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Chalk Paint Ideas for Furniture & Crafts

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Have you tried crafting with chalk paints yet? These paints are such a fun way to personalize your home decor.  We’ve all seen photos online of the results of refinishing furniture with chalk paint, but that’s not the only use for this versatile medium.

You don’t have to take on a huge project like painting a bedroom dresser; there are plenty of smaller home projects that you can do with chalk paint. 

Here are examples of some fun projects you can do to decorate your home with chalk paint.

Chalk Paint Furniture Ideas

Painting furniture is probably the most common use for chalk paint. A coat or two of chalk paint, a little “distressing” from light sanding, and a light coat of wax sealant are all it takes to create a one-of-a-kind piece from an ordinary table or dresser.  Different kinds of chalk paint can be better for certain projects than others. For this kind of project you’d want to make sure to use the best kind of chalk paint for furniture.

You don’t necessarily have to have an expensive vintage piece. Even furniture found at thrift stores or yard sales can be upcycled into a designer-looking piece with a little paint and imagination! My favorite is doing chalk-painted dressers.

If you find a piece that has a few knicks or scratches, don’t let that deter you from fixing it up. You can create a distressed finish with chalk paint and the knicks look like a design feature instead of a defect. 

If your furniture has a glossy varnished finish, you just need to sand it lightly and the chalk paint should adhere nicely. Switching out hardware, like handles, knobs, or hinges, is another way to bring a new look to your furniture transformation. 

Paint Brick Fireplaces and Walls

Do you have a brick fireplace or accent wall in your home that seems a little bit “dated”? If the bricks are the traditional red or brown colored, it can make that part of a room feel a little “heavy”.

You can brighten up the brickwork in your home so easily with chalk-style paint!

Painting with any shades of white, neutrals, or even light grays looks fabulous over bricks. You can also consider a color that is a complimentary accent shade to the rest of the room.

Because the bricks have a rough surface, some of the original brick colors will show through a little bit unless you want to apply two or more coats. If you want more of the original color to show through, you can dilute your chalk with a little bit of water.

This will give you a “white washed” look that is really popular right now in the farmhouse and cottage-core design schemes.

It’s important to make sure your brick wall or fireplace is thoroughly cleaned before you begin painting. Take the time to vacuum out the fireplace, then cover it with a tarp so no dust particles get in your paint. 

Glass Vases, Jars, and Bottles with Chalk Paint

I’m thrilled that this season’s Ball® Keepsake Collectible Holiday Jar is an ode to the stunning snowflake! I decided that a fun way to use this fun collectible jar is to make snowflake lanterns that are perfect for dressing up your home for the winter season or, as a fabulous holiday gift.Somewhere in your home, you probably have a cabinet or shelf filled with empty glass vases of all shapes and sizes. You probably have a box somewhere with interestingly shaped bottles and glass jars, too.

 

It’s okay; these things are in the homes of everyone who loves crafts and DIY projects.

One of the easiest, but most satisfying methods to transform glass vases or bottles is with chalk-style paint. Even if you don’t have many glass containers stashed somewhere in your home, interesting bottles and vases are easy to find at thrift stores and yard sales.

The jars above were used to create a Christmas snowflake lantern gift.

Chalk paints adhere easily to clean, dry glass containers. All you have to do is brush it on! It will probably take two or possibly three coats of paint for even coverage. After the paint is fully dry, you can use some light sandpaper to distress any raised details for more contrast.

Once the paint is dry and you are done with any distressing, you’ll want to seal your piece with a matte acrylic sealer. Mod Podge brand has a good matte finish sealer that is available in both liquid and spray-on types.

Don’t put your painted glass containers in the dishwasher, or fully immerse them in water. To clean them, gently wipe with a damp cloth.

These glass containers can be painted to match your existing decor or to use as seasonal decorations for various holidays. Chalk-painted jars and bottles make charming centerpieces for outdoor parties, especially if your event has a specific color scheme.

Wicker Baskets

Wicker baskets of all shapes and sizes are such wonderful home accent pieces. They look nice in almost any decor. You can make your wicker pieces really stand out by painting them with chalk-style paint.

Paint baskets the same shade as your chalk-painted furniture, or use a contrasting paint color to make them stand out in a room. A relaxing “beachy” look can be achieved by painting wicker in white or sandy-colored shades, then distressing just a little bit with some sandpaper. 

Painted wicker baskets should be sealed with an acrylic matte sealer. Using a spray matte sealer is easier than trying to use a brush on baskets.

Picture Frames

You will be pleasantly surprised how a couple of coats of chalk style paint can brighten up plain, inexpensive picture frames! Paint them to compliment the color scheme of a room, or to highlight the colors of the photo or artwork that is in the frame. You can lightly sand the chalk painted frames to bring out any textures, or leave them painted solid. Either way, a colorful, fresh looking frame is sure to make your photos or artwork stand out. 

 

If you have a wall in your home with several framed photos, paint each frame in a different shade of the same color to bring a subtle pop of color to the room.

