White Chalk Painted Dresser
If you want a classic and versatile piece, this white chalk painted dresser might be the perfect addition to your home decor. These chalk paint furniture ideas give any space a clean, bright vibe and work with pretty much any style, from modern to farmhouse.
This French provincial dresser we worked on had a lot of minor scratches all over, and you’ll see how we tackled them and transformed this piece into its stunning version. Let’s get started!
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See more AFTER photos below these printable instructions!
White Chalk Painted Dresser
If you want a classic and versatile piece, this white chalk painted dresser might be the perfect addition to your home decor.
Materials
Tools
- Electric Screwdriver
- Hairdryer
- Shop Vacuum
- 5 Gallon Buckets
- Wagner Sprayer
- Dewalt Orbital Sander
Instructions
- First, remove all hardware to get them out of the way. You can clean them separately and even give them a new look with a fresh coat of paint.
- Clean the dresser inside and out with Krud Kutter. If there are any drawer liners you don't want, soften them with a hairdryer to make them easier to remove.
- Lightly sand the dresser with 220 grit sandpaper to smooth out any scratches and create a better surface for the new coating. Don't forget to clean up all the dust and debris after this step!
- Prime the dresser with clear shellac spray to prevent any stains from bleeding through the white chalk paint. The primer also provides a base for a smooth and durable finish.
- Make homemade chalk paint with white latex paint, calcium carbonate powder, and water. Strain the mixture through a filter to remove any lumps or debris. Thin the chalk paint with 20% water for a smooth and even spray finish.
- Apply 4-5 coats of white chalk paint onto the dresser, waiting for each one to dry completely before adding the next. You'll need more than the usual 2-3 coats for full coverage on white.
- Distress the white chalk painted dresser with an electric sander and 400 grit sandpaper, focusing on areas that would naturally experience wear and tear over time. Be careful not to sand too hard or deep into the wood.
- Distress the hardware by hand with 220 grit sandpaper, giving it a slightly worn, rustic look to match the dresser. Clean off any dust before applying a topcoat.
- Protect the finish of the dresser with three coats of Varathane Polyurethane in satin, letting each one dry completely before the next. This also gives the piece a beautiful sheen.
- Reattach the updated hardware and admire your stunning white chalk painted dresser!
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More Before and After Makeovers
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Click any of these “before” photos below to view the “after” of that makeover.
If you’re unsure what color to choose for your next DIY project, white might be the answer! It’s classic and timeless, and it pairs well with any other colors in the room. Plus, it can make a small space feel larger and more open.
We’re using chalk paint – it’s easy to use, quick to dry, and affordable, especially when you make your own. If DIY isn’t your thing, check out the top chalk paint brands in this post. If you haven’t tried it out yet, you can also learn all about what is chalk paint? here.
This piece may have started out plain and scratched, but a few fresh coats gave it the makeover it needed! Now, it’s bright, refreshed, and has the perfect rustic charm. And we’re excited to share how you can recreate it!
Supplies Used for White Chalk Painted Dresser
- Electric Screwdriver
- Krud Kutter
- Hairdryer
- 220 Grit Sandpaper
- Shop Vacuum
- Tack Cloth
- Plastic Sheet
- 5 Gallon Buckets
- Clear Shellac
- Calcium Carbonate Powder
- Behr Latex Paint in Pure White
- Paint Filter
- Wagner Sprayer
- Dewalt Orbital Sander
- 400 Grit Sanding Discs
- Varathane Polyurethane in Satin
Prep Before Dresser Makeover
First, we removed all the hardware on it using an electric screwdriver. Then, we gave the entire piece a thorough cleaning with Krud Kutter and a damp rag, both inside and out. The drawers were particularly grimy, so we made sure to clean them really well. They also had some dirty liners we softened up with a hairdryer to pull them out.
Next, we lightly hand sanded everything with 220 grit sandpaper to smooth out any scratches and make sure the new finish would stick well. After that, we cleaned it up with a shop vacuum and a tack cloth to make sure there wasn’t any dust or debris left that could mess up the project. Get more tips on how to clean wood after sanding here!
Prime to Prevent Bleedthrough
We took the dresser outside to our backyard and laid down a plastic sheet on top of some rocks. We then put the piece on top of upside-down 5-gallon buckets so we could easily reach all angles while working on it.
We applied 2 coats of clear shellac spray all over to prevent any bleedthrough from the sanded and scratched wood. These are stains that can appear through the white finish and ruin the final look, so you won’t want to skip this process.
Here’s priming wood for painting to learn more about how important this step is. Plus, check out how to stop stains from coming through paint here for more tips, including how to fix bleedthrough if it ever happens to you and your project.
Paint Dresser with White Chalk Paint
Following our homemade chalk paint recipe, we created our own by mixing pure white Behr Latex in Flat with calcium carbonate powder and water. We mixed everything well and strained the mixture through a filter.
We also added about 20% water to thin it enough to apply with our Wagner HVLP gun without a rough, splattery texture. Using a sprayer already helps give a smooth finish, but thinning the paint makes it even better. We have a more detailed guide on how to thin paint for a sprayer here.
Once the chalk paint was all thinned and mixed up, we started spraying it onto our dresser. Painting furniture white usually needs around 4-5 coats for full coverage, so if you’re at the second or third coat and still see some spots showing through, no worries – just keep adding more coats until you’re happy with how it looks. Here’s can you use chalk paint in a sprayer for more helpful tips.
We also gave the hardware a new color on a separate piece of cardboard. This way, we can easily swap them out in the future if we decide to switch things up. Here’s how to paint drawer pulls for more details on this process, and here’s how to clean old furniture hardware to get them looking like new before painting them.
Distress and Topcoat White Chalk Painted Dresser
To add character to the piece, we decided to distress it. Using our Dewalt orbital sander and 400 grit sanding discs, we heavily sanded through the white chalk paint in areas that would naturally experience wear and tear over time. Be careful when distressing with an electric sander, though! You don’t want to go too hard and sand deep into the wood.
That’s why we also used 400 grit instead of 220 grit: It’s a finer grade that allows for more control. Learn more about sandpaper and grits in our best sandpaper for furniture painting post.
To distress the hardware, we sanded them by hand with 220 grit. This gave them a slightly worn and rustic look, adding more charm to the overall piece. You can learn more about how to distress chalk paint here.
We cleaned off any dust from the dresser and hardware and applied a topcoat to protect the porous, matte finish. We used Varathane Polyurethane in satin for a durable and smooth finish and sprayed three coats, letting each one dry completely before applying the next. This not only protects the finish but also gives it a beautiful sheen. You can learn more about different types of topcoats in our furniture sealers guide here.
Oh, and this came with a mirror that we also painted using the same process. Then, we reattached the updated hardware, and here’s our stunning white chalk painted dresser! We have more white chalk paint dresser ideas to inspire you here.
Next time you want to refresh your decor, try this same process to transform any old piece you have. In addition to the new color, you can distress the finish and update the hardware for a unique and personalized touch.
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