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The Beginner’s Guide to Distressing with Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan

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The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint and Wax by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

When I popped open my first quart of Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan, I remember thinking, “I wonder if this can live up to the hype.”

After all, this decorative paint almost sounded like something out of a DIYer’s fairy-tale….

Once upon a time there was a paint called Chalk Paint®.

Now, Chalk Paint® wasn’t just any sort of paint.  No. Chalk Paint® possessed magical powers!  It could adhere to practically any surface on which it was painted–varnish, bare wood, laminate, plastic, metal, glass–it made no difference.  And not only that, but Chalk Paint® had the power to free DIYers of the dreadful curse of stripping, sanding, and priming their pieces.  Instead, they could jump right in to the fun stuff.

And the DIYers painted happily ever after.

Whad’ya know, the so-called fairy tale turned out to be a true story.  And I got to experience the magic of working with Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan for myself when I transformed our Hot Drinks Station table into a bright and beautiful, Provence-painted wonder.  And I shared my tips and tricks with you all in the ever-popular post, The Beginner’s Guide to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®.

The Beginner's Guide to Using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint & Wax: One Beginner's Tips to Another! | I let my intimidation over using Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan keep me from exploring the medium for way too long. Now that I have finally given it a whirl, I'm eager to empower other beginners to give it a go. It's SO much easier than you think it is! Especially with this step by step run-down.

But the story doesn’t end there.

The Plot Thickens

Though I had conquered my first Chalk Paint® project, there remained a mountain on the horizon I had yet to summit.  Distressing with Chalk Paint®! 

Dun dun dun.

Dear reader, does the thought of distressing make you a little nervous?

It did for me!  I mean, how can it not when the word “stress” is nestled within the word “distressed“?!

Well, I’m going to spoil the ending, and tell you right here, right now that I have now conquered distressing with Chalk Paint®, too.  And not only that, but distressing turned out to be the most fun part of the process.  No lie.

You can summit this mountain, too.

And I’m eager to share my tips, tricks, and lessons learned along the way in an effort to make your distressing journey as de-stressed as possible.  {Yuk yuk.}

Heads-up: I had a lot of questions when I first started off, so this post will be rich with detail.  My hope is that this guide will serve as your one-stop shop, so you can spend less time Googling the answers to your questions and more time painting and distressing.

That said, if you’re interested in more of a smooth, modern finish to your painting project, this post will be your guide.

Otherwise, co-travelers, let the distressing journey begin!

THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO DISTRESSING

WITH CHALK PAINT® BY ANNIE SLOAN

Step 1. Choose your next victim furniture piece.

Thinking Closet veterans may remember a certain Black Distressed Table Makeover that we did a few years ago, so that our table would match our new chairs with that signature Pottery Barn look.

For a while now, we’ve wanted to brighten them up a bit to better match our rustic nautical style.  So, they seemed like the perfect candidates for our first foray into distressing with Chalk Paint®.  Thank goodness we didn’t have to prime all that surface area!

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint | Our black distressed table and chair set. Our next "victims" for an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint makeover! Check out the post to see how we updated them to match our rustic nautical vibe!

Step 2.  Gather your supplies!

Annie Sloan products are sold through retailers (or “stockists”) in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand.  Just search here to find the stockist nearest you.  Not near a stockist?  Many of them ship!

Here’s a list of the supplies I used on this project:

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for?

Step 3.  Choose and prepare an ideal workspace.

Things to consider when choosing the proper space:

  • temperature: experts recommend working at “room temperature.”  After having painted furniture both outside and inside, I much prefer working indoors.  Not only can you better control temperature by setting the air, but you have less chance of insects or dust landing on your piece while paint is drying.
  • ventilation: if you are in a small workspace, make sure you have windows and fans to help move the air during the drying time (keep the fans off while painting).  Although I have to say, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® is non-toxic, low odor, and has low VOCs, so you don’t have to worry about strong fumes.
  • light: working in natural light is ideal…although, many painting projects will likely last into the night.  So, bring extra lamps into the workspace.  This is vital for the waxing step.
  • protecting the floor: I used painter’s tape to tape down some brown builder’s paper onto a large section of our living room floor to catch the drips and the majority of the dust from distressing.