If you have ornate wooden frames, seal them with a wax sealant after the paint is fully dried. For a great effect, use a dark colored or gilded wax sealant (after a clear wax coat) to really bring out the intricate details. 

 


Jewelry Boxes

 

Painting a wood jewelry box is another simple and satisfying way to use chalk style paints. If you recently painted a bedroom dresser or vanity table, paint your jewelry box to match it for a bit of easy elegance in your bedroom. You can paint right over the hardware on the box, or put masking tape over it if you don’t want paint on it. You can even replace the hardware to create an entirely different look.  Standing armoire type jewelry boxes look especially pretty after getting a chalk paint makeover.

If you don’t have an old jewelry box to paint, inexpensive unfinished wood boxes are available at most major craft stores. They come in a large variety of shapes and sizes.

Chalk style paint is great for stenciling, too. If the jewelry box isn’t too small, you could stencil a pretty design on the top.

Jewelry boxes (or any wooden boxes) that have been painted with chalk style paints should definitely be sealed with either a wax sealant or an acrylic matte sealant. Since the box will probably be touched frequently, sealing it to protect the painted surface is a must!

Chalk Painting Tips

With any chalk paint project, there are a few tips you should keep in mind:

Always make sure whatever you’re about to paint is clean and dry. You can even use a can of compressed air to blow away any stray bits of dust and dirt. Because of the chalky matte appearance of chalk style paints, even the tiniest speck of dust in the paint will be obvious.

While you can get by without a sealant on smaller pieces, anything that will be frequently touched should have a sealant coat. Otherwise, your paint will be prone to chipping and getting scratched. Wax sealants are great for wood pieces, but there are plenty of acrylic sealants that do a great job, too.

Just be sure that any sealant you use has a matte finish! You don’t want to use a glossy top coat and lose the lovely velvety appearance of your chalk paint.

Sanding with very light sandpaper is an easy way to get a distressed appearance for anything painted with chalk style paint. Just be very careful to sand lightly, and over a small space at a time, so you don’t remove too much paint at once.

Chalk paint will work on almost any surface, usually with no sanding or primer coat needed. It’s so easy to use! The only exception to this is if you want to paint something with a varnished or glossy surface. You can still successfully use chalk style paint, but you’ll need to lightly sand it before painting. You don’t have to remove the glossy finish; just scuff it up a little so the chalk paint will stick to it.

Hopefully, this article has given you some fun ideas for using chalk style paint. You can probably come up with even more ideas once you start painting. If you never used chalk paint and found the idea of painting a piece of furniture intimidating, try one of the smaller projects first. You’ll probably be so pleased with your results that you’ll soon start planning bigger projects. 

The Best Chalk Paint Wax – Top 3 Brands (2022)

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Chalk-style paint is such an easy and fun way to transform old furniture into something that looks like an expensive designer piece. This decorative paint is popular with home crafters and professional interior designers alike.

Key Takeaways – The Best Wax Brands

There are three top brands. These brands are Krylon, Annie Sloan, and Behr. If you’re short on time I’ll just go ahead and recommend Annie Sloan, but the specific type listed below. If you want to know more about why instead of just knowing which is the best chalk paint wax, then make sure to read through the whole article.



Once you’ve taken the time and effort to paint a beautiful piece of furniture, you still need to protect the paint job. The best way to protect chalk paint is with a wax sealant. This finishing step is crucial to create a durable surface and prevent the paint from scratches and chipping.

I’d suggest using a high-quality chalk paint before using the wax. You can see which chalk paints are the best here.

 

What Is Chalk Paint Wax?

Chalk paint wax is a lightweight protective wax coating that gives a subtle sheen to your chalk-painted projects. Unlike a glossy sealant, which you absolutely don’t want to use with chalk paints, a wax sealer will give you a deep velvety finish. 

One of the best features of a wax sealant is that it is completely non-toxic! Unlike using a lacquer or shellac finish on your painted furniture, you won’t need to apply chalk paint wax outdoors, and it’s safe for your children and pets to be around. There is virtually no odor, also.

Chalk paint waxes are usually clear, but they are also available in shades of dark brown, milky white, and even black.

The clear and white waxes are applied in layers directly to the painted surfaces. They won’t affect the color of your painted projects, except to deepen the color a little bit.

Darker waxes are applied over a layer of clear wax. They are applied over the cured wax surface, then mostly wiped off to create a patina or “antiqued” look. 

If you don’t want to use a dark wax to create a patina, you can also add just a drop of two of a coordinating chalk paint to some wax, mix thoroughly, then use that as a sealant. You can achieve some fun looks with this technique. Try using a deep green tinted wax over a light blue painted surface, or a dark blue tinted wax over gray paint. The contrast will be subtle, but it brings out details beautifully! 


You can layer chalk paint wax up to two or three thin layers to fully protect your project. If you’ve painted something that will be frequently touched, such as the top of a table, you want to use at least three layers to get a good seal and the best possible protection. This can be an exercise in patience, as each chalk paint wax layer needs to dry fully for 24-48 hours before you can add the next layer.

How Do You Use Chalk Paint Wax As A Top Coat?

