Category Archives: How To

Smooth as Glass Waxed Finish- try this!

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Want your pieces painted with Chalk Paint® and CLEAR Waxed to feel smooth as glass?

Try our Steel Wool Grade 000 (link to our on-line store is noted below.) Pads are packaged and sold in poly sleeves, each sleeve contains 16 pads. Cost is $5.95 for the whole sleeve. This is a great deal and these will last you a long time.
Steel wool

DIRECTIONS:

1. After you have applied your clear wax and removed the residual from your whole piece- go back and use one steel wool Grade 000 pad.
2. I recommend using the steel wool once you have finished waxing the whole piece- because if you are applying the wax correctly- your piece should be totally dry.
3. Now take one steel wool pad and gently wipe your piece in the same direction as the grain of your brush strokes – from edge to edge. Do this just for a few swipes and then stop and feel. I like to glide the top of my hand over it to gauge how smooth it now is. Do you like the touch of it?

Just an FYI – one steel wool pad will easily do a whole dresser. But save the pad and use it for your next project that is of the same Chalk Paint® color.

This grade of steel wool will polish your clear wax and you will be in awe of the finish your painted and clear waxed piece now has.

BE AWARE!:

* First time using? Do this in an area on the piece that is less conspicuous, compared to the top of your piece or front dresser drawer. (just like as I recommend trying Dark Wax the first time- experiment on a little cheap item first or paint the back of the piece and wax it- so you can practice techniques there.)
* Have you noticed in all my instructions, I keep stating CLEAR wax? That is because if you try this on Dark Wax and it has not cured- depending on the amount applied- you can start to lift some of the dark wax. Again- practice or start on the back first.
* Don’t scrub in a circular motion. I like to wipe the steel wool pads in the direction (or the grain) of my brush strokes.
* Using the steel wool pads will create a little sheen in the wax. So, if you are looking to keep a flat, matte finish, you have been forewarned. : )

Rhodes American Steel Wool is the choice of professionals and do-it-yourselfers for wood finishing projects, as well as for cleaning, polishing and refinishing. There are 16 pads per poly sleeve. Cost is $5.95 for the whole sleeve.

* High Quality Steel Wool
* Great Tool for Surface Preparation

In the picture showcasing the steel wool above … you see a drawer that I painted.

I first painted the dresser with Louis Blue, then Greek Blue, finished with a coat of Florence Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan. One coat of each color.

Then I next used sandpaper (I think some 180 grit) and sanded back the edges and corners to give it a worn, aged effect. Some pieces evolve, so I then waxed the dresser thinking I was done – BUT I WASN’T. I realized I wanted some of the base wood to show through. Since I already had 3 solid coats of Chalk Paint® and had waxed the dresser a few days ago, I took a pad of sandpaper with an aggressive grit of only 80 and sanded the flat surface aggressively in the areas to reveal more of the colors beneath and the wood base. In the areas I wanted the wood of the piece to show- so you and where I used the aggressive grit sandpaper- you can see how I revealed that.

Lastly, I applied my clear wax exactly as I demo in my VIDEO HERE. Once I had the clear wax completed- (which means it does not feel tacky and my fingers can glide across the surface) – I then lightly polished the drawer with some of the Grade 000 steel wool.

You will immediately feel a difference. The wax finish will be like glass!

Distress Before OR After Waxing…. that is the question.

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Distress before OR after waxing, that is the question.

You can distress prior to waxing or after. There are reasons on when you might want to distress after, however, I typically distress before. >br>
Slide3
If you sand before waxing- it will be less work since you are not sanding through the wax application. If you sand before waxing though- the Chalk Paint® that you are removing with the sand paper will turn into a fine powder and settle down on the floor…put a drop cloth down to save on mess. AND never- use a damp mop to clean up the particles! The moisture will turn the powder into a wash and you will get the color all over your floor.

If you sand AFTER waxing- it takes a bit more elbow grease, and you will probably want to add another layer of clear wax to protect the raw areas you sanded…but if this is your first time ever painting and distressing…by having a wax application on the painted piece first- you won’t accidentally take off too much paint, as you learn how to finesse the sand paper with the right amount of pressure.

Also-(and for example) if you painted a piece in Graphite while it is sitting in an all white room that has white carpet, I would still put a drop cloth down and distress after waxing. If you sand after waxing, you will see you have less dust since the wax and paint removed seem to stick more onto your sandpaper.

Can Chalk Paint® go over a previously crackled piece or freshly painted Milk Paint that is chipping?