My ideal workspace - - air-conditioned, natural light, plenty of ventilation.

Step 4.  Prep and clean your furniture piece.

These are steps I take for any furniture makeover project I’m undertaking.  So, you’ve heard some of these before!

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | Prepping the piece is as simple as cleaning it with mild dish soap. No sanding or priming needed!

  • Remove any removable elements like hardware, shelves, drawers.
  • Run your hand across the piece to find any rough patches that might need sanding (but remember, you do NOT need to sand the entire piece when using Chalk Paint® – – even if it’s varnished!).
  • Remove any sticky gunk with soap and water or one of my favorite products, Goo Gone.
  • Fill any holes with wood glue.
  • Even if your furniture piece appears to be clean, it will still be covered in oils from hands.  So, make sure to give it a once over with some warm soapy water.  We just used a mild dishsoap, followed up with a final pass of clear water, so we didn’t leave behind any soapy residue.  Then, just allow ample dry time before applying your first coat of paint.
  • Edge off any sections that won’t be painted using painter’s tape (like the inside of drawers).

Optional Step 5.  Use aging techniques to add character to your furniture piece.

Mark and I decided that we wanted our tabletop to have more of a time-worn look (rather than the look of Target circa 2007).  We really like the character that comes with reclaimed furniture.

So, we experimented with a variety of aging techniques to distress our table’s surface in a 15 minute “attack the tabletop” party.

(Though you may want to grab earplugs.  This will get loud.)

Aging Techniques

  • sanding with a drill: This was actually something we had done before painting our table black, but the circular grooves from a sandpaper disc drill attachment were still visible on our table’s surface, and we added some more for good measure.  You can even just use a high grit sandpaper to rough things up.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | Here are some fun aging techniques you can employ to distress the surface of your furniture piece before diving in to painting. Get out your tools and prepare to get loud!

  • banging with a hammer (both ends), especially on the edges.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | Here are some fun aging techniques you can employ to distress the surface of your furniture piece before diving in to painting. Get out your tools and prepare to get loud!

  • hammering a large screw flat against the table with a block of wood as buffer.  We got both the threaded side and the top edge.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | Here are some fun aging techniques you can employ to distress the surface of your furniture piece before diving in to painting. Get out your tools and prepare to get loud!

  • hammering the pointed tip of a nail or screw into the table in small clusters to create effect of wormholes.  (This was our favorite effect.)

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | Here are some fun aging techniques you can employ to distress the surface of your furniture piece before diving in to painting. Get out your tools and prepare to get loud!

TOP TIP: Bang all the things.  Really.  It’s a great way to get out any pent-up frustration.

You can grab any tool or metal object from your workbench and hammer it down to create different grooves and divots in the surface.   Here is a great resource to check out for even more aging techniques.

You really can’t mess this up.  I just recommend keeping your marks pretty random, and not in any pattern.  Though you may want to focus on aging areas that would naturally be more distressed like edges and corners.

A word of caution: be careful not to accidentally “distress” your fingers while banging around the metal tools.  Also, I recommend wearing protective eyewear for this step, just to be safe.

When our “attack the tabletop” party was over, Mark also took the sander to those new grooves and divots we created to ensure they would be smooth to the touch after painting.  Then, we wiped the table down with a damp rag to remove any dust.

Step 6.  Apply your first coat of Chalk Paint®.

Make sure your can of paint is good n’ mixed (you can set it upside down for a while, shake it up, use a wooden paint stirrer, or all three like I did).  Then, methodically work section by section as the paint dries fairly quickly.

If this is your first Chalk Paint® project, and you’re feeling anxious, you can start with a side of the furniture that won’t get as much “air time” like the back legs of a table.  Though your anxiety will quickly vanish when you see how easy it is to work with this paint!

