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Chalk Paint

Milk Paint vs Chalk Paint – What’s the Difference?

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Milk paint and chalk paint seem very similar and it can be hard to tell the difference. I’m going to clear this up for you in the quickest way possible and also provide some more in-depth information for you.

If you’re a fan of the “farmhouse” or “country chic” home decor styles like me, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the trend of refinishing furniture and home accessories with colorful matte finish paints.

Chalk paint and milk paint are the two most popular products to achieve this look. One may be better than the other depending on what you’re painting. The best paint for cabinets may be different than the best paint for furniture.

Have you wondered what the difference is between these two paint products? They’re very similar but have some significant differences. 

Key Takeaways:

Chalk paint and milk paint are very similar but with a few key differences. However, milk paint can leave brush strokes and add texture. Chalk paint is thicker and covers textured surfaces better. Use milk paint if you want the outcome to look aged or rustic because it keeps textures. The brand I recommend is Rust-Oleum Milk Paint.

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What Is Milk Paint?

Modern milk paint is still made with milk protein (casein). It is sold in a powdered form, instead of a ready-to-use liquid. To use it, you’ll need to mix the powder with an equal amount of water.

Then, you need to let the paint sit for a few minutes to allow any bubbles to dissolve. Freshly mixed milk paint might have a slight odor that is described as “milky” or even “grassy”, but the scent completely vanishes once the paint dries.

You shouldn’t mix up too much milk paint at one time, as it has a relatively short shelf life once mixed. It will only be good for a few days to a week if kept in a sealed container.

You can extend the shelf life a little bit by keeping your mixed paint in the refrigerator. The milk paint powder, however, should be good for years as long as it is kept dry.

Milk paint is one of the most environmentally friendly paints you can buy. It is water-based, non-toxic, and completely free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

It’s also easy to create custom colors with milk paints, as you can easily combine the different pigments and then mix them with water.

Milk paint is a little bit thinner than chalk paint, so it can be used as a “wash” to allow wood grain details to show. To achieve a smooth, opaque finish, two or even three coats (depending on your surface) are needed.

Fortunately, milk paint dries very quickly so it doesn’t take much time to cover something with multiple coats of paint. The end result is a mostly matte finish with a very slight velvety sheen.

Brief History of Milk Paint

Milk paint has been around in some form for literally thousands of years. In fact, when the ancient Egyptian tomb of King Tutankhamun was discovered in 1924, some of the artifacts recovered were found to have been painted with milk paint.

The earliest forms of milk paint were made simply of milk, lime, and natural pigments made from plants or minerals.

What Is Chalk Paint?

Chalk paint is a decorative paint first invented by designer Annie Sloan in 1990. In fact, the term “chalk paint” is a registered trademark for that company. Since 1990, many other paint companies have created their version of chalk paints.

Chalk paint is a water-based, non-toxic paint that dries to a smooth, completely matte, “chalky” finish. Once it dries, there is absolutely no sheen to it at all.

This finish is achieved by the addition of minerals to a basic paint formula. It’s a popular choice for anyone who wants to transform an old piece of wood furniture or to create a “distressed” appearance on an object.

Chalk-style paint is easy to apply and comes ready to use. Other than stirring it a bit like you would any other paint, you can paint with it as soon as you open the can.

It will adhere to just about any porous surface without the need for any sanding. If you want to use it on a shiny or varnished surface, a little bit of light sanding will help the paint stick. The coverage is smooth, and for many projects, only one or two coats of paint are needed.

Much like milk paint, chalk-style paint is very environmentally friendly. It is water-based, non-toxic, and has a very low amount of volatile organic compounds. Some brands of chalk-style paint have a low odor, but it disappears when the paint is dry. 

Something interesting is you can even make your own chalk paint. There are two ways to do it. One is with BB Frosch and the other is your own homemade chalk paint recipe.

Uses For Milk Paint

Milk paint adheres to just about any porous surface. If you want to paint something that has a shiny surface, or wood with varnish on it, just lightly sand it and the milk paint should adhere with no problem.

Milk paint is a great choice for furniture, glass, and metal pieces. It is more difficult to get a distressed look on furniture than when using chalk-style paint, but it’s durable enough that you don’t necessarily have to use a finish coat with it.

Milk paint is also a good paint to use for cabinet doors, wood trim and framework, or even interior walls in your home. It holds up well to any piece that will be touched frequently.

Because milk paint is thinner than chalk paint, you’ll need to use at least two coats if you want opaque coverage. A single coat of milk paint will be semi-transparent and can be a lovely way to highlight wood grain and textures. 