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Painting Chalk Paint® over a previously painted surface that has some type of effect – will most likely pass through to the Chalk Paint® or Milk Paint.

This would probably be the case no matter what type of paint you were using.

So for example—– if you paint Chalk Paint® (or Milk Paint…or Latex) over a previously crackled surface- it will most likely cause the Chalk Paint® to crackle in some spots, if not all over.

Painting Chalk Paint® over a piece that was recently painted with Milk Paint that is chipping- will still cause the Chalk Paint® to chip since the foundation beneath …the “Milk Paint” is still chipping since it has not “bonded” with the base surface.

My suggestion for the crackle – would be to sand all of the crackled surface off as so to remove it.

With the chipping Milk Paint, sand it back lightly to accelerate any loose paint to come off.

Then in both examples, blow off the surface of any dust and use Zinsser Clear Shellac to as so to seal the surface (I like the aerosol cans- but you have to use the spray outside) and apply a thorough coat of shellac over the whole piece. Possibly two coats. Shellac is very inexpensive and can be a life saver depending on the piece you are working on.

I have a post HERE on my website that I suggest you read.

And don’t forget that The Purple Painted Lady sells both Chalk Paint® & Milk Paint on-line and ship same day at a low flat rate price….and it is the sales of paint that allow us to be here to answer questions. Visit our on-line store HERE.


Please feel free to “PIN” the image below as so to have quick access to this post.”

Painting Over a Crackled or Chipping Surface

Can you Paint Over a Waxed Piece of Furniture?

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You painted and waxed a piece and now you have changed your mind and want to paint another Chalk Paint® color on it.   How long should you wait before doing so? Can you do it the same day?

YES!!!  – you can use apply Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan over Annie’s wax.  Yes- you can paint over wax the same day you applied the wax…BUT – the wax must feel dry to the touch and NOT tacky.  Annie also recommends doing only three applications of anything in one day.  So, if you painted two coats of paint and applied one coat of wax TODAY- then you must wait till tomorrow.

This situation happens to people and know that it is not a problem to paint using Chalk Paint® over previously painted and waxed pieces.  Annie created her products to work harmoniously together.  However- the most important thing is that the wax is dry and feels “cured.”

HOW THICK you applied your wax is a factor here.  I say that because I have felt pieces others have done and the surface actually feels really waxy to the touch.    

In general – after we remove the residual wax when applyig it – the surface of the furniture should feel a little cool and maybe the slightest bit moist….but it should allow you to slide the top of your hand across it like it is ice skating.  There should not be any drag.  If that is the case- you can paint over it with Chalk Paint®.  (but not other paint)

IF you do not have any drag when you glide your hand over the surface, YES- you can paint Chalk Paint® right over the wax!  

With that said- yes, in general…you should be able to paint over a waxed piece right away.  Could be even the same day.  Or- even that same hour!  Some painting techniques actually require that when building up layers.  

However, if you have applied layers of wax and want to paint right away….I would suggest to take some odorless mineral spirits (not the Environmentally Green that has a milky white appearance) on a rag and wipe the wax off.  Your rag should NOT be dripping wet.  I like to use the analogy of when using nail polish remover.  You know how you flip it over a couple of times on to a tissue or cotton ball….basically ….do the same thing with the odorless Mineral Spirits.  Now…..with the amount of pressure that you apply body lotion….wipe the lightly moistened rag across the surface from edge to edge.   The point is to remove a good portion of the wax.  You do not have to remove all of it and you do NOT need to aggressively scrub.  You are not trying to remove the paint! 

Once done- take a different rag moistened with fresh water (NOT dripping) – and wipe the whole surface again.  Basically- you are wiping any residual odorless Mineral Spirits off.

Once done doing this- take a step back and let the surface sit for a good 15 to 20 minutes to dry on its own.  Then, you can repaint. 

By using Mineral spirits and lots of rags- you can remove all the wax.  Like we said-  Dampen a rag with the spirits, wipe, replace the rag with a fresh one when it becomes clogged with wax, and keep wiping until the rag comes away clean.  Be sure to neutralize the solvent by washing with soap and warm water (or white vinegar and water) afterwards.

IF YOU HAVE APPLIED TOO MUCH WAX AND JUST WANT TO REMOVE SOME OF IT……    use Odorless MINERAL SPIRITS:  

A quick suggestion if wanting to paint over a waxed surface and you are concerned about the amount of wax.  Take some mineral spirits on a rag and wipe the wax off.  You should always be able to slide the TOP of your hand across your piece after applying and removing the wax.  Use the top of your hand though since it should be clean of wax- versus the palm of your hand or your finger tips – which may have some wax on it from applying it.

