Homemade Chalk Paint Recipe
Turn latex paint into amazing chalk paint with this homemade chalk paint recipe. Out of all of the recipes out there, this is the best (and my personal favorite). The photos in this post are from a few of the makeovers that I’ve done with homemade chalk paint.
Let’s dive into the world of chalk painting with this easy and budget-friendly chalk paint you can make right at home. It’s perfect for beginners and experienced DIYers alike!
Ahhh chalk paint.
- It distresses like a dream.
- Dries faster than latex.
- Adheres better than latex paint.
- Is perfect for painted furniture makeovers.
- And it’s our go-to type of paint for furniture!
But the name brand stuff can get pretty expensive! Plus with brand name chalk paint, you’re limited to the brands’ color lines.
With homemade chalk paint, you instead have an unlimited amount of color possibilities. That’s where homemade chalk paint comes into play.
You can turn latex paint (you know, the stuff you paint your walls with) into chalk paint. It’s super easy to do too!
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Supplies Used For Homemade Chalk Paint Recipe
- Calcium Carbonate Powder
- Water
- Flat* Latex Paint
My go to paint is Behr made into homemade chalk paint. I love the color variety it provides as well as how easy it is to get. I’ve also used Valspar ( from Lowes) and Glidden (from Home Depot) with great success.
Check out this post if you’re wondering what is the difference between chalk paint and regular paint.
*You can use latex paint with a higher sheen if you want! Flat just has the best adhesion to begin with, and it is the most like name brand chalk paint.
How to Make Chalk Paint
Simply dissolve 5 tablespoons of calcium carbonate in a small amount of warm water to create a smooth glaze-like consistency.
Mix it really good so there are no lumps of calcium carbonate left and then pour that into 1 cup of latex paint. I honestly never measure exact amounts – eyeballing works great for this.
Check out this short part of a furniture makeover where I share how to make chalk paint.
Calcium Carbonate Powder Substitute
When we first started painting furniture, we made our chalk paint with Plaster of Paris powder. We used the same recipe, just replaced the Calcium Carbonate Powder with Plaster of Paris.
I loved the recipe, it worked great, except it didn’t store very well. So, if you’re looking for another alternative and don’t plan to store any extra paint, Plaster of Paris is a great option!
Check out these chalk paint recipes that you can easily DIY for your painting projects.
**Note: I’ve since used BB Frosch Paint Transformer Powder to make chalk paint from latex paint. It is amazing and much better than my homemade chalk paint recipe.
Check out my honest BB Frosch Paint Transformer review to learn more about the features and pros and cons of this product.
Painting Furniture with Homemade Chalk Paint
Since we spray the chalk paint on most of our pieces, we thin the homemade chalk paint for our paint sprayer. You can find all of those details about how to thin paint for a sprayer here!
But if you choose to not spray on your paint, you’re good to go with your brush and a fresh batch of chalk paint! Here are the best chalk paint brushes you can choose from.
Check out this blue chalk painted nightstand that we brushed on our chalk paint recipe. Get more chalk painted furniture ideas here if you want more inspiration.
Here’s our painted hutch makeover blog post where we used our own homemade chalk paint.
How to Seal Homemade Chalk Paint
After your homemade chalk paint is dry, seal it with water-based polyurethane. Water-based polyurethane gives the furniture a nice smooth finish, makes the paint extra durable, and makes it easier to clean.
That’s all there is to it! Enjoy!
P.S. Chalk paint is great for most pieces of furniture. Keep in mind though, if you’re painting laminate furniture, it is best to prime before using chalk paint, as the chalk paint cannot adhere properly to those finishes.
You may also want to prime your wood furniture, (even if it isn’t shiny!) to prevent bleed through issues.
Can I use any type of latex paint for homemade chalk paint?
Sure! You can use any type of latex paint for homemade chalk paint. I stay away from the Paint and Primer types of latex paint though as they dry up faster when made into homemade chalk paint.