Is Milk Paint Durable?

Milk paint is incredibly durable. The casein proteins and lime in the paint dry to form an impressively hard bond to whatever surface they’re in contact with.

Once you complete painting something with milk paint, the finish will stay vibrant for years. It shouldn’t chip (unless you purposely distress it) and the colors won’t fade significantly over time.

It’s a great choice if you want a matte finish on surfaces that will be touched quite a bit.

Usually, it isn’t necessary to apply any top coat to surfaces painted with milk paint, but if you want a top coat, an oil-based product such as tung oil is preferable to a finishing wax. Be sure to let the paint dry for at least 24 hours before finishing with any oil products.

Milk Paint vs Chalk Paint On Kitchen Cabinets

Both milk paint and chalk paint can make your kitchen cabinets look great. If your kitchen has a “farmhouse chic” decorating theme, either of these paints will look fabulous.

However, milk paint has a slight advantage over chalk-style paint if you’re going to paint your cabinets. That advantage comes down to the durability of milk paint. 

Chalk paint on cabinets will look great at first, but it won’t be long before it will start to show some wear and tear. If you choose to use chalk-style paints on cabinet doors, you will definitely need to apply a finishing wax top coat.

This will help your chalk-style paint last longer, but your paint job won’t look quite as perfectly matte on the surface. Even with a wax top coat, the wax will periodically need to be refreshed.

Milk paint is a better choice for cabinet doors. You’ll still have a mostly matte finish with just a slight sheen, but you’ll also have increased durability. Since cabinet doors are something that will frequently be moved and touched, you need paint that can handle a lot of use. 

Milk Paint vs Chalk Paint For Furniture

Deciding whether to use milk paint or chalk-style paint on a piece of furniture really depends on what you want your finished piece to look like. Both paints are good choices for transforming wood furniture into eye-catching vintage-style pieces.

Because milk paint is thinner than chalk-style paint, you can use one or two coats to give furniture a “washed” appearance. This is a good way to highlight any piece with attractive wood grain. If you want a more opaque finish, you can apply more coats of milk paint, allowing time to dry between each coat.

Because milk paint is so highly durable, you can get away with not needing a sealant over your paint. The paint will last for years and the colors stay beautifully vibrant.

It’s possible to get a “distressed” or “chippy” look with milk paint, but it takes a little more work than with chalk-style paint. Because milk paint dries to such a hard finish, it’s more challenging to sand or chip it away.

Try sanding your furniture before the milk paint is fully dry to make it easier.

Chalk-style paint, on the other hand, distresses beautifully with just a bit of light sanding. It’s easy to bring out carved details or wood grain when using chalk-style paints. Chalk paint also goes on smoothly, with even coverage. However, if your painted furniture will be something that gets touched a lot, you will need to apply a wax sealant coat over chalk-style paint to protect it. 

Milk Paint Brands

There are several brands of milk paint available. Some may be better than others so make sure to read the descriptions. I wrote a full post about the best milk paints already but here are some of the most popular brands:

Real Milk Paint Co

The Real Milk Paint Co. has an impressive selection of over 50 colors. It dries quickly and has no odor once dried. It is made of 100% organic materials. It’s easy to mix to a smooth consistency and doesn’t need any primer for most surfaces. However, this gets a bad rep online and I wouldn’t recommend this one.

Rust-Oleum Milk Paint

Rust-Oleum is one of the most popular brands of milk paint. It is also one of the highest-rated. If I had to suggest only one brand of milk paint, this is the one I recommend. It may be priced slightly higher than others but I believe it’s worth it.

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Miss Mustard Seed

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milkpaint is another brand with a large selection of colors and non-toxicity. Miss Mustard Seed also produces additives for its milk paint, such as an anti-foaming additive for smooth mixing and hemp seed oil as an eco-friendly finishing product.

Old Fashioned Brand Milk Paint

Old Fashioned Brand Milk Paint has a slightly small selection of colors, but they are especially vibrant. Like other brands, this paint is non-toxic and safe for use on children’s furniture and toys. Old Fashioned Brand is made in small batches, using all-natural earth pigments.

Is Milk Paint Or Chalk Paint Cheaper?

The three brands of milk paint mentioned above range in price from approximately $23 to $28 for enough powder to mix one pint of paint.  Depending on the brand, chalk paints range in price from approximately $16 to $28 for the same amount of paint. While it may seem there’s not a huge difference in price, milk paint might be a better value in the long term. Because the powdered form of milk paint can last for years, you can mix as small a quantity as you need for your project and not have to worry about having wasted leftover paint.