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

My Top Painting Tips for Beginners:

  • If you have a brand new bristle brush that you’re working with, take the extra minute to condition it (video demo) before painting.  Otherwise, you’ll be picking out tiny bristles from your beautiful paint job the entire time…like I did.  Learn from my mistakes, friends.
  • Chalk Paint® is thicker than what you might be used to with latex or acrylic paint and the Annie Sloan brushes are quite dense.  Thus, a little paint will go a long way.  I recommend dipping just the tip of your brush into the paint rather than dunking in the whole thing.  Though you’ll find that if you apply too much paint to a section, you can pretty easily spread it out and work it into other sections.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

  • If you find the paint to be thicker than your liking, you can dilute it with some water.  Or even try dipping the tip of your brush into a cup of water prior to dipping it in the paint.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

  • I prefer to work straight from the can rather than wasting paint by transferring it to and from a container.  If you do the same, just be sure to lay the lid back on the can after dipping in your brush.  That’s a top tip I picked up from Perfectly Imperfect!
  • When you’re working on covering a section, feel free to paint against the grain or in a figure 8 pattern.  Then, decide if you want your final pass to go with the grain or if you want to embrace a more slap-dash look.  In that case, you can disregard grain altogether, which is exactly what I did for my first coat on the table.  Though it felt so counter-intuitive to what I’ve always been taught!  Here’s a great video of Annie Sloan herself demonstrating the slap-dash method.
The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.
Goin’ against the grain for a more textured finish.
  • If I have to hit the pause button on my painting project in order to work on something else, I just pop my wet paintbrush in a ziplock in the fridge.  It won’t dry out that way!  This is one of my tried and true painting tricks.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Need to put the pause button on your project? No problem. Just put your brush in a ziplock, pop it in the fridge, and it'll be ready for use when you come back to it later! Easy!

  • As your first coat dries, don’t panic if you the base coat or wood peers through or looks extra streaky.  This is normal.  And in fact, if you’re going for a more aged, distressed look, you might want to stop right here!  But those wanting more coverage, you’ll be amazed at how much difference a second coat will make.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. Here's a photo of the slap-dash painting method...so easy!

Step 7.  Apply your second coat of Chalk Paint®.

My first coat dried in under thirty minutes.  How’s that for convenient?  Soon after, I went back in for coat #2!

I decided to have my last brushstrokes in each section go with the grain for this coat; but follow your heart.  Same goes for whether or not you need a third coat.

The second coat was my final coat for both the table and set of six chairs (which is pretty astounding considering the very light Paris Grey was atop black).  But the coverage looked just right.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

Step 8.  Clean your paint brushes.

I know, I know.  You’ve got things to do and furniture to refinish.  Who wants to pause to clean your brushes?

But trust me, it’s worth the five minutes it takes to run your brushes through some warm, soapy water.  Your brushes will last for years and years to come if you take good care of them now.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.
I still have half a quart of paint left after two coats on our table and six chairs!

Step 9.  Distress your piece where it would naturally receive wear and tear over time.

Okay, before I share the run-down of what turned out to be my favorite step in this whole process, we have to have a leetle chatsie.

There are two different schools of thought of whether to wax before distressing (and after) or to distress first, then wax.  Annie Sloan herself recommends applying at least one layer of wax first before distressing because the paint is very chalky and can produce a lot of dust when sanding.

However, I tried both methods with this project (waxed first on the table, distressed first on the chairs), and I much preferred to distress first, then wax.  And here’s why:

While it did indeed produce more dust, it required way less elbow grease.  I was amazed at how hard my first layer of wax had become in just 24 hours, and I had to work up a sweat applying heavy force to actually get through the wax layer and two paint layers to reveal the paint and wood underneath.  So, if you want a little bit easier of a go at the distressing step, do it first.  You can also distress using a damp rag if you want to have a bit more control over the final look.

About that dust….

And yes, due to the high heat and humidity here in Orlando, FL, we did indeed sand indoors–in our living room–atop a large square of butcher paper.  Though it turns out, Chalk Paint® dust knows no bounds, and pretty much the entire area became a dust bowl.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | Welcome to the dust bowl! Here are my thoughts on the whole distress first or wax first debate....