IF you applied too much wax – use a little odorless mineral spirits on a rag.  I mean a little- it should be slightly damp- NOT dripping wet.  Be careful because you do not want this on your dripping on your brand new wood floor too!  So- place a drop cloth down if necessary.

Using your rag that is moist with Mineral Spirits- wipe your cabinets in the same direction you painted them from edge to edge.  Move across the cabinet and do not aggressively focus on one spot.  THE POINT here is to lift some of the wax- NOT all of it.

If you do take too much off- you can practice applying Clear Wax properly and add an additional fresh coat.  LOL!

I know this can difficult if you are not a patient person, like me. But you want the base to be solid so the soft wax needs curing time to become hard. (And if you apply your wax super thick- where your pieces feel waxy or your hand cannot “glide” across the surface once you are done applying and removing the wax- the the cure time will take longer.)

****If you follow the waxing instructions that The Purple Painted Lady includes with all sales of wax – the wax will be dry and smooth immediately after removal. 

IF YOU ARE INPATIENT AND WANT TO PAINT OVER IT ASAP and the wax is fresh or tacky, then…:

You will want to use a little mineral spirits on a rag. Your rag should be slightly damp- NOT dripping wet. Be careful if doing this inside your home because you do not want odorless Mineral Spirits dripping on your brand new wood floor. (well, you might not have a brand new floor, but you understand what I mean, right?)

So- place a drop cloth down if necessary. Using your rag that is moist with odorless mineral spirits- wipe your piece in the same direction you painted it from edge to edge. Move across the cabinet, dresser, etc and do not aggressively focus on one spot. This process will take about 5 or 10 minutes to do your whole piece. You will need to have a few rags for this. The result you will be left with …..is that your Chalk Paint® will feel like it did prior to waxing. Sort of a flat, matte surface. Use your hand and glide it over the surface. By the feel of it- you should have a good idea- if you removed it all or at least most of it (which is ok too!)

Once done with removing the wax …….¸¸.•*¨¨*• …go ahead and paint with EITHER Chalk Paint® or any other paint product you choose.

DON’T TOUCH UP PAINT AFTER YOU HAVE APPLIED WAX:

Remember also- if you realize you missed a spot while painting after you have finished waxing, if you attempt to “spot fix” this missing paint  – in certain light you will see the “correction.” I once did this on top of a dresser.  I painted it in Coco and then waxed…like I always do. But then- I saw a spot that needed a “touch up” of paint.  So, I did the little touch up after I had finished waxing.  The little “touch up’s” I did were so visible- I had to repaint the whole top.

 

I use the analogy- that a touch up looks like to me- taking photographs and multiple panes of window glass.  Imagine a coffee table that has 5 panes of glass on top of it.  And you place one photo in each pane in a different area.  Then- once done you look down at the glass table top.  You know how – visually your eye will pick up on the different depths of those photos?  Doing a touch up after waxing, and then re-waxing creates that SAME EFFECT!
Painting Over Chalk Paint and Wax

A friend of mine named Peggy Elwood asked another question related to fresh wax – “How long do you wait after waxing before selling a piece?”

My response was that on custom jobs I do- I will often wait a couple days before delivering it and furniture is always accompanied with a “Care Tag” explaining the cure time and how to take care of the painted piece going forward. No more Pledge or Endust allowed in the house! LOL! Customers can use their painted piece – but need to be more careful during that first month. I recommend that anything that has substantial weight to it- as in more than 5 pounds, should wait till after the “rule of thumb” 30 day cure time is over. (I personally find in upstate NY that my wax is quite hard sooner than that.) Also, lamps that have metal pointed feet as a base, can possibly leave an indention in the wax- so just be cautious. This can really depend on where in the country you live and the temperatures you are experiencing. A dry climate will allow the wax to cure faster- where a wet climate will cause the paint to take longer to dry and the wax longer to cure.

I have other helpful information located on my Facebook page HERE in case you would like to check them out. Please feel free to “PIN” my photo to your Chalk Paint® Pinterest board.

If you are interested in staying touch with The Purple Painted Lady- visit our Facebook page HERE – we would LOVE to hear from you and see your before & after photos!