Which is Right for You?

In summary, milk paint and chalk paint are both great but for slightly different purposes. Determining which is right for you is completely dependent on the project and the look you’re going for. Have a look around the website to get some ideas for chalk paint and milk paint projects.

What is Chalk Paint? Everything You Need to Know

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You’ve probably heard of chalk paint if you’re a do-it-yourselfer. It’s a popular choice for anyone who wants to decorate their home with the “modern farmhouse” or “cottage core” aesthetic. But what exactly is chalk paint, and what is it used for?

What is Chalk Paint? Here is Everything you need to know

 

Chalk paint is basically a primer-free paint that has a chalky-looking finish to it. It’s quick and easy and covers surfaces easier than traditional paint. 

Any brand of chalk paint gives a soft matte “chalky” finish to whatever you’re painting. With a little bit of light sanding, it’s easy to use chalky paint to create a “distressed” appearance on furniture.

It can transform any ordinary household item to give it the look of a cherished antique. For some items, a sealant coat of wax is applied to give your painted item a more velvety matte appearance or to create a soft patina finish. 

What’s The Difference Between Chalk Paint and Regular Paint?

Chalk paint is unique and differs from traditional home paints in many ways. The most obvious difference is in its appearance. Once chalk paint dries, it has a matte “chalky” look. There isn’t even a hint of glossiness. It even has a bit of a chalk-like texture when you touch it.

There are plenty of traditional matte finish paints on the market, but they don’t have quite the same velvety look that you can achieve with chalk paint.

Chalk paint is easy to apply, and unlike traditional home paints, you won’t need to do much preparation and rarely need to use a primer coat. In fact, you can use chalk paint right over existing paint with no problems.

This is especially nice if you want to sand edges and let the prior paint color show through for a distressed style. Chalky paint applies smoothly to most surfaces, even glass, and metal, with little to no preparation.

Sometimes a very light sanding will help the paint stick easier, but that’s only necessary if you’re painting a very glossy surface.

Traditional home paints and chalk finish paints are also different in their consistencies. Chalk-style paint is a bit thicker. Because of this, it’s less likely to drip and run while you’re painting. In fact, for many projects, you can probably get away with only applying one coat of chalk-style paint, whereas you might need two coats of traditional paint.

Chalk paint is much easier to clean up, too. It’s water-based, so you can wash your brushes with a gentle detergent and water instead of mineral spirits.

What Do You Use Chalk Paint For?

Annie Sloan first invented chalk paint because she was frustrated with trying to find furniture paint that she liked. Her efforts definitely started a popular trend, with dozens of chalk-style paint brands in a wide assortment of colors now available! All brands of chalk-style paint have been used primarily for refinishing and upcycling wood furniture to give them a “vintage” look.

A plain piece of furniture, no matter how old, can easily be transformed into an eye-catching focal point of any room when refinished with chalk paint. A coat or two of chalk-style paint applied to used furniture from thrift stores and yard sales is an easy way to bring a designer look to your home.

If you’re a fan of the “distressed” look, chalky paint is the best way to achieve it. A light sanding over chalky paint gives that antiqued distressed look that is popular with so many interior designers.

While chalk paint isn’t the best choice for painting entire rooms, you can use it as an accent to your home decor by painting picture frames, shelves, and even light fixtures. Bottles and jars painted with chalk paint become pretty accent pieces in any room of your house. 

Chalk finish paint works well for stenciling projects. You can add chalky paint accents on any piece of furniture, even if the furniture is already stained or painted with traditional paint.

When using chalk paint with a stencil, you’ll want to be sure that your stencil brush or roller has a small amount of paint on it. Because chalk finish paints are thicker than traditional paint, your stencil won’t have nicely defined edges if you use too much paint. You can always add more paint to your design if necessary.

Seasonal craft projects, such as wooden signs or table accents, can be transformed into beautiful vintage-looking pieces with the right colors of chalky paint and a little imagination.

Holiday floral arrangements in a chalky painted container are absolutely charming! 

How Do You Use Chalk Paint?

Chalky Paint is easy to use for any project! If you’re painting furniture or any other large project, most of the time you won’t even need to sand or apply a primer coat. The only time you might want to sand a surface is if you are painting something that is very glossy. Just a light sanding will be enough for the chalky paint to go on smoothly.

Chalky paints are water-based. If your paint seems too thick, you can pour some of the paint into a paper cup, then thin it out with a little bit of water. It won’t take much water, so add it a small amount at a time until it’s the consistency you want.

