Annie SloanTM chalk paint transformation of office chairs into patio chairs

BushcraftZ 2015

My husband moved his business and had four chairs from his previous reception where the upholstery was stained otherwise the chairs were in a good condition. They also did not fit into his new premises.  We decided that these would make super patio chairs.

I wanted to try using Annie Sloan^TM chalk paint on upholstery for a long time. This was the ideal opportunity. It was important to us to be able to wipe the chairs because in South Africa dust is a problem on anything that stands outside. I also tried work on a way to get the painted fabric water resistant so that we are able to wipe them with a damp cloth to remove any dust. For this I used the Annie Sloan wax in three layers. The first two layers I used wax diluted with mineral turpentine so that the wax could soak into the fabric. The final layer was applied with undiluted wax to seal the fabric. Although the chairs are standing outside under roof they are to some extend exposed to the sun and moisture when it rains and of course, the ever present dust especially during the dry months. We will have to see how long this treatment lasts on the chairs.

I chose Aubusson blue as the base colour for the chairs as it is a relatively neutral colour. I also thought that if the dust stains the fabric over time it might add an additional dimension to the chairs when combined with the blue. I hope that should this happen the effect will be similar to using the dark wax on furniture. Only time will tell how that turns out.  To add a bit of fun I painted words like LOVE, EAT and LAUGH onto the seats in Graphite and added hearts with Burgundy.

Materials:

BushcraftZ 2015
Chair before paining

• Office chairs with upholstered seat and back cushions
• 1L Aubusson blue Annie Sloan^TM Chalk paint ( This was enough for our 4 chairs)
• Annie Sloan^TM Chalk paint tester pots in Graphite and Burgundy
• 1x Annie Sloan^TM clear wax
• Mineral turpentine
• Brushes for the paint and the waxing
• Old tin to mix the wax with the turpentine
• Spritzer with water
• Craft heat gun (optional – I used my embossing heat gun)

Method.

(This method is a guide as every fabric will react differently depending on the weave and pile of the fabric. Fabric with longer pile might use more paint and wax.)

PAINTING

I was able to remove the upholstered parts from the metal frame of the chairs. This made painting the upholstery easier as I did not have to protect the perfectly intact galvanized metal.

Spritz the fabric with water to wet it slightly this helps with getting the paint into the fabric. Be careful not to soak the fabric too much. Use a brush and paint the fabric. The fabric on the chairs had a woven pattern. I had to work the paint into the fabric with the brush in all directions. If the paint was too thick in certain places I spritzed a little water to help the paint soak into the fabric. Take care not to use too much water otherwise it can look streaky and chalky. If this happens just paint a second layer. Allow to dry. Repeat painting if the coverage is insufficient. Each chair was decorated with words and hearts. I allowed the paint to dry in the sun and thereafter overnight to ensure that all the moisture was gone from the upholstery before starting with the waxing process.

BushcraftZ 2015

BushcraftZ 2015

BushcraftZ 2015

WAXING

When waxing work outside or in a well ventilated room. The fumes of the mineral turpentine are very unpleasant.

Spoon wax into a separate container and mix it with turpentine until the wax is a very soft buttery consistency. Paint the diluted wax onto the painted fabric working it well into grain of the fabric. At this point I carefully used my heat gun to melt the wax into the fabric. I would suggest that one test this first on an hidden area to ensure that the fabric does not get damaged by the heat. In any case be very careful not to burn yourself or the fabric. In my case the first layer of wax melted into the fabric and looked great. If you do not have a heat gun place the waxed fabric into the direct sun to allow the wax to melt into the fabric.

Add a second layer of wax diluted with turpentine. Allow to dry in the sun and overnight.

For the final layer used undiluted wax and worked it well into the fabric to seal the fabric. At this point I left the wax on the upholstery to cure for a week before using the chairs in order to allow the wax to seal in the paint.

Test for water resistance to ensure that the wax layers are sufficient for your fabric.

BushcraftZ 2015

Assemble the chairs again and enjoy on the patio.

 At this point I do not know how long this treatment on the upholstery will last when exposed to the elements, but for now we think it was worth the effort. 

BushcraftZ 2015