Applying a wax finish to your chalk painted project takes a bit of patience, but the end result is well worth it! Before you apply the wax, make sure your painted piece is absolutely dry. Clean it with a lint free cloth to remove any fine bits of dust. You might want to remove any hardware such as drawer pulls or knobs.

You can use either a special “wax brush” or a soft, lint-free cloth to apply your wax. An old cut-up t-shirt is perfect for this. There are many brands of chalk paint wax sealant available, and they vary slightly in their consistency.

It’s a good idea to read through any instructions for the brand you purchase, but here are the basic techniques.

The key to getting a flawless wax finish on your painted project is to apply the wax in very thin coats. If you apply the wax too thick, you’ll get a dull finish with white streaky spots. “Less is more” is a good thing to keep in mind when applying each coat of wax!

Even if you plan to use a darker wax or tinted wax to provide a slightly contrasted patina, your first wax coat should always be done with clear wax.

Tips to Make Waxing Easier

Depending on the brand of chalk paint wax you use, it might be easier to have some of the wax on a paper plate instead of dipping your cloth or brush directly into the can of wax.

Dab the ends of your wax brush in the wax, or bunch up your cloth and rub it through the wax. Now you want to rub the wax onto your painted furniture.

You don’t have to use a circular motion, you can wipe the wax along the wood grain direction if you prefer. Just be sure it is applied evenly and thinly, using steady pressure.

Because you’re applying thin coats, this might take a little bit longer than the actual painting did.

The wax sealant will actually absorb into the pores of the chalk paint, just like when you apply moisturizer to your skin.

In fact, if you think of how you apply lotion while you’re applying your wax sealant, you’ll probably avoid using too much at a time.

Pay attention to corners and small areas and corners. You want to be sure to get the wax in there, but not too much that you’ll have globs of waxy buildup.

Next, take a clean lint-free cloth and gently wipe over the waxed areas to remove any excess. This step is so important! If you don’t wipe off the excess, you could end up with blotches or streaks on your painted project. Once that’s done, now you wait.

Let the wax dry/harden for at least 24 hours before applying the next coat.

How to Get a Darker Wax Coat

If you want to use a darker or tinted wax after your clear coat(s), the process is almost the same. For this process though, it’s easier to work in sections rather than waxing the entire painted piece of furniture at once.

You’ll want to brush or wipe the darker wax onto a section of your project following the direction of the wood grain.

Again, make sure you’re using a very thin coat of wax. Then, using a soft cloth, immediately wipe off the excess wax.

The results should be a slight darkening of most of your painted surface, with darker wax in the corners and in more intricate details. This final look can make your furniture appear to be a vintage heirloom or an eye-catching designer piece.  

 

Once you’ve applied your final coat of wax, and it has dried for 24 hours, you can then buff it for a final bit of sheen.

This step isn’t necessary, but it does add a professional-looking finish.  You’re not applying more wax with this step of the process.

Once you’re satisfied with the way your chalk paint project looks after a few coats of wax sealant, simply take a clean, soft cloth and buff it gently using a small circular motion. You won’t get a glossy finish (which you don’t want with chalk paint anyway), but it will give a soft satin glow to your completed project.

After buffing, you can go ahead and reattach any hardware, and then you can enjoy your newly transformed piece of furniture.  

Although you only need to let the wax sealant dry for a day between coats, it actually takes three to four weeks for it to fully cure.

During that time, you can use your furniture, but be careful about putting anything heavy on tables or dresser tops until the curing process is complete.

Which Chalk Paint Wax Brand Is The Best?

There are nearly as many brands of chalk paint wax available as there are brands of chalk style paint. Most of them utilize the same basic techniques for application. Here are a few comparisons of some of the most popular brands.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Wax

Annie Sloan is the original inventor of chalk paint, and her brand includes not only paints but a variety of wax sealants. This brand of chalk paint wax is easy to apply, with a consistency like soft butter. It has very little odor, and is water repellent.  This wax sealant is sold in 120ml, 500ml, and 2.5 liter quantities. It’s nice that you can buy a smaller quantity so you don’t have to purchase more than you’ll use.

Annie Sloan chalk paint wax is available in clear, white, dark, and black finishes. She also has a selection of “Gilding Wax” that can be applied to give slight metallic accents to the corner or carved detailing on a piece of furniture. 

Behr Premium Wax

Behr Premium wax is available in clear (for a satin finish), white (for a white-washed finish), and dark (for an antiqued finish).

This wax is a little bit harder/dryer than the Annie Sloan brand, and while the end results are lovely you do have to be extra careful about applying this wax too heavily.

Behr Premium Wax will dry very streaky if not applied in careful thin coats. It is only sold in 8-ounce cans, but a little bit of this wax goes a very long way. Bear Premium Wax is sold exclusively at Home Depot. If you’re not close to a Home Depot store, you can also order it from their website. 

 

Krylon Chalky Finish Clear Sealing Wax

 

Krylon is a well-known paint brand that sells chalk paints in both cans and in spray paints. Their sealing wax is available in both clear, for an ultra-matte finish, and “dark” for a more antique/vintage appearance. It is sold in 16 ounce cans, and like all chalk paint wax sealants, a little bit of this product goes a long way.