For smaller projects, one coat of chalky paint is probably enough for smooth, even coverage. For larger projects, one coat will be okay if you plan to “distress” a painted piece. If you want a smooth all-over coverage, it would be best to apply two thin coats of chalky paint. Be sure to allow the first coat to dry completely before applying the second coat of paint. 

If you like the appearance of “distressed” furniture, it’s easy to achieve with chalky paint. Once your painted project is completely dry, go over the areas you want to “distress” with a piece of very fine sandpaper.

You won’t need to sand very long; it should just take a couple of minutes to see results. Lightly sanding along edges, or over uneven places in the wood will turn an ordinary piece of furniture into something special.

The final step for your chalky painted work is to seal it with a wax finish.

For smaller pieces, you probably don’t even need to apply a sealant. However, large items like furniture should be sealed to prevent chipping and scratches. There are almost as many brands of chalked paint waxes available as there are chalked paint choices! It’s easy to apply but does take a little bit of patience. Follow the directions for the specific brand you buy, but the basic steps are to apply a thin coat of the clear wax with a stiff bristle paint brush, let it dry overnight, then use a soft, lint-free cloth to buff the wax. A

second wax coat can be applied if you want a little more protection for your painted object. You don’t want to use a gloss finish sealant on chalk paint; that would completely ruin the beautiful matte finish. There are matte finish spray sealants available, but they’re better suited to smaller painted projects.  

Are Chalk Paint and Milk Paint The Same Thing?

You’ve probably seen milk paint while you’re shopping for the perfect paint to spruce up a unique piece of furniture. While there are many similarities between milk paint and chalk finish paint, they’re not the same thing. You can my full article about chalk paint vs milk paint here.

Both milk paint and chalk finish paint will give you similar results.

They both dry to a soft matte finish and both are easy to create a “distressed” finish. Milk paint does have a very subtle bit of sheen when dried, as opposed to the absolutely matte finish of chalk paints.

They’re also both water-based, and have almost no odors. Those are the primary similarities.

One of the biggest differences between milk paint and chalk paints is that milk paint is usually sold in powdered form that has to be mixed with water. It requires quite a bit of mixing to get a smooth consistency. Chalk paints are ready to use; at most they might need a couple of stirs when you first open the can. 


Both of these paints are similar in their composition, with one of the main ingredients being calcium carbonate. This mineral is what gives milk paint and chalk style paints their soft matte texture.

Milk paint differs in that it contains actual milk proteins (casein) as one of the ingredients. In the powdered form, milk paint lasts a very long time.

However, you should only mix a small amount of milk paint at a time, because once mixed the milk proteins can start to break down.

You can store unused mixed paint in the refrigerator for a couple of days, but not much longer. Milk paint dries very quickly, and once it dries there’s no risk of the milk proteins degrading.

How Much Does Chalk Paint Cost?

How much you spend on chalk paint depends on the quantity you need, and on the brand. Smaller bottles of paint from craft stores cost under $10.

Larger cans usually 30 ounces, can cost between $20 and $45, depending on the brand. When budgeting for your project, don’t forget to include chalk paint wax to protect larger projects. The wax is fairly inexpensive. Depending on the brand you purchase, the price usually averages between $15 to $25 a can.

Which Chalk Paint is the Best?

There really isn’t a best overall chalk paint in my opinion. There are a lot of quality options to choose from but they are in slightly different price ranges.

Some chalk paints are better at one thing and not quite as good at other things. I wrote a whole review post on the best chalk paints that you can find on this site. I’ve tried them all but it depends on the project you’re doing on which one is actually the best.

Where To Buy Chalk Paint

Chalk paints are readily available from many locations. If you want to try designer options, such as the paints from Annie Sloan or Joanna Gaines, you can order directly from their websites. Large home improvement stores carry chalk finish paints made by large paint companies such as Behr and Rustoleum. Craft stores will have chalky paint in smaller quantities, which are perfect if you’re painting smaller objects. 

Chalk Paint Alternatives

Is there anything that makes a DIY project more frustrating than not being able to find the perfect color for your project?

Have you ever tried to match a color you have in mind, with absolutely no luck finding it? I think any home crafter has been there! While there are many chalk-style paints available, there is a way to take any paint and transform it to a chalk finish. 

BB Frosch Paint Transformer Powder is an additive that you can mix into any brand/color of latex or acrylic paint and it will dry to a matte chalky finish. It has 100% all-natural ingredients and is relatively inexpensive with prices ranging from $12 to $34 depending on the quantity.

