Chalk Painting End Tables Black
We’ve done tons of furniture makeovers using chalk paint, and here’s another to add to our chalk paint furniture ideas – chalk painting end tables black! Black is a classic and versatile color, and getting that matte, chalky finish just takes it to the next level.
Whether you’re going for a modern or farmhouse look, black painted furniture is perfect and easy to create with chalk paint. So let’s dive into some tips and tricks so you can nail painting your furniture black with this type of paint!
We’ll be working with these antique mahogany end tables for this project. Look at their long and elegant legs, they’re simply gorgeous! Sadly, the dark wood tone doesn’t really match our home decor.
Luckily, we can easily solve that with paint! And among the different types of paint for furniture, we’re going for chalk paint for its matte, velvety finish. It’s easy to use and it dries quickly, so we can have these end tables transformed in no time.
Black chalk paint is a color that never goes out of style and can easily blend in with any interior design style, and that’s why we’re choosing it for this project. It can also be used as a statement piece among lighter furniture. Plus, the chalky finish adds an extra touch of texture and character to the furniture.
So if you want to paint your furniture black and are curious about using chalk paint, keep reading for the steps for this makeover, and take notes of the helpful tips and tricks we will share. Let’s get started!
Supplies Used for Chalk Painting End Tables Black
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- Screwdriver
- Krud Kutter
- Damp Rag
- Elmer’s Wood Filler
- Sandpaper Sheets
- Diablo Orbital Sanding Discs
- Dewalt Orbital Sander
- Vacuum
- Tack Cloth
- Painter’s Tape
- Pre-Taped Plastic
- Clear Shellac in Spray Can
- Behr Latex Paint in Black
- Calcium Carbonate Powder
- Wagner FLEXiO 595 Sprayer
- Waterbased Polyurethane in Satin
Removing Hardware and Cleaning End Tables
To get these end tables prepped for painting, we first needed to remove the hardware with a screwdriver. There was also a wooden applique under the drawer that we removed by prying it off. It was only held on by a few small nails, so it was easy to take off with the screwdriver as well. With these parts removed, we could easily paint and update it separately if needed.
Next, we cleaned the end tables with Krud Kutter and a damp rag. We just sprayed the product and wiped away any dirt, grime, or grease on the tables. Make sure all surfaces are clean and dry before moving on to the next step. Here’s how to clean furniture before painting to know the importance of this process before painting.
For the small nail holes, we used Elmer’s wood filler to fill them in. Filling these holes will create a level and smooth surface to work with. You can use Elmer’s wood filler right out of the container, which is pretty handy for these small holes, and that’s why we chose it over these other best wood fillers for furniture.
Sanding and Priming End Tables
After the filler dried, we sanded it down so it was all nice and even with the rest of the wood. We then sanded everything with 220 grit sandpaper to remove the sheen it had.
For the tops we planned to leave them as bare wood, so we had to sand them down more compared to the rest of the tables. We used 80 grit sandpaper first, then went over it with a finer grit of 120, and finally 220. The flat surface was sanded with our Dewalt orbital sander with these sanding discs, while the edges were done by hand. Our guide on how to sand curved surfaces tackles this in detail.
After all that sanding, we removed the dust with a vacuum and then wiped the tables down with a tack cloth to make sure no dust particles remained. And since we were only painting the base of the tables black, we taped off the tops with painter’s tape and pre-taped plastic to protect them from any paint or primer.
Speaking of primer, we applied 2 coats of a stain blocking primer to make sure no stains came through the paint, as well as to help the new paint stick better. You can check out our priming wood for painting post to learn more about why priming is important for furniture makeovers. We went with clear shellac in a spray can for this step – it’s one of our recommended best primers to stop tannin bleed.
Painting Furniture Black with Chalk Paint
And we’ve come to the main event – painting the end tables black with chalk paint! For our chalk paint, we decided to make our own. Here’s our homemade chalk paint recipe: we mixed 5 tablespoons of calcium carbonate powder with water, then added in a cup of black Behr latex paint. Don’t forget to mix until there are no lumps!