The texture of the Krylon brand is a bit more “liquidy” than other brands. Some online reviews mention that unless you apply a very thin layer, this wax tends to dry with a slightly yellow finish. This might not be noticeable on some colors, but if you want your white or any pale neutral shade to remain true, you might want to be aware of possible yellowing.

How Much Is Chalk Paint Wax?

Different brands of chalk paint wax can vary in price, but not as much as different brands of chalk paint. Here is a comparison of the three brands described in this article:

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Wax: a 120ml can costs $16.

Behr Premium Wax: an 8 ounce can costs $14.98

Krylon Chalky Finish Clear Sealing Wax: a 16 ounce can costs $24.98

 

As you can see, there is not a huge difference in the prices between each brand. Since it’s best to use very thin coats of wax to seal your chalk paint projects, one can is capable of covering a large piece of furniture

Conclusion

There are nearly as many brands of chalk paint wax as there are brands of chalk paint. There are only three compared in this article. Before buying any brand it’s a good idea to look at online reviews from every day crafters.

Of the three brands we’ve compared, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Wax comes out as a winner. It’s easy to use, is made from non-toxic ingredients, and has almost no odor.

The variety of colors offers so many possibilities to make your chalk paint projects into something extraordinary. Annie Sloan’s website also has useful instructions and videos on the best way to use her products.

Regardless of which brand you buy, using a wax finish will protect and preserve your chalk-painted projects for many years. 

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.

View it Here

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.

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.

Cricut vs Silhouette • Which is Right for You? [2022]

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Just about any crafting enthusiast has heard of Cricut or Silhouette brand cutting machines. These machines have revolutionized the world of DIY crafts, giving anyone the ability to create custom vinyl decals, cards, home and party decorations,  t-shirts, and so much more. They’re invaluable for independent artists and small business owners as well. 

Key Takeaway for Cricut vs Silhouette

Cricut is the winner for me. I’ve been a crafter for 20+ years now and I’ve used both extensively. If you’re short on time then just get the Cricut. If you want to know why then read this full article.

The two main manufacturers of these machines are Cricut and Silhouette. There are numerous similarities and differences between these two brands. Is one brand “better” than the other? This article is going to take you through a comparison, and hopefully, it will help you decide if one or the other is right for your crafting needs.

Cutting Machines: What Can They Do?

 

The name “cutting machine” seems like an overly simple description for the capabilities of these machines. Both the Silhouette and Cricut machines cut a variety of materials with precision cutting blades. You can create decals and labels using vinyl, and make customized cards for any occasion with a variety of card stocks and papers. With heat transfer (iron on) vinyl, you can add your own designs to t-shirts, towels, hats, jackets, and just about any clothing item. Using sublimation paper or pens, you can transform plain mugs and water bottles that are perfect for yourself or as gifts for your friends and family. Some of the cutting machines can even cut thicker materials like bonded fabric, craft foam, felt, and balsa wood. 

 

Really, once you start using a Cricut machine or Silhouette machine, your imagination will go into creative overdrive!

 Cricut vs. Silhouette Machines: A Basic Comparison

Before getting into the details of what makes Silhouette and Cricut so different (or the same) from each other, here’s a brief comparison of the cutting machines available from each company. 

 

There are currently two Silhouette models of cutting machines being sold on their website: the Cameo 4 and the smaller Portrait 3. 

 

On the Cricut website, you’ll find more models available; the Cricut Explore Air 2, Cricut Explore 3, the Cricut Maker, Cricut Maker 3, and the smaller Cricut Joy.  

 

For the purposes of a fair comparison, we’ll compare the Silhouette Cameo 4 against the Cricut Maker 3. Both of these are the top of the line machines, with the widest varieties of cutting capabilities.

 

Let’s take a more in-depth look at the similarities and differences of these two machines, beginning with the Silhouette Cameo 4.


Silhouette Cameo 4:

 

The Silhouette Cameo 4 is available in three sizes; 12 inch width, 15 inch width, and a large 24 inch wide machine. It’s nice to be able to choose machine size based on your crafting space and project needs. The larger sizes are marketed more towards professional designers and small business owners. The features on all three sizes are basically the same.

 

When you purchase a Silhouette Cameo, here is what is included:

  •  The Silhouette Cameo 4 machine
  •  power cable and a USB cable
  •  a 12-inch by 12 inch Cameo cutting mat
  •  AutoBlade
  •  Adapters for the standard blade, premium blade, deep-cut blade, 2mm Kraft Blade, and for the Silhouette sketch pens.
  •  One month Silhouette Design Store subscription (once you register your machine
  • Free version of Silhouette Studio software, with 100 free exclusive designs (available for download)
  •  Warranty information: one-year parts and labor, limited to USA and Canada only.

 

The Silhouette Cameo 4 has a sleek, angular design that is going to look good in any craft room. The controls on the machine are a small touch screen that disappears when not being used. The twelve-inch width Cameo 4 model weighs approximately eleven pounds, which is slightly less than the weight of the comparable Cricut Maker.