Clean-up wasn’t as hard as I imagined once I rolled up the butcher paper and got out the vacuum.  If you do work inside, be careful not to mop or steam your floors before the dust is all cleaned up because the paint is water-soluble, and you’ll end up with a chalky film on your floors.  Instant white-washing!

Okay, on to the actual distressing.

As someone who not only survived my first Chalk Paint® distressing project, but thrived during it, let me assure you that there is nothing to fear.  You can always go back and re-paint or touch up any sections that you may have over-distressed.  That’s the magic of Chalk Paint®, remember?.  Even if you’ve waxed your piece to seal it, you can paint right atop it.

I used a variety of 100 – 220 grit sandpaper to do my distressing, and it helped to have a hand sander or sanding sponge to wrap the sandpaper around.  It gave me a little more to grip.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

The general rule when distressing is to sand on sections that would naturally receive wear and tear over time:

  • corners
  • edges
  • tops
  • raised decorative details
  • wooden knobs
  • protrusions

Here’s a great video to watch for technique!

I was reticent at first because in truth, I didn’t quite know how the distressing would look with black paint and blonde wood peering out from under the grey paint.  But after doing a little experimenting on the inside of a table leg, I was sanding up a storm!

A little sand here, a little sand there…here a sand, there a sand, everywhere a sand-sand!  {Wink.}

I was having so much fun, I even mustered up the courage to take to the tabletop itself, which felt like the finishing touch our table needed.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

When in doubt, remember less is more.  Start with very light distressing before amping it up.  You can always distress more like I did!

If you do have a layer of paint underneath, you can achieve this really neat two-tone distress…or tri-tone in the case of our chairs.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

Though this is really just the tip of the iceberg where distressing is concerned.  You can check out this inspirational post by Finding Silver Pennies for even more distressing techniques.

Be sure to dust off your sandy pieces with a dry brush or rag before moving on to the next step.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint and Wax by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.
A sandpaper graveyard once I was done with distressing our table & six chairs.

Step 10.  Apply your Annie Sloan Soft Wax to seal the paint.

This is the step that perplexed and intimidated me the most on my Hot Drinks Station table, but once I gave it go, I could not believe how easy it was.  It’s easier than applying a Polycrylic Protective Finish in my opinion.

The wax seals and protects your piece, and although it comes out of the can super soft, like Crisco, it will harden when it dries within 24 hours or less.  Many people say they have used it on their kitchen and dining room tables without any problem at all; they just recommend that you only use a non-ammonia, non-bleach multipurpose cleaner on it.

If this is your first rodeo, I recommend watching several YouTube videos to get the sense of the waxing technique (like this one by The Purple Painted Lady and this one by Locksley Lane).  Seriously, it’s so easy.  You’ll wonder what you were so afraid of.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint and Wax by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

I simply used my knife to smear a chunk of wax onto a paper plate.  Then, I took my wax brush and dabbed it into the wax a few times (just so I got some of the wax on the tip).

I would massage the wax into a small section (like a ninth of the tabletop or one surface of one table leg), using a combination of circular and side-sweeping motions, always ending with a sweep in the direction of the grain.  You’ll see the section you are working on slightly darken.  (The clear wax doesn’t darken your paint, but enhances the color a bit.)  Also, don’t worry if some of the bristles on your brush fall out here.  You’ll wipe them away in the next step.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | Don't let your intimidation of the "waxing and buffing" steps keep you from trying out this magical paint. It's much easier than you think! Here's the detailed run-down....

Then, I put down my brush, grabbed a soft, lint-free cloth (a microfiber cloth, piece of cheesecloth, or t-shirt will do), and wiped in the direction of the grain to further massage that wax into the piece and remove any excess.  The Purple Painted Lady says, “Just one or two uniformed swipes across the whole area in one sweep – and that is it.”

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | Don't let your intimidation of the "waxing and buffing" steps keep you from trying out this magical paint. It's much easier than you think! Here's the detailed run-down....

Then, I simply repeated this step, section by section, covering every painted part of my table and chairs.  You may need to switch to a new clean cloth if yours gets to “waxy” during this process.

