Homemade Chalk Paint Recipe

Homemade chalk paint recipe is cheap and easy and you have so many options for color that those expensive chalk paints cannot give you. I did my kitchen cabinets in homemade chalk paint and they look fabulous plus I got to choose my color from all the colors Home Depot could make.

What you will need for homemade chalk paint:

5 tablespoons of Plaster of Paris (initial cost of Plaster of Paris can vary but it will last forever)
2-3 tablespoons of hot water
small 12-16 oz container to mix
spoon or utensil to stir
sample size paint in flat (but most of them work I have found)

Directions: put the 5 tablespoons in the container (do not breathe in the powder) and then add the 2 tablespoons of hot water and immediately stir to a paste if you have clumps add 1/2 tablespoon of hot water and keep stirring (do not make it runny). It should be thick and creamy and free of lumps. Then immediately add the jar of sample paint (or a cup of paint) and stir for a couple minutes making sure all the plaster of paris is mixed in and not sticking to the bottom or sides of the container. You can use a paint brush for latex paints or you can use a special expensive chalk paint brush. Note: the best way is to add the hot water and stir at the same time otherwise it dries up and you have to add more water.

Prep is key to painting with homemade chalk paint. It is not just paint it and will stick. You have to degloss (or sand the surface) if it is shiny then clean it really well with a non wax cleaner (I just use my spray bottle of cleaner and a clean rag). Light coats of chalk paint. You will have streaks and you will see through on the first coat. The better the brush the better the paint job. It usually takes me 2 coats but sometimes you will have to touch up with a 3rd in spots. Let the chalk paint dry for a couple hours and then go back over it. Let it cure overnight and then apply your wax or polyurethane coating. Follow the instructions for the wax or polyurethane.

There are other recipes for homemade chalk paint. I have used this one for my kitchen cabinets and a ugly desk to pretty nightstand transformation. If you ever have a question, feel free to contact me and I will hopefully have an answer or help direct you to find it. Thanks for stopping by.