 

Silhouette Cameo 4: Cutting Features 

 

The Cameo 4 can cut approximately 100 materials, including a variety of specialty papers, cardstocks, adhesive vinyls, heat transfer materials, specialty materials such as magnet sheets, lightweight wood sheets (such as balsa wood and chipboard), vellum, transparencies, fabrics, craft foam, and faux leather. The maximum cutting depth for this machine is 3mm, which is more than adequate for heavier specialty materials. This machine has an impressive cutting force of 5 kg. That’s a full kg more than the Cricut Maker 3. While that much cutting force is great if you’re going to primarily use your Cameo 4 for heavier materials such as fabric, craft foam sheets, and faux leather, it really doesn’t make any difference if your projects will primarily involve cutting vinyl, cardstock and iron-on materials.

Keep in mind that having extra cutting force isn’t always a better option. If your project involves cutting complicated designs on thicker materials, using less cutting force with several passes might give you cleaner, more precise cuts. 

It’s important to note that you’ll need to purchase the Kraft Blade or Rotary Blade to successfully cut any thicker materials. You’ll also need to purchase a separate Pen Holder if you want to use pens or markers to draw or write on any of your projects. The pen holder is nice, especially since it has adapters that will allow use of pens other than the Silhouette brand. However, the Cricut Maker has a dual carriage feature that doesn’t require the purchase of a separate accessory to use their pens.

 

The Cameo 4 does have a few nice features that the Cricut Maker doesn’t have. One of the most prominent is the built in roll feeder. With the roll feeder, you can attach your roll of vinyl directly to the machine, and it will feed directly into the cutting area. This allows you to cut materials such as vinyl, sticker sheets, and heat transfer vinyl without using a  mat. When using the feeder, you have a potential continuous cutting length of 10 feet! On the back of the Cameo 4 is a built in “cross cutter” that allows you, after cutting your project without a mat, to trim your material right off the roll after the machine is done cutting.

Another nice cutting feature is the “pop out” cutting setting that will allow you to cut cardstock and papers without having to use a cutting mat. When making “pop out” cuts, the Cameo will occasionally lift the blade, leaving tiny portions of the design uncut so your design will still be connected to your paper or cardstock. Essentially, it creates perforations on your project instead of cutting it out.  Once you are done cutting, you simply “pop” the cut piece out of your material! Cricut machines also have this capability, but you have to use a separate “Perforation Blade” for this function.

 

It should be noted here that while the feeder makes cutting large projects much easier, it doesn’t work as well if your project has smaller, more intricate designs. Cutting on a mat will give you better stability and control for making fine cuts. The “pop out” cuts are also nice for larger, more simple shapes, but the cut lines don’t always turn out perfectly smooth, and again it doesn’t work quite as well for intricate designs. 

 

There is one more consideration when buying any cutting machine, and it’s something that usually doesn’t come to mind until you’ve already made your purchase and are trying out your new machine. I’m referring to the noise level. There truly isn’t any such thing as a silent cutting machine. All makes and models will operate with some level of noise. The Silhouette Cameo 4 is loud. It’s not so loud that you won’t be able to hear a nearby television or music playing, but you’ll probably need to turn up the volume a bit more than you normally would. The Cricut Maker, comparatively, isn’t silent by any means; but it’s not as noisy as the Cameo 4. If you need a relatively quiet space to do your crafting, this is something you might want to give serious consideration to.

 

Let’s take a look at the basic functions of the Cricut Maker 3 now, and see how it compares to the Cameo 4.

 

Cricut Maker 3:

 

The Cricut Maker 3 is the top-of-the-line model of Cricut cutting machines. It has the ability to cut over 300 different materials, and is compatible with 13 different specialized tools. With the variety of Cricut tools and blades available for the Cricut Maker 3, you can cut, score, deboss, write, draw, and even engrave.

When you purchase a Cricut Maker 3, here is what is included:
 

  • Cricut Maker 3 machine
  • Premium Fine-Point Blade and Housing
  • USB cable and power adapter
  • Welcome card, with instructions on how to register your machine online and get started
  • Free 30-day trial subscription to Cricut Access (for new subscribers)
  • Access to 100 ready-to-make projects with your trial subscription to Cricut Access
  • Sample material to do a practice cut.
  • Information on the One-Year Limited Warranty

 

The Maker 3 is a nice-looking machine, with rounded corners and it is available in several colors. The overall design is very “crafter friendly”, with a storage cubby for your small tools such as tweezers, scissors, pens, and the weeding tool. On top, you’ll find a handy slot that acts as a holder for your phone or tablet. The Cricut Maker is a solid machine that weighs 15.4 lbs.

 

Cricut Maker 3 Cutting Features

 

The Cricut Maker 3 can cut over 300 different materials. In addition to an assortment of specialty vinyl, cardstock, and iron-on materials, it also easily cuts leather,  balsa wood, bonded fabric, foam board, vellum, transparencies, and more. It has a maximum cutting depth of 2mm and a maximum cutting force of 4 kg. Both of those are slightly less than the power of the Silhouette Cameo 4, but the Cricut Maker 3 still does an outstanding job at cleanly cutting heavier specialty materials.