My Top Waxing Tips for Beginners:

  • Annie Sloan herself urges us to think of it like putting on hand cream.  You really rub it in well, so it absorb into your skin isn’t a greasy film on your hands all day.  I even recommend gently brushing your hand back over the area you just waxed to make sure it doesn’t catch on any waxy residue.  It should be quite smooth to the touch!
  • Too much wax will cause problems with tackiness.  So, use it sparingly and work with a lot of light so you can really see where the wax has been worked in and where it has not.  You can ALWAYS add more layers later.
  • While the Annie Sloan Wax Brush is a worthwhile investment if you plan to work on multiple pieces, you can work the wax into your piece using a rag, as well.  Just be sure to rub it in really well, and go back over it with a clean rag.
  • While I’ve only worked with the Clear Soft Wax, I think sealing with Dark Soft Wax will be the next Chalk Paint® mountain I climb!  I recommend watching this video by Christina Muscari if you’re interested in really bringing out an aged patina with Annie Sloan dark wax.  (Isn’t “patina” a fun word?)  Dark wax is great for heavy distressing or pieces with a lot of detail because it picks up on all those imperfections!

Step 11.  Add a second or third layer of wax on any tabletop.

One layer of wax should be sufficient for most pieces, but for a table where you’ll be getting extra wear on the tabletop, it’s recommended to do two or three layers of wax.  Most recommend waiting 24 hours of dry time in between each one, although Annie Sloan says it will often harden well before that.

According to the Annie Sloan Unfolded F.A.Q., a piece will take about 30 days to cure in its entirety, but you should be able to use it gently within 24 hours.

Step 12.  Clean your wax brush.

If using a brush to apply your wax, you’ll want to clean it out well.  In the past, I used odorless mineral spirits with success.  I just filled a cup with a half cup or so of mineral spirits, and let my wax brush sit it in for a few hours.  This time, I used Murphy’s Oil Soap, and it would work out the wax in less than a minute of massaging it in the sink.  Then, I rinsed it out with warm soapy water, and my brush is soft again!

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint and Wax by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

Optional Step 11.  Buff your piece.

If you like the look of your finish as is, great – – you’re done!  My tabletop had a nice sheen to it, so I decided to leave it as is.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

Or if you want a glossier finish to your piece, just take take a clean, soft cloth and rub circles across your piece to bring out the shine!  Just make sure your last coat of wax has had about 24 hours to dry.

Buff your piece to give it an added shine!

Photo Shoot!

And now, are you ready to see our aged and distressed table and chairs all gussied up and in their new glory?  Here ya go:

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with. The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

I’m amazed at how much the Paris Grey really brightens up our living room.  Finally, I feel like this table and chairs actually match our style.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

You can bet I’ll be putting some REAL wear into this tabletop because of how much time I’ll spend sitting at it.

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

Oh, and those ho-hum tan cushions got their own makeover to complete the upgrade. You can check out my No-Mess Method to chair seat reupholstery HERE.

How to Reupholster a Dining Chair Seat: DIY Tutorial full of tips and tricks. Gotta love this "no-mess method" that eliminates the most grueling steps of any reupholstery project! Keep the original seat intact and simply add a new cushion and fabric atop it! This is my kinda' project!
Click HERE to view the blog post.

To Close

Well, are you ready to summit Mount Distressed and turn this tale into your own reality?  I see some of your nodding your heads out there, and that makes me all sorts of giddy.

Do let me know what questions or concerns you have in the comments below.  For those of you who are experienced Chalk Paint® users, well, then, I’d love for you to chime in with your own tips and tricks.  The more shared knowledge we can harness, the more magnificent our furniture transformations!

The Beginner's Guide to Distressing with Annie Sloan | It turns out that distressing with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint & Wax by Annie Sloan doesn't have to be stressful at all! Here's a detailed tutorial for how to age and distress a piece of furniture to give it that time-worn look, rich with character. This guide is your one stop shop for inspiration; so what are you waiting for? This paint is SO easy to work with.

Here’s a video where I chatted with my friends on Periscope about my 5 Top Tips for Using Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan:

Thanks for sticking with me through this epically long post.  Happy painting and distressing!