This can be a very economical option for your painting projects because you can mix up as little or as much paint as you need for any project. The transformer powder has a long shelf life if properly stored, so if you find yourself with leftover powder you can save it for future craft projects. 

BB Frosch Paint Transformer Powder works best on flat finish paints, although you can use it on paints with satin and gloss finishes. They just won’t look quite as chalky once dried. I

t can also be sanded for a distressed appearance and sealed with wax, just like ready-made chalk finish paints. 

Are you ready now to try revitalizing a piece of furniture with chalk paint? Or do you want to create some cute vintage-style home decor items?

Hopefully, this article has given you a good overview of how fun and versatile chalk finish paint can be, as well as inspired you to create something wonderful!

Waverly Chalk Paint Review

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Is Waverly the best chalk paint out there? Or is it a waste of money? This is my Waverly chalk paint review.

Short on Time? Here’s the Key Takeaway

Waverly used to be amazing for the price. It was a good deal. It’s not the best quality out there but it’s acceptable. I made a long post about the best chalk paints and Waverly didn’t make the list. The main problem is that their color selection is a bit smaller than some of the other brands. I would actually recommend getting Folk Art instead. It’s basically the same quality as Waverly but for a fraction of the price. I’ve tested it and it works. Save yourself a trip to Walmart by getting Folk Art chalk paint online.

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What Is Chalk Paint?

Chalk paint, also known as “chalky paint” or “chalk style paint”, is a decorative paint that has become very popular with both DIY crafters and professional interior designers. This type of paint has a very distinctive flat matte, chalky appearance once it dries. With a little bit of light sanding, you can transform any piece of furniture into a vintage-style distressed piece that looks like a family heirloom.   

 

Waverly Chalk Paint vs. Annie Sloan and Other Chalk Paint Brands

 

Chalk paint was first invented in 1990 by the artist/interior designer Annie Sloan. Since then, this type of paint has steadily gained popularity. There are now dozens of paint brands that manufacture similar products. Her brand of chalk paints, wax sealants, and accessories are considered to be top-of-the-line.


Waverly Inspirations Chalk Paint is a product manufactured by Waverly, Inc. Waverly is a well-known home decor and lifestyle brand that has been around since 1923. Waverly Inspirations Chalk Paint is a budget-friendly paint that comes in colors synonymous with the “Waverly look” of interior design.

Let’s Look at These Two Different Chalk Paint Brands

Both Waverly and Annie Sloan have a good variety of color choices. Waverly comes in 28 different colors, and Annie Sloan has 42 colors to choose from. The selection from Annie Sloan has more neutral colors than Waverly. 

One very nice thing about the Waverly paint line is that the colors are designed specifically to complement Waverly brand fabrics and home decor. So, if you’re decorating a room with Waverly brand linens or accent pillows, it should be easy to find the perfect Waverly chalk paint color to match your decorating scheme.

Both brands describe their paints as not needing any preparation before painting. You can just open the can, give it a quick stir, and begin your painting project. However, with any brand of chalk style paint, if you’re applying it to a glossy surface a light sanding will help the paint stick better.

The first noticeable difference between these two brands of paint will be the texture. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is thick, but easily spreadable. The Waverly brand of paint is very thick. It’s almost the consistency of yogurt! Fortunately chalk style paints are water-based, so you can thin the Waverly paint with just a little bit of water. You need to be careful not to add too much water, or your paint will dry with streaky looking visible brush strokes.  A good method for thinning overly thick chalk paint is to pour some of the paint into a disposable bowl or paper plate, then spray it with water from a spray bottle. Stir it up, then spray again if it still seems too thick. If the thicker consistency isn’t something you mind, you don’t even need to thin it out if you don’t want to. Of course, one advantage to having thicker chalk paint is that you can get good coverage with just one coat on some projects.

How Quickly Does Waverly Chalk Paint Dry?

Both the Waverly and Annie Sloan chalk paints apply very smoothly and dry quickly. They should be dry to the touch in approximately one hour. Whether you need a second coat of paint or not will depend mostly on the surface you’re painting. Once they dry, there is very little difference in appearance, other than colors.

If you want to distress your project with a bit of light sanding, the Waverly brand seems to require a little bit less pressure than Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

Both of these brands can be sealed with a wax sealant. In fact, both Waverly and Annie Sloan sell their own brands of wax for this purpose. The Waverly brand of wax doesn’t apply quite as smoothly as Annie Sloan’s brand, so it might take a little more effort to get it buffed to a nice even coverage. In spite of it being described as a wax, the Waverly brand is more like a thick liquid wax, while the Annie Sloan brand is more of a solid wax product.