One thing that makes the Maker 3 stand out against other cutting machines is its versatility. While there are nine specialty tools and blades available for the Cameo machine, there are 13 different blades and tools available for the Maker 3. In addition to the assorted knife blades and pens that both machines feature, with the Cricut Maker 3 you can also purchase a foil transfer tool, a bonded fabric tool, a scoring stylus or wheel, an engraving tool, debossing tool, a wavy blade, and the perforation blade. 

These specialty tools bring so much versatility to your crafting experience, but you will probably find yourself using one of the simpler Cricut tools more than anything else; the scoring stylus. The scoring stylus, or a scoring wheel if you prefer, really is essential if you use your Maker 3 to make greeting cards or paper crafts of any kind. It’s a blunt tool that creates a slightly creased line anywhere you need to fold on your cut piece. With the scoring stylus, you’ll get a perfectly straight, precision fold without weakening your finished project.

 

Unfortunately, the Silhouette machines don’t have a comparable scoring tool. Instead, there is a “score” option in their design software, but it doesn’t truly score your paper. Instead, the blade will perform a very light cut, only halfway through your cardstock or paper, anywhere you want a fold line. It works perfectly fine, but because it’s a partial cut it does weaken your material a little bit. 

 

The Cricut Maker 3 does have the ability to cut some materials without the use of a mat. You can do this by using Cricut brand Smart Materials. Smart Materials come in a roll with a slightly heavier backing on them. It’s easy to load any smart material into the machine, and they cut beautifully. Because the backing is slightly heavier than Cricut’s “regular” materials, you can successfully cut more detailed designs with Smart Materials. 

Using Smart Materials can save time, also. If you’re making a large number of vinyl decals or custom t-shirts, for example, you can cut them more quickly without having to switch out mats. Just load your roll of vinyl or heat transfer Smart Materials into your Cricut Maker and you can cut them all in no time! 

 

When using Smart Materials, you can cut a continuous length of up to 75 feet! If you use your Maker 3 for vinyl cutting to create classroom or outdoor decorations, the ability to cut long pieces makes the work so much easier. While the Maker 3 doesn’t have an attached feeder and cross-cut trimmer like the Silhouette Cameo, you can purchase a roll feeder accessory with an attached trimmer separately. Unless you are cutting Smart Materials in very long lengths, you might not even miss having the feeder.  

 

Cricut Design Space vs. Silhouette Studio Software

By now, you’ve probably realized that when it comes to basic cutting functions, there are more similarities than differences between the Silhouette Cameo 4 and the Cricut Maker 3. The real differences between these two machines comes down to the software. You can’t operate either brand of machine without the required software or app, and while both Silhouette Studio and Cricut Design Space are good programs, there are some notable differences. 

 

Silhouette Studio Software

 

Silhouette Studio Software is Silhouette’s software to create projects & send them to your cutting machine. If you’re familiar with graphic design programs, you probably won’t have much trouble learning to use the Silhouette software. If you’re unfamiliar with such programs though, you might find it has a steep learning curve at first.

 

SIlhouette’s software is a desktop-only application; compatible with Windows and Apple operating systems. However, it isn’t compatible with Chromebooks, tablets, smartphones, or any mobile devices. This is a big drawback for crafters who like to use their ipads with their cutting machines. There is a free mobile app called “Silhouette Go”, that allows you to access the designs in your Silhouette library and send them to your cutting machine, but it doesn’t give full access to all the design features.

 

The Silhouette software has some advanced features available, such as a freehand drawing tool, and a “trace” tool, that isn’t available with Cricut Design Space software. However, you need to purchase one of the paid versions of the software to access these tools.


Silhouette’s software has a total of over 60 design tools, depending on which version of the software you are using. There are four different tiers of Silhouette Studio; let’s take a look at how they compare to each other.


Versions of Silhouette Studio Software
 

The Basic Edition (Free!), gives you access to ready-made images and projects from the Silhouette Design Store, the ability to work with fonts installed on your computer, the ability to import JPG and PNG images and convert them to “cut and print” designs, use of some design tools to create your own projects, and of course you can send your projects directly to your Silhouette machine.

The next tier of Silhouette Studio Software is the “Basic to Designer” Edition, with a cost of $49.99. With this edition, you get all the features in the free software version, plus rulers and grids to help align your design work and (most importantly) the ability to import and work with SVG and PDF files.

 

The “Basic to Designer Plus” Edition is the next level, with a cost of $74.99. In addition to all the features in the lower tiers, you’ll also be able to import and work with embroidery file types, and have access to even more design tools.

 

Finally, the highest tier of Silhouette’s software is the “Basic to Business” Edition, with a price of $99.99. This level really is geared towards professional graphic designers or small business owners. In addition to the features of all other software packages, the “Basic to Business” edition allows you to export your SVG, PDF, and JPG designs, import Ai, CDR, and EPS files, and work with multiple cutting machines at once with the multi-cutter support feature.