This is Lauren, signing off.
Full Disclosure: I received compensation and free product in exchange for an honest review.  As always, all opinions are 100% my own.  This post also contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase after clicking through, The Thinking Closet may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.  Thanks for helping to support this site!  For more policy information, click here.

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48 Comments

  1. Thanks for the tutorial! I’m going to try this with a few pieces of furniture. Do you think I could paint the piece one color, then do these steps you have listed here with the chalk paint, and then with the distressing, the color I first painted it will show up under the white?

    1. Yes! That’s exactly right. You can sand away to reveal a different color underneath, or do a dry brushing technique to layer a new color atop a base. Either one will look distressed and super cool! Have fun, Ashlee.

  2. I am apparently super late to the thrill of using chalk paint on furniture! I have done distressing before but using latex paints. Your tutorial here is very well put together though and is making me want to venture into the world of chalk paint. It sounds so much easier to do. One question however…does chalk paint allow the wood grain to show through, or is it heavy and thick like latex paints?
    I’d like to try this on my kitchen cabinets (they are the typical oaky-orange builder grade cabinets from the mid ’90’s) and I would like to have the raise of the wood grain still show through. I don’t want the cabinets to look like laminate, or plastic looking, when finished. I hope that I have stated that clearly enough for you to understand. 🙂
    Thank you for your help!

    1. It is definitely heavy and thick…maybe even moreso than latex paint. But you could water it down significantly to get the wood grain to show through if that’s what you’re going for! Is there a piece of wood or inside of the cabinet you could do a test run on? They sell sample sizes of A.S. Chalk Paint you could get your hands on before making the investment. And be sure to google around to find some tutorials on painting cabinets with Chalk Paint. I know there are a lot out there. Have fun!

  3. Ok they are asking again for question. So if you didn’t get it here goes. I have used chalk paint in turquoise . The color is too dark for what I want. I am wondering if I can you Gesso or acrylic white to lighten the color. Thank you so much. Your tutorials have really helped me and the details are the best!!

    1. I’m so happy to hear it’s been helpful! I would definitely stick to other Chalk Paint when mixing. So see if you can get your hands on even a sample size of white to achieve a lighter blue that you’re going for. Best of luck, Nancy!

  4. I did my second piece and I used Graphite and then black wax and some of the chairs feel not sticky but not smooth and if I wipe a white cloth over it some of the black comes off so I know something is not right and it has been over 20 days now.. Suggestions on what to do. This is my dining room table and chairs.

    1. Usually, this means you may have applied too much wax. (It’s super important for the wax to be applied in thin coats and rubbed in, kind of like you would put lotion on your hands. And you remove any extra.) Everything I have read about running into this issue with dark wax suggests that you either need to put some elbow grease into buffing it out with some more dark wax on top (though it may lift the original stain and make it blotchy) or even clear. OR because it’s Chalk Paint, you could paint right over that dark stain and start again. And when you seal it next time, really ensure that coat is super thin and buffed out! You can look into alternative solutions HERE. Best of luck!

  5. Hi Lauren! I’ve enjoyed both your beginner’s guides to chalk painting and distressing. I decided my first project would be my grandparents old buffet. I painted in white and used dark wax on it. I’m in love with it! Although after waxing it I’ve noticed in spots I distressed it (like on top of the buffet or one of the doors) there is a yellowish spot around the distressed area. Have you seen/heard of this before? Is there anything I can try to do? Also I wouldn’t mind it being a tad bit darker/aged looking would another coat of dark wax make it darker? Thanks in advance.

    1. I’m so glad you enjoyed the posts! Thanks for checking them out, Lacey. As for your question about the yellowish spots, that is likely the old stain coming through (a typical problem with older furniture). The typical recommendation is to apply a clear coat of shellac (1 or 2 layers) with a cloth pad to seal the piece, then start again with your white paint, skipping the distressing step this time (which I realize may be a bummer, but you don’t want that yellow to poke through). I realize that probably sounds like a lot of work, but I have no doubt it will be worth it to see that finished buffet!

  6. Lauran-
    Great tutorial! I think you thought of everything. I live in Lake Mary, Fl and since you live in Orlando, we are nearly neighbors. Where near us can I buy Annie Sloan products?