BUY PRODUCT FROM THE PURPLE PAINTED LADY™:

As for buying any of the products we mentioned earlier in this post- I hope that you select The Purple Painted Lady™ to be your one stop resource!  We have four locations in western NY.  Check out our Information tab and come and meet us!  Otherwise- if you are not located near me- the following information may apply to you.  This information is directed to those who do NOT have a local stockist.  Because if you do – go and meet them, shop from them and build a relationship with them.  The guidance, information and knowledge they share with you – will be invaluable.  But, if you are in a location where there is no one selling paint products- and you must buy on-line- consider us.  With that said, visit www.anniesloan.com to find a stockist near you.
 
We are here to help you, our customers!  We want you to be successful!  And, just so you know, when you place an order with The Purple Painted Lady:
 
SOME OF THE REASONS OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE BEST:
 
*  We sell Chalk Paint® for $34.95
*  If you order before 3 pm EASTERN TIME any day Monday thru Friday – we will ship out your package that SAME day.
*  We ship orders out every since week day all over the US.
*  We offer the lowest flat rate UPS shipping cost so if you are one town away or 10 states away- the shipping cost is the same.
*  We have awesome follow up customer service, too!
 
 
And- it is my paint sales that keep me in business and allow me to be here to help you.  (my shameless but honest plug)    Here is a link to our on-line shop=>   http://shop.thepurplepaintedlady.com/
: )  And I will be here to help you as you progress through your future project!  And if I do say so myself- we offer the BEST customer service that you will ever experience!Lastly- if I was helpful to you- ….please consider leaving a positive review on my Facebook business page sharing your positive experience or thoughts about The Purple Painted Lady.  Here is a link to my Facebook page=>  http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Purple-Painted-Lady/291882785710    This really helps me!  (wink, wink!)
XO
Trish

The Purple Painted Lady™ ~ the serial no. is 86/641,416 with the US Trademark Office

VISIT our locations too!

our MAIN STORE at 77 West Main Street in Macedon, NY 14502

77 Main street with phone number

OR

STARTING JULY, 2015 ~ 650 South Ave. in Rochester, NY 14620

The Purple Painted Lady South Wedge Stye Chalk Paint Judy Bret 2015

OR

3200 West Ridge Road in Rochester, NY 14626 (The Shops On West Ridge)

OR

Our Syracuse, NY location at 1 West Genesee Street in Baldwinsville, NY 13027

The Purple Painted Lady west genesee Baldwinsville Chalk Paint FRONT Savvy Chick

 

Chalk Paint® Has So Much Functionality!

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I always enjoy hosting our Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan BASICS Workshops. First, I get to meet people who are creative, fun and obviously, enjoy their lives. But also because I always learn something new myself.

In a recent BASICS Workshop, as always- everyone creates their own sample boards to take home. While making them and completing the class steps, I encourage each student to have fun and try something new, perhaps from something different from what the person sitting next to them is doing. We are always impressed with how amazing the pieces come out and also – how different they can look by just doing one small thing different.

In class we create a sample board using two different colors, layering them and using a dry brush technique. Then we apply a dark wax glaze and some French Gilding Wax.

Typically we apply the dark wax glaze as the second to last step. We brush it on and then normally, wipe it off so the board is dry. And our last step is to apply the French Gilding Wax, which is that coppery metallic color on the sample board below.

Duck Egg over Primer Red

At our last BASICS Workshop, one of our fabulous students named Lauren- decided to approach this project slightly differently. She wanted to leave more of her Dark Wax Glaze on, instead of wiping it off. While the glaze was still moist, she continued to move to the next step of adding the French Gilding Wax. Again, the Mineral Spirits in the Dark Wax Glaze was still moist, so when she applied the French Gilding Wax- it caused it to be thinned out and basically, was like becoming a Gilding Glaze. Lauren also chose to apply her Duck Egg Blue paint minimally and blended it more into the Primer Red Chalk Paint® I think her piece looked fantastic!

Lauren BASICS Gilding Wax Glaze

Lauren’s look was more translucent and very funky! Oh, by the way, Lauren is the happy one in the background of the photo. (I think you can get the gist that we like to have fun in our workshops!)

Well, what I hope you take away from this post is:

1. Try using your Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan products in different ways! Explore making a wash, mixing paint into some Clear Wax, change the timing of when you traditionally apply or remove product. Don’t be afraid to play!

2. Workshops are a great way to expand your product knowledge. They are fun and you will get to meet some other fantastic and creative people!

3. You will always learn more from a hands-on workshops taught by a stockist compared to a video.

Thanks to everyone who came out for this workshop and I hope to get the opportunity to meet you at one!