All of these costs for the Silhouette software are for a one-time purchase. Additionally, there is a subscription option for the Silhouette store. With the service, you pay a monthly fee to purchase “credits” that you can use in the Silhouette store to buy SVG images and project files. 

 

There are different subscription levels, with the base level being $4.99 per month for 10 credits. Each credit is worth one U.S. dollar, and there is a 60-day credit rollover. After 60 days, any unused credits you have in your subscription will expire. It’s hard to say how many files you can purchase with 10 credits per month since the files vary in price. 

 

Silhouette Studio Software: Do I Need The Paid Version?

 

If you’re only an occasional crafter or aren’t familiar with using a graphic design program, you can probably get by with the free or the next tier “Basic to Designer” version. You can always start out with the free version, and upgrade to any of the paid versions later. 

 

It’s important to note that the free version of Silhouette Studio greatly limits what files you can access and use. Most projects for cutting machines use SVG (scalable vector graphics) files. These files are easy to modify and allow you to resize without losing any clarity. 

 

There are plenty of great SVG files in the Silhouette Design Store (both free and available to purchase), but you won’t be able to import any SVG files from outside unless you buy the $49.99 software version.

This means that if you create your own SVG custom designs in a drawing program such as Adobe Illustrator, you won’t be able to import them to use with your Silhouette cutting machine using the free software version. There are also a lot of wonderful independent designers who sell their SVG files on websites such as Etsy, and again you’ll need the paid Silhouette Studio software to be able to use these files. 

 

There is an add-on app called “Silhouette Connect” that will send your artwork from Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw directly to your Silhouette cutting machine. This makes it easy to create “print and cut” stickers of your own original designs. The Silhouette Connect add-on has a price of $19.99.

The subscription service to purchase files from the Silhouette website is affordable but limiting. There’s not a good way to know if you would use all the credits you have in your account before they expire, and it’s hard to say how many files you can purchase each month with varied prices.

 

Cricut Design Space Software

 

Design Space is the software program used to create projects for your Cricut cutting machines. It doesn’t have as many of the advanced graphic design elements as Silhouette Studio, but most crafters find it much easier to navigate. Most of the functions are fairly intuitive, and there are also easy tutorials on the Cricut website.

The desktop version of it works well with both Windows and Apple operating systems. Unfortunately, Design Space isn’t yet compatible with Chromebook operating systems. In addition to the desktop software, there is also an app for mobile devices. The Design Space app does more than just send projects to your cutting machine. It can perform almost all the functions of the desktop software!

Design Space is free for all Cricut users. You get all the design tools and features with the free version. This means that you can easily upload any SVG file from an outside source to use with your Cricut machine.. If you use graphic design software, such as Adobe Illustrator, you can upload your artwork to your Design Space library without the need of any add-on applications. 

 

Versions of Cricut Design Space Software

 

With the free version of Design Space, you have unlimited access to approximately 1,000 images and over 250 ready-to-make projects, unlimited use of 15 fonts, the ability to purchase SVG files and projects a la carte from the Cricut website, and the ability to create up to 5 collections in your Design Space library.

There is also a monthly subscription option for Cricut’s Design Space, known as Cricut Access. With a reasonable cost of $9.99 per month, the Access subscription gives you unlimited use of over 200,000 images (this includes the images you have to pay for “a la carte” with the free version), unlimited use of 700 fonts, 10% off the purchase of licensed character SVG files, access to thousands of ready-to-make projects, and the ability to create an unlimited number of collections in your Design Space Library.

Additionally, the Access subscription includes a quarterly $10 coupon for purchases made on Cricut.com, 10% discount on purchases made on cricut.com, and Priority Member Care if you need customer service assistance.


Cricut Design Space: Do I Need The Paid Version?

The free version of Design Space will allow you to use all of the software’s functions. You can use the design tools, upload files from outside the Cricut website, and create new designs all for free!  The only “extra” optional cost would be if you choose to subscribe to Access. This subscription gives you unlimited use of almost all the images you would have to otherwise pay for individually. 

 

Even if you choose not to subscribe right away, the images and project files are very inexpensive; usually between $1 and $3. At the price of $9.99 per month, the subscription is a bargain if you find yourself wanting to purchase many files from the website. You always have the option to upgrade to an Access membership at any time.

The savings benefits are a great perk for Access subscribers, also. In addition to the usual 10% discount from their website, Cricut also offers “Access Exclusive” sale items for subscribers. These deals are great, and it would be hard to find better prices for some items.

 

Cricut vs. Silhouette: What Do They Cost?

 

A big deciding factor in choosing to buy a Cricut or Silhouette machine is going to be the cost. Both the Cricut Maker and the Silhouette Cameo are considerable investments in your crafting hobby. Fortunately, both the Silhouette or Cricut machines can be purchased not only from their respective websites, but also from craft stores and even Amazon.com. It’s worthwhile to check for sales from all of these sources. 

