Behr Chalk Paint Review
Is Behr chalk paint and Behr chalk paint wax any good?! We tested them out on this mini buffet makeover. So here’s our Behr chalk paint review and details on how we used the Behr chalk paint and wax on a furniture makeover.
Get more tips, tricks and furniture makeover ideas here.
This week I tried Behr chalk paint and wax for the first time, and here is my quick little review on if Behr chalk paint is any good.
I tried it out on this mini buffet that I started working on in this YouTube video on how to remove wood stain.
Supplies Used For Painted Buffet Makeover with Behr Chalk Paint
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- Krud Kutter
- Wood Filler
- Shop-Vac
- Tack Cloth
- Shellac
- Paint Filters
- Paint Sprayer
- Truly Olive Behr Chalk Paint
- Behr Decorative Wax
- Wax Brush
- Lint Free Rags
- 3×4 Vacuum Compatible SurfPrep Sander Use code RAY10 to get 10% off your order
- Foam Pads
Prepping and Repairing Buffet for Paint
Before I could start painting though, I had to make a few repairs to the veneer and prep the buffet for paint.
I started by cleaning the whole buffet with my favorite cleaner, Krud Kutter. Cleaning before painting not only makes it easier for the paint to stick, but it also gives me a chance to look over the piece really well.
Learn more about how to clean furniture before painting properly here!
And that’s when I saw how bad the veneer really was on one side.
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So I removed the veneer on the one side, and the veneer on the backside of the door as well.
Some of it came off really easily with just my scraper, but for the really stuck-on parts, I called in reinforcements to get it off.
Check out our post on the easiest way to remove veneer if you’re having the same issues!
Then I wood filled, scuff sanded the whole buffet, vacuumed off the dust, and wiped it all down with a tack cloth to remove any remaining dust.
Priming Buffet to Prevent Bleedthrough
One last thing before I could start painting with Behr chalk paint, I primed the buffet with my favorite clear primer (clear shellac) that blocks the wood and stain from bleeding through the paint.
This is one thing that I definitely never skip on! Learn more about the best primers for painting furniture here.
But especially after removing the veneer from the side and the door, I knew there was a big potential that I could have bleed-through issues. (See below!)
So we took the buffet out to the garage and sprayed 2 coats of clear shellac all over the piece, but especially over the door and side of the buffet. Then I let the shellac dry overnight.
Repairing and prepping this piece for paint was a beast!! Learn more about how to prepare furniture for painting in this post. But it’s finally time to paint!!
Painting A Buffet with Behr Chalk Paint
I decided to try spraying the Behr chalk paint, so I mixed up the paint and then dumped it through a paint filter and into my paint sprayer container.
Read through this post to learn more about painting furniture with a sprayer.
The color I used is this gorgeous olive green called Truly Olive. Then I poured a little bit of water into the paint and mixed the water and paint really well.
I ended up using about half of the quart of paint on this buffet.
I sprayed a few even, thin coats of the Behr chalk paint all over and inside the buffet, and then I let it dry for about an hour or two in between coats.
When I checked on the paint after the first coat, the back of the door where I had removed the veneer had some bleed-through issues still, so I took the door back out to the garage and sprayed it with another 2 coats of shellac to block the stains from coming through the paint.
Learn more about how to stop stains from coming through paint and other ways to prevent them from ruining your paint job!
After the shellac was dry, I brought the door back in to finish spraying everything with a couple of coats.
Distressing Painted Buffet
After everything had a chance to dry for a couple of hours, I brought it out of my spray booth to sand and distress it.
I used my favorite sander, the Surfprep sander, with their foam pads that make it possible to use a power sander on curves. Learn more about the best sanders for furniture here!
The goal was to distress the edges a little bit so I could see the wood on the details, but I also wanted to sand everything down just a little bit to make it even more smooth.
I used the ½” foam pads in fine grit to distress and sand everything down. Or if sanding isn’t your thing, read this post about 6 different ways to distress furniture!
Then I vacuumed off all of the dust and used a tack cloth to finish getting off any remaining dust.