 

How Much Does Waverly Chalk Paint Cost?


Waverly Chalk Paint is considered a “budget” brand. It is sold in 8 fluid-ounce size bottles, at a price of just $6.98 a bottle! Compare that price to Annie Sloan paint, which sells at $46 for a liter can, and you can see why Waverly is a great bargain. Four bottles of Waverly brand (approximately one liter) will cost you just $27.92. 

Waverly Chalk Paint Wax also sells for $6.98 per 8-fluid-ounce bottle. Since you only need a small amount of wax to seal even a large painted piece, one bottle should be enough for a couple of projects.

Waverly also sells its own brand of paint brushes made especially for the application of chalk paint and wax. A pair of these brushes sell for a very reasonable price of $14.12.

Where To Buy Waverly Chalk Paint

Waverly Chalk Paints and associated products are sold primarily at Walmart. They can be found in Walmart stores, as well as being available to order from Walmart.com. Additionally, there are a few of paints available to order from Amazon.com. 

Pros and Cons of Waverly Chalk Paint

Just because Waverly is a bargain, doesn’t mean it isn’t a good quality product. Here are some of the pros and cons of Waverly Chalk Paint.

Pros:

The biggest advantage of choosing Waverly Chalk Paint is the price. It’s a bargain at under $10 per bottle, especially when compared with many designer chalk paints. The eight-ounce bottles seem small, but this paint has good coverage so you might not need to use as much of it. The smaller bottles are also nice if you are working on a smaller project and don’t want to buy more paint than you’ll need. 

The color selection is great. While Waverly might not have as many colors as other brands of chalk-style paint, the colors they do have are quite nice. It’s a good mix of neutrals and brighter shades. The best part of their color collection is that they are made to complement the Waverly fabrics and linens. This makes it fun and easy to achieve a designer look for any room of your home.

Waverly Paint is easy to use. You can literally open a bottle up and start painting. Because it is thicker than other brands of chalk style paint, many people like to thin it out with a little bit of water. Thicker paint usually means you can cover some projects in just one coat, so you might be using less paint than a brand where you have to apply two to three coats of paint.

Even though it is only sold at Walmart and Amazon, you can order it online from either if you don’t want to physically go to the store. Shipping is fast from either location, so you won’t have to wait long to get started on your chalk paint project. You can also place an online order from Walmart and have it ready for pickup on the same day.

Like most chalk style paints, Waverly is water-based. You won’t have to use any solvents to clean your brushes and work area; you can clean everything with warm soapy water.

 

Cons:

Waverly has a really good color selection, but it’s not as extensive as other brands. If you’ve got a  “perfect” shade in your head that you’re having trouble finding, you might end up having to buy a more expensive brand.

The smaller bottle size isn’t really a huge disadvantage, but if you plan to paint a large piece of furniture and know you’ll need a larger quantity of paint, it would be nice to be able to just buy one larger bottle instead of several smaller sizes.

 

Even though purchasing from Walmart or Amazon is pretty convenient, it would be nice if Waverly paints were available from more sellers. Being able to buy it at large craft stores and home improvement stores might be easier for people who don’t want to order online, or who don’t live especially close to a Walmart.

Conclusion for Waverly Chalk Paint

Overall, Waverly Inspirations Chalk Paint is a good product at a budget-friendly price. If you’re new to using chalk style paints, you can try the technique using Waverly brand without having to spend a lot of money right away. The Waverly brand of wax sealant and specialty brushes are also very affordable.

For a “budget” paint, the end results look pretty good! Waverly paint is perfect for transforming older furniture and home accent pieces. Pair your painted projects with Waverly fabrics, and your home will look like it was decorated by a professional interior design expert! You’ll get a nice smooth, matte finish with Waverly paint that can easily be distressed and buffed to a velvety sheen with their brand of wax sealant.  The end results can appear just as nice as what you’ll get with many higher priced chalk style paints.

Chalk Paint Recipes – How to Make Homemade Chalk Paint

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Chalk paint is a wonderful medium to transform old furniture into new and stylish pieces. It’s also great for painting small home accent pieces and holiday decorations. Even though there are many manufacturers of chalk paint, with a wide variety of colors, sometimes it can be a challenge to find just the right color you want. It’s also hard to know which are the best chalk paints. One option is to make your own chalk paint. This post has three homemade chalk paint recipes for you.