 

The regular price for the Cricut Maker 3 is $429.99. Of course, you’ll want to purchase materials and accessories to get started crafting right away. Fortunately, you can buy “bundles” on the Cricut website that offer a cutting machine, basic accessories, and an assortment of materials at a discounted price. 

 

The Silhouette Cameo 4 (12 inch model) has a regular retail price of $299.99. Silhouette does occasionally offer bundles similar to what is sold on the Cricut website, but not on a regular basis. 

 

Accessories and materials for both machines are comparable in price, and they do frequently go on sale. Fortunately, you can take advantage of sale prices no matter which machine you own. Cricut materials (with the exception of their “smart materials” will work in a Silhouette Cameo machine, and Silhouette materials work great in Cricut machines. There are a number of third-party brands of vinyl and heat transfer materials that work in any cutting machine, too. 


In addition to the base price of the machines and materials, you should also factor in the cost of software and subscription services offered by Silhouette or Cricut.

Cricut software is free, easy to use, and has a wide variety of design tools. You don’t have to pay any extra to upgrade for more functionality.

Given how very limited the free version of the Silhouette design studio software is, most crafters will need to pay for the $49.99 Designer Edition. If you enjoy creating graphic designs in programs like CorelDRAW, you’ll also need to purchase the add-on app for your Silhouette Cameo.

For $9.99 a month, an Access subscription will give you unlimited use of thousands of files, compared to the basic $4.99 Silhouette store subscription that gives you 10 “credits” (a $10 value) that expire after 60 days. 

Conclusion: Silhouette vs. Cricut

Both the Silhouette Cameo 4 and the Cricut Maker 3 have their strong points.

For overall ease of use, reliability, and versatility, it’s our opinion that the Cricut Maker 3 is the overall better choice in the “Cricut vs. Silhouette” debate. 

 

The Silhouette Cameo and Cricut Maker cutting machines are both quality additions for your crafting needs. When it comes to basic functionality in the Cricut vs. Silhouette debate, the two cutting machines are more alike than they are different. Either machine is a good choice, but it really depends on the type of crafts you’ll use the cutting machine for, and how comfortable you are with the learning curve to get comfortable with the enclosed software.


Most User Friendly: Cricut!

 

If you’re investing in a quality cutting machine, ease of use is probably a big priority. No one wants to spend huge amounts of time and materials just learning to use their machine! With its comprehensive software and excellent online tutorials, anyone can start creating with their Cricut cutting machine almost immediately. 

 

The larger variety of specialty tools available for the Cricut Maker makes this a much more versatile machine when compared with the capabilities of Silhouette’s cutting machines. Tools like the rotary blade for cutting bonded fabric, or the foil transfer kit to add shiny accents to your project elevate your crafting capabilities far beyond paper crafts and vinyl cutting.

Best Software: Cricut Design Space


The biggest difference between Cricut Maker 4 and Silhouette Cameo 3 really comes down to the software options. Both softwares are easy to initially set up. They both have Bluetooth connectivity, which means you’ll need a decent internet connection to use them. 

 

The ability to use any SVG file or even your own images with the free Cricut design software solidifies our preference for the Cricut Maker, especially since you’d have to pay for a premium version of the Silhouette design studio software to do this.


If you’re comfortable with other graphic design programs, you’ll probably love Silhouette Studio. If you’re more of a beginner when it comes to using any design software, you’ll probably feel a little frustrated with the time it takes to learn it, though.

Comparatively, Cricut Design Space has a lot of great functions that are easy to learn. The Cricut software was designed with the home crafter in mind, making it one of the more user-friendly design programs you’ll ever find. The free Design Space mobile app that allows you to use your machine from a smartphone or tablet gives Cricut a considerable edge over Silhouette. As long as you have your mobile device handy and an internet connection you can work on your craft projects!


Best Overall Value: Cricut



While the Cricut Maker 3 is a more expensive machine than the Silhouette Cameo, it is a sturdy piece of equipment with a reliable reputation. Cricut.com frequently has sales on their machines, and the bundled deals with accessories and materials are a great bargain.

The Silhouette Cameo 4 machine costs slightly less than the Cricut Maker. While Silhouette frequently has sales for their products, usually bundled deals that include tools and materials along with your new Silhouette Cameo machine aren’t available. By the time you’ve purchased a new Silhouette Cameo and basic tools and materials to get started, and possibly a premium version of their software, you may end up spending the same amount of money (or slightly more) than if you had bought a Cricut Maker.

The Silhouette Cameo isn’t as widely sold in as many craft stores as the Cricut machines, so if you don’t want to buy directly from their website you might have trouble finding one in person. 

 

If you’ve been mulling over buying a Cricut vs. Silhouette machine, hopefully, this article helped to clear up some of the significant differences between these two machines. If you’re still undecided, there are of course many online videos and reviews that address the Cricut and Silhouette comparison as well. Both the Cricut Maker and Silhouette Cameo have their loyal users and deciding which option is right for you really depends on what type of crafter you are, and how you’ll use your machine. With either cutting machine, you’ll find yourself spending many enjoyable hours in your craft room, creating beautiful projects for yourself and others.

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.