Sealing Chalk Paint With Wax
To really test out the Behr chalk paint, I decided to test out the Behr wax to seal the chalk paint. I used a wax brush that I had on hand to brush a small amount of wax all over the chalk paint.
After I brushed the wax onto a smaller area, I brushed the wax in the same direction to help avoid weird streaks when it dried.
By the time I was done staining the legs, the wax on the rest of the buffet was dry and ready to “buff”.
I just used a lint-free rag to rub over the wax a couple of times. You can feel the wax go from being a little bit sticky to being nice and smooth.
I also tried to rub the wax in the same direction to help avoid streaks again. Read more about waxing furniture and other topcoats for painting furniture in this post!
Staining Raw Wood Legs
To stain the legs, I used some Annie Sloan dark wax and another wax brush that I had on hand. I love using dark wax to stain raw wood, especially legs like this!
Then I added a new bronze knob to the door and removed the wheels from the bottom of the legs.
Watch the whole process of painting this buffet with Behr chalk paint:
Here’s how the buffet looks now! Get more painted buffet ideas here.
More Before And After Makeovers
Click any of these “before” photos below to view the “after” of that makeover.
I love the contrast of the stained legs with the olive green chalk paint! Check out more green chalk painted furniture ideas here.
Behr Chalk Paint Review
The paint sprayed on beautifully and leveled out nicely! I didn’t have any issues with how it sprayed at all.
It also dried pretty quickly like you would expect a chalk paint to do, and it had good coverage as well! I love how it feels when it’s all dry. It feels softer and less gritty than most chalk paint.
When I sanded it down, I didn’t have any durability issues with it scratching off, so it looks like it will be a really durable finish! Honestly, I can’t wait to use Behr chalk paint again!
**Update: I used Behr chalk paint again on a dresser makeover. I brushed it, and I honestly didn’t care for it. It left a lot of brush marks behind and it took more coats.
It’s a great option, especially when you can save 10-15 bucks per quart compared to some of my favorite chalk paint brands. Check out my list of the top chalk paint brands for your future furniture makeovers.
Behr Chalk Paint Wax Review
The Behr decorative wax brushed on easily and really added some depth to the chalk paint. It is a little harder than some of my favorite soft waxes, but it definitely isn’t too hard by any means.
But my favorite thing about it is that it doesn’t have a strong smell like some other brands of wax!
How to Use Behr Chalk Paint on Furniture
Is Behr chalk paint any good for painting furniture? Let's find out! Here's our Behr Chalk Paint review and how to use it.
Materials
Instructions
- Start prepping the buffet for paint by cleaning it with Krud Kutter. Remove veneers and fill in any holes with wood filler. Scuff sand the whole buffet and vacuum and wipe all the dust.
- Prime the buffet with 2 coats of shellac to block the wood and stain from bleeding through the paint. Let primer dry overnight.
- Spray a few coats of chalk paint all over and inside the buffet and then let it dry for about an hour or two in between coats.
- Once dry, distress the edges of the buffet a little bit with the sander.
- Brush and seal everything with wax. Brush the wax in the same direction to help avoid weird streaks when it dried. Use the lint-free rag to rub over the wax a couple of times for it to be nice and smooth.
- Stain the raw wood legs of the buffet with dark wax then attach new hardware.
Recommended Products
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More Furniture Paint Resources
- Rethunk Junk Paint Review
- Melange One Paint Review
- Rustoleum Chalk Paint Review
- Behr Spray Paint Review
- Benjamin Moore Advance Paint Review
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Great question. The water doesn’t change the color at all, so for touch ups you don’t have to add water. The way you apply the paint will change the sheen though, so you can see a sheen difference if you touch up paint with a brush.
Hi Natalie!
Nice makeover over on this buffet table. I LOVE the green and wood combo you did. I’ve never used BEHR paint but I just might have to try it. Thanks for sharing your experience . PINNED! xo ?
I’ve never used Behr Chalk Paint so good to know… and your buffet is gorgeous Natalie! 🙂