There is also a “commercial” way to make chalk paint. You can use BB Frosch paint transformer powder to mix with normal acrylic paints. This is by far my favorite type of chalk, too. It lets you choose your own color and it’s just as high quality as the commercial chalk paints.

Jump to Recipe

Making your own homemade chalk paint is easier than you might think. It can be a fun activity to do with your kids, too. In fact, you can transform many household paints into chalk paint simply by mixing them with some common household ingredients. 

What Ingredients Are In Chalk Paint?

Depending on the brand of commercially sold chalk paint, ingredients can vary a little bit. However, one constant for all brands is the addition of some kind of mineral. Mineral additives are what give chalk-style paint that distinctive chalky matte finish. Additives vary, but they are often quartz, silica, talc, or more commonly, calcium carbonate. In fact, calcium carbonate is a key ingredient if you want to make your own chalk-style paint. Do you know what the more common name for calcium carbonate is? It’s chalk; just ordinary chalk!

Ingredients for homemade chalk-style paints will vary slightly, but in most basic recipes you’ll need your chosen paint, a little bit of water, and an additive of some kind to give the paint the distinctly chalky texture.

For recipes that call for using calcium carbonate (chalk), you have a couple of choices on how to add it to your paint. Calcium carbonate powder is readily available from grocery stores, health food stores, and online. It’s commonly sold as a nutritional supplement to help with bone health. The advantage to using already powdered calcium carbonate is that it will be a very fine, consistent texture that will be easier to mix into your paint.

If you have ordinary white chalk at home and want to try that for your chalky paint recipe, you’ll need to crush it into as fine a powder as possible. The best way is to place several pieces of chalk in a zippered plastic bag and smash it into a powder with a small hammer or rolling pin. After you have it smashed into as small pieces as possible, it is helpful to take an additional step of grinding those pieces into powder in a food processor or even a spice grinder. The finer you can get the powder, the easier it will be to mix into your paint, and you’ll have more professional-looking results. When grinding or crushing chalk pieces, you might want to wear a mask to cover your nose and mouth so you don’t breathe in the chalk dust.

How To Make DIY Chalk Paint

For making your own chalky paint, you should be aware that some recipes are better suited to work with latex paint, while you’ll get better results using acrylic paints with other recipes. No matter if you choose a recipe that uses latex or acrylic paint as the base, be sure your paint has a matte or flat finish. You definitely don’t want to try this with any paint that has a gloss finish.

Other than the ingredients for specific recipes, you’ll need measuring cups and spoons, paint stirring sticks, and bowls or cups to mix your paint. Because homemade chalk-style paint might get lumpy or thicken up if it’s stored for too long, try not to mix up more than you’ll need for your project. It’s better to mix smaller quantities than to have too much leftover paint. 

Chalk Paint Recipes

Here are a few easy recipes to make your own chalk-style paint. Let’s start with one of the easiest recipes, that also gives some of the best results:

Calcium Carbonate DIY Chalk Paint

Just two simple ingredients are needed. Pour your paint into a container, then mix the calcium carbonate powder in. Mixing it a little at a time will be easier. It will take a lot of stirring to get the paint to a nice smooth consistency. This recipe should apply just as nicely and even as commercial brand chalk paints. If the paint seems too thick, you can add a little bit of water to thin it out. This chalk paint recipe dries very quickly. If you want to sand it for a “distressed” finish, it will take a little more sanding effort than you’ll need when using commercial paints. This recipe will last a bit longer than other recipes, as long as any leftover paint is stored in an airtight container.

For this recipe, you will need:

  • 2 parts latex or acrylic paint
  • 1 part calcium carbonate powder

That’s it!

Plaster of Paris DIY Chalk Paint

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DIY Homemade Chalk Paint

This chalk paint recipe is perfect for you to make at home. It's safe, easy, and effective!

Ingredients

  • 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
  • 1/4 Cup Water
  • 1 ¾ Cup Acrylic paint

Instructions

  • In a plastic container or bowl (preferably one with a lid so you can store any leftover paint),  measure 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, then add 1/4 cup of water. Stir this together until it’s completely smooth. Now add your acrylic paint; stirring as you pour it into the container.  Mix this together for a few minutes, and you’re ready to paint! This paint might be a little thinner than other chalk paints, and sometimes it doesn’t seem to “stick” as well. If you’re painting a larger item, a little bit of light sanding beforehand will help the paint go on easier. 