We sprayed the chalk paint on with our Wagner FLEXiO 595 sprayer for a flawless finish. The FLEXiO 595 is such a great investment, especially if you do a lot of painting projects.
You can read about our experience and thoughts on this sprayer in our Wagner FLEXiO 595 review. For other paint sprayer options for chalk paint, here’s our list of the best paint sprayer for chalk paint.
We recommend doing 2-3 coats to get full coverage, and make sure to let each coat dry completely before applying the next one. The great thing about chalk paint is that it dries quickly, so you won’t have to wait too long between coats.
Distressing and Sealing Black Chalk Painted End Tables
Chalk paint already has a matte finish that gives furniture that vintage chic look, but we still lightly distressed the black paint to add some more character. We rubbed 220 grit sandpaper onto the edges of the furniture to reveal some of the wood underneath.
For a more detailed guide on distressing chalk paint, here’s how to distress chalk paint!
After distressing, we removed the plastic from the top of the tables. The tape should have protected it from any paint or primer, so it should still be in its bare wood state. If there are any paint spots, you can easily sand them off with a higher grit sandpaper.
Finally, we added a topcoat to seal the chalk painted end tables. We used a waterbased polyurethane in satin, and sprayed it on with the sprayer – we like it that way because it gives a smoother finish. Here’s how to spray polyurethane if you want to use a sprayer too. You still have the option to use a brush or a spray can topcoat (such as Minwax Polycrylic) should you prefer those methods.
We let everything dry and cure for at least a week. But we were still extra careful with using the black end tables for a month. It does take about a month for the paint to cure completely, so we wanted to make sure that it was fully set before placing things on top or using them regularly.
And voila! We have turned the tables to modern and chic pieces to match perfectly with our home! And this is also how to chalk paint furniture black – you can use the same process for any other color of chalk paint, but we hope this tutorial inspired you to give both chalk paint and black furniture a try.
More Before and After Makeovers
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Chalk Painting Furniture Black
In this chalk painting furniture black makeover, we're going for a matte, chalky finish and that classic black color on these antique mahogany end tables.
Materials
Instructions
- Prepare the furniture by removing any hardware with a screwdriver. You want to get them out of the way so you can paint the furniture without getting paint all over the hardware.
- Clean the furniture by spraying Krud Kutter all over and wiping away any dirt, grime, or grease with the damp rag. Make sure all surfaces are clean and dry before moving on to the next step.
- Fill in any small holes with wood filler and sand it down to blend it seamlessly with the rest of the furniture. This will create a smooth and level surface for painting.
- Sand the rest of the furniture with 220 grit sandpaper to remove any remaining sheen and create a better surface for the paint to adhere to. The tops will be left bare, so sand them down more compared to the rest of the furniture, using sandpaper from 80 grit to 120 and finally 220.
- Prime the furniture with 2 coats of a stain blocking primer like clear shellac in a spray can to not only help the new paint stick better but also prevent any stains from showing through the paint.
- Make your own chalk paint using 5 tablespoons of calcium carbonate powder, water, and a cup of Behr latex paint in black. Mix until there are no lumps to create a smooth consistency.
- Spray the homemade chalk paint onto the furniture using the Wagner FLEXiO 595 paint sprayer for a flawless finish. Apply 2-3 coats, and let each coat dry completely before applying the next one - chalk paint dries quickly, so it won't take too long.
- Lightly distress the black chalk paint by rubbing 220 grit sandpaper onto the edges to reveal some of the wood underneath. This will add character and give a more vintage look to your furniture on top of chalk paint's matte finish.
- Remove the plastic from the top of the tables and check for any paint spots - use a higher grit sandpaper to sand them off if necessary.
- Topcoat the black chalk painted end tables with waterbased polyurethane in satin. Spray it on with a sprayer for smooth results.
- Let everything dry and cure for at least a week, but still be extra careful with using the furniture for a month to allow the paint to fully cure before regular or heavy use.
Recommended Products
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More Chalk Painted Furniture Makeovers
- Painting A Kitchen Table With Chalk Paint
- Chalk Painted Black Dresser
- Farm House Table Makeover
- Painting a Bedside Table
- Paint a Table Black
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