Also keep in mind that different sheens may affect the final look and texture of your painted piece.
Flat paint, as mentioned above, has the best adhesion and finish for a chalk paint look.
For the brand of latex paint, you can also use any type you prefer. Behr, Valspar, and Glidden are just a few examples of brands that have been successfully used for homemade chalk paint recipes.
Feel free to experiment and find the brand that works best for your needs.
One important thing to consider when choosing the latex paint is the color selection. Some brands may offer a wider variety of colors to choose from, while others may have a more limited selection.
Keep this in mind when planning your project and make sure to choose a paint color that you will be happy with in the end.
Is homemade chalk paint durable?
Yes, homemade chalk paint can be very durable when applied and sealed properly. The key to guaranteeing the durability of your chalk painted furniture is in the prep work and sealing process.
Here’s our guides on prepping furniture for painting and sealing painted furniture that you can follow.
By properly cleaning furniture before painting, sanding before painting furniture, and priming furniture for painting, you can make sure the chalk paint will adhere well to the surface and create a strong bond.
On top of these steps, sealing the paint with water-based polyurethane will provide an extra layer of protection against wear and tear.
Homemade Chalk Paint Recipe
Turn latex paint into amazing chalk paint with this homemade chalk paint recipe. It’s super easy to do!
Materials
Instructions
- Simply dissolve 5 tablespoons of calcium carbonate in a small amount of warm water to create a smooth glaze-like consistency. Mix it really good so there are no lumps of calcium carbonate left.
- Then pour the calcium carbonate mixture into 1 cup of latex paint.
- You can now use the homemade chalk paint to brush paint onto furniture. If you are going to spray paint, thin chalk paint first.
- After your homemade chalk paint is dry, seal it with water-based polyurethane.
Recommended Products
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More Chalk Paint Resources
- The Truth About Using Chalk Paint for Furniture
- How to Chalk Paint Laminate Furniture
- Chalk Painting Furniture
- Chalk Paint Problems
- Best Chalk Paint for Kitchen Cabinets
Follow us on YouTube to get more tips for painting furniture.
Or share your project with us on our Facebook Group and be part of our community. See you there!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post. You give the right view of latex paint when it comes to painting furniture.
I’m open to different brands of boutique paint and I know they’re all great quality, but the truth is they are way too expensive and the top coats and waxes that go with them are also very expensive.
Please forgive this little rant, but I am so tired of seeing posts that make it seem like latex paint is absolutely unacceptable for painting furniture, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Check out That Shabby Guy , Vintage Statements and Furniture Flippa on YouTube, and then decide whether or not latex paint is good for furniture. You do have to do really good prep, but honestly, good prep should be for any paint that you use. It’s never a bad idea to prep well.
Also, companies like Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, BEHR and Valspar ( just to name a few), have been around for a long time; a lot longer than these newer boutique companies.
I think they know a thing or two about paint. These boutique companies have to have a marketing strategy and one of the strategies I’ve seen used is to put down latex paint as being hopelessly inferior to their products.
Maybe latex paint is made primarily for walls, but it’s not called “wall paint”, it’s called latex/acrylic paint . I’ve seen the same people who put down “wall paint” use products Like Zinsser BIN primer that is primarily made for, Well – what – do – you – know.. walls! on their furniture projects and also they use brushes that aren’t made for painting- chip brushes. They’re called chip brushes, because they were made to sweep away metal chips from factory machines,. We all paint with them. But…. Let’s stop using them because they weren’t made for paint. Makes sense, right? Of course not. Neither does it make sense to make latex paint appear to be an inferior product for furniture, because it isn’t.
Well said ☺️???
I have been using SW latex paint samples with plaster of Paris for DIY chalk paint. I just mix what I think I will use in one day. No problems at all, and very inexpensive. For heavy usage I splurge on the better levels of SW paints, because I find it covers with fewer coats.
Can i ask what size of cup you use in the recipe for homemade chalk paint. there are so many variations in cup sizes.
In this recipe a cup is 8oz.