Pour your latex paint into a container that has enough room for you to stir the ingredients together. In a separate small container, stir together the cold water and Plaster of Paris. It’s important to use cold water for this, so the plaster doesn’t immediately begin to harden! Once the mixture is a smooth consistency, pour the plaster and water mixture into the paint and stir it together. It might take quite a bit of stirring for it to all mix together.  Make sure there are no lumps! When it’s all mixed, the paint won’t look much different than before you added the Plaster of Paris. However, once the paint begins to dry the results are impressive. This recipe will create paint with a very “chalky” finish, although it can have a noticeably more grainy texture than other chalk-style paints.

This recipe probably isn’t the best choice if you want to sand your project for a “distressed” appearance. Sanding for this recipe is more likely to just scuff and dull the paint instead of highlighting fine details and texture. If distressing your project isn’t what you intended, the Plaster of Paris in this recipe makes this a very durable paint. Don’t mix more of this recipe than you think you might need; this won’t store well. After a day or two, the Plaster of Paris will begin to solidify.

Cornstarch DIY Chalk Paint

In a plastic container or bowl (preferably one with a lid so you can store any leftover paint),  measure 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, then add 1/4 cup of water. Stir this together until it’s completely smooth. Now add your acrylic paint; stirring as you pour it into the container.  Mix this together for a few minutes, and you’re ready to paint! This paint might be a little thinner than other chalk paints, and sometimes it doesn’t seem to “stick” as well. If you’re painting a larger item, a little bit of light sanding beforehand will help the paint go on easier. 

For this recipe, you will need:

  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 Cup water
  • 1 ¾ Cup acrylic paint

Unsanded Grout DIY Chalk Paint

Unsanded grout is readily available in most hardware and home improvement stores. It’s best to use white or off-white colored grout for this paint recipe, so it won’t noticeably affect the color of your paint. If you use “sanded” grout, the paint will turn out with a texture that looks similar to wet sand or dirt.

For this recipe, you will need:

  • 2 Tablespoons of unsanded grout (be sure the label says “unsanded” or  “non-sanded”)
  • 1 teaspoon of water
  • 1 Cup acrylic or latex paint

In a disposable plastic container, stir together the two tablespoons of unsanded grout and one teaspoon of water. Be sure to break up any clumps of the unsanded grout mixture. Pour in one cup of acrylic paint, and stir until smooth. This recipe takes a lot of stirring to get it smooth. The end result is very durable chalk paint. It will feel dry in about a day, but it takes two to three days for it to fully dry. This paint doesn’t work well for distressed finished projects. It’s better for items that you want to have a smooth, even coat of paint.

It’s crucial to take the time to mix the grout and paint together really well. If not, your painted project could have a rough, bumpy texture once it’s fully dried. For this recipe, you shouldn’t mix up more than you plan to use at one time. Unfortunately, the paint doesn’t keep and after just a day it will become lumpy and impossible to use.

Can You Use Baking Soda To Make Chalk Paint?

If you’ve searched online for chalk paint recipes, you probably found one or two that use baking soda as the main additive. You can absolutely use baking soda to create your own chalk paint, but the results will be very grainy in appearance. It’s not necessarily a bad look, but you probably won’t get velvety smooth finishes with baking soda chalk paint.

To use baking soda for DIY chalk paint, simply mix together ½ cup of baking soda with three tablespoons of cold water. Stir this together with one cup of latex paint. The result will look and feel very grainy. This method is a good choice if you want something to look very “distressed” or “antiqued”, without having to do a lot of sanding.

Is Homemade Chalk Paint As Good As Buying It?

Making your own chalk paint can be fun, and economical if you’re planning to paint a smaller object. It’s a great creative activity to try with kids, or if you are just curious to see how it turns out for yourself. The methods in this article will give you custom chalk paint that is perfectly good to use and will be in whatever color you want it to be. But, how does homemade chalk paint really compare to the commercially available brands?

Both homemade and commercial chalk paints require little to no prep before painting, and they can all be sealed with a nice wax finish. Some of the homemade paint recipes are easy to achieve the popular distressed look on a piece of furniture.

I actually prefer to use BB Frosch, even over the actual chalk paint brands. BB Frosch is a powder that you mix with any kind of acrylic paint and it makes the perfect chalk paint.

Besides BB Frosch, I’d say commercial brands have a distinct advantage in several key areas. When you buy chalk paint from a trusted brand, you will always have a consistently smooth paint that has a long shelf life if properly stored. Commercial chalk paints also clean up easily with just soap and water. While it’s fun to try to create your own chalky paint, there is a bit of trial and error to get it just the way you want it to look. You can be confident you’ll always have a good product as soon as you open a can of brand name chalk style paint.