high quality paint brush from a local hardware store.
I did find that initially the thick paint clogged the brush quickly. I soon
learned not to charge the brush with too much paint to avoid the clogging. Some people suggest to seal the paint-wet brush
in a zip-lock bag during the ‘ between layers breaks ’ as it saves effort on the cleaning up
chore. I found that it is worth my while to wash out the brush well with water and
start a new layer of paint with a clean brush. Cleaning the brush is so easy it
really only takes a few minutes.
Tools for waxing
For the waxing process I used a soft sponge to apply the
wax, an old rag to remove any excess wax and a soft cloth for the final polish.
I also used a clean plastic spatula to remove the wax from the original container
to keep the wax clean.
Painting the table
Depending on the surface of the object, the base colour and
texture it may take a few layers to achieve the desired look. Since I has
stripped the varnish of the table and also sanded it down I was working with
raw wood. I was planning to paint at least 2-3 layers.
After getting the hang of the texture of the paint the first layer was completed relatively quickly. I did however notice that in most areas at least one more layer of paint would be required.
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| BushcraftZ 2015 First layer of Emperor's Silk |
After the second layer the legs
and sides of the table looked good however the table top needed more work. I
added another two paint layers to the table top.
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| BushcraftZ 2015 Table sides and leggs after two layers of Emperor's Silk |
I did allow the paint to dry between each
layer. I was surprised that the paint became much lighter and more ‘chalky’
when it had dried completely. I was disappointed
that after the fourth layer of paint on the table top that intense colour I saw
and the shop on the sample and on the paint tin was not achieved.
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| BushcraftZ 2015 Table drying after 4th layer of paint |
Again chatting with the very friendly and
helpful local Annie Sloan dealer I was convinced that waxing will bring out the
colour more and a richer red will be achieved. She also demonstrated the darker
wax and again I was convinced that this was the final look I wanted to achieve.
Waxing the table
Using a soft sponge I waxed the table with Annie SloanTM
clear soft wax. The colour immediately intensified but it was still not as
intense as what I had hoped for. After allowing the wax to dry I added a Annie
SloanTM dark soft wax layer with a soft sponge. I started on the legs and sides of the
table. The dark wax went on smoothly and I quickly achieved the result I
wanted. Important to note was that this was done on a very morning day. The
dark wax was smooth and easy to work with and I was very happy with the final
effect and that the final colour was what I had hoped for. I was very pleased.
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| BushcraftZ 2015 After applying dark wax to the sides and legs of the table |
This gave me the inspiration to apply dark wax to the table top which is a much
larger work surface. This proved to be a challenge. The while I was working weather
turned and the temperature had dropped and a cool wind the area was blowing through
the outside area where I was working. As I was applying the wax it immediately hardened
on the table surface causing ugly uneven dark streaks. After a huge effort I
finally managed to remove most of the dark wax. I repainted the table top and then applied
another layer of clear wax to seal the paint.
I learnt my lesson. Apply the wax under warm conditions,
work in a room where the temperature can be controlled and avoid temperature fluctuations.
I then also decided to warm the wax slightly before applying it to the table
top. This time the process went much
smoother. In some areas I think I still applied too much dark wax. I did manage
to wipe most of the dark wax off and the table top looked good. I allowed the
dark wax to dry for 24 hours and then applied another layer of clear wax to
seal the surface. Retrospectively, perhaps I should have applied the dark wax with a brush instead of a sponge this might have given me more control.
Two days later I polished the entire table until I was happy
with the result.
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| BushcraftZ Table after applying the dark wax on the table top for the second time |
The lessons learnt
Too
many layers of paint can result in a more textured surface. Perhaps the table
top would have been smoother with only three layers of paint. The clear wax
does bring out the intensity of the colour so I should not panic about the colour
before the first layer of clear wax has been applied. This layer of wax also
seals the paint. Dark wax should be used carefully as it does highlight the
texture in the paint. This can have a beautiful effect if that is what one
would like to achieve. Applying it with a brush might work better.
The final product
I am happy with the final result. The overall the final look
of the table was not entirely what I had initially imagined for this table. I
learnt a lot in the process and I will continue to use Annie Sloan Chalk PaintTM
paint. I will also experiment with different techniques. I have already decided on the next project and
I will share the results with you also.
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| BushcraftZ 2015 Table with the Emporer's Silk and dark wax facelift |
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