    1. Just lighter sanding allowed the black to show through. Heavier sanding like we did on the edges went all the way down to the blonde wood. I didn’t really try for one look or another, but allowed both to come through as was natural in the distressing process. Are you working with a similarly painted piece?

  7. Great tutorial! Thank you for taking the time to put it together for the rest of the world. I love that you provided alternatives to the actual (overpriced) ‘chalk’ paint and wax brushes and that you provided so many great links to further instructions on other sites.

  8. Thank you so much for your tips! They are really thorough and helpful- answering questions i have while distressing and painting with ASCP!

    Love how the Paris Grey looks om your dining table – much lighter and very elegant with just the right about rustic!

    On another topic- do you have experience in using ASCP for outdoor furniture? Would you seal it with AS wax or something else more weather proof? I’m itching to paint the children’s picnic table in the garden!! thanks!!

  9. Great tutorial. I’m going to be attempting my first project in a few weeks. It’s my childhood dresser that is currently painted white. I am going to paint it with Annie Sloan white chalkpaint but am wondering if I need to first paint it in a dark paint so that when I distress it a wood/dark colour comes through? Or do I just leave it as the white below and then when I go to distress it the wood below the white paint will come through?

    1. This is sort of the dilemma I faced with my first distressing project. Basically, if you want a dark color to come through and your wood is blonde, you’ll need to stain the wood or do a layer of brown / black paint first. But keep in mind, to cover that dark, you’ll probably need at least 2, maybe 3 coats of the white atop that. TIP: do a test run on a piece of the childhood dresser that isn’t really seen (inside a drawer) and experiment with different methods until you achieve the look you’re going for! Best of luck, Shauna.

  10. Awesome tutorial!! I really appreciated all the details you included in each step of the process too – I’ve read so many different blogs and posts on distressing furniture – none of them even compare to yours just due to the simple fact that you literally thought to include every possible question that might still be lingering in many readers minds, so thank you again, for your thoroughness…

    I’ve just recently started getting into refinishing and distressing furniture and I absolutely love it… It’s become one of my new obsessions, LoL!! A tip that I learned that has been very helpful for me & my projects is the use of the dark/antique wax BEFORE applying the final matte clear wax…I know most ppl recommend applying a coat of clear wax first, then do a coat of the antique wax – but I found that I liked the richer depth that the dark wax provides as a first coat, rather than the 2nd…I also read a tip on another tutorial that said the same look can be achieved using a regular liquid/gel wood stain – but rather than cover the whole piece in stain – you only focus on the areas where the wood grain is showing & apply a thin layer of stain using a Q-tip or Craft swab, let sit & soak in for 5 mins, then gently wipe/buff with a soft, lint-free cloth… I actually ran out of my antique wax when working on a smaller end stand, so I decided to try this technique and it actually worked really well!! Last awesome trick I just recently tried is using a medium grade steel wool pad when distressing…This technique worked AWESOME for those flat surfaces that are a little harder to sand down & distress w/out looking ‘scratchy’… I was actually totally amazed at how evenly and nicely it help to de-stress the flat top of a chest of drawers and a small table – – that is definitely one trick that I’m going to stick by forever!! Again, it’s all about the specific look & vision one has in mind for their particular piece of furniture, but I really think you can’t screw these projects up, (unless you encounter paint/humidity/rotting wood, etc. issues!!) Each piece turns out completely different & unique, and that’s the true beauty of it all….Thx again – YOU ROCK!!

    1. Oh wow! This might win the award for the longest, most detailed comment I have ever received on a post…but I’m very grateful because I know your words of wisdom will help many a fellow reader! I have yet to work with dark wax, but when I do, I’m heeding your advice! Many thanks.

  11. I am rather late to the game of chalk painting, but I surely love it. Thank you ever so much for this beginners guide. You were able to answer quite a few questions I had swirling in my head. 🙂

  12. I’m getting ready to chalk paint for the first time . I found your site most helpful and fun to read! You explained all the steps so well that I have the confidence that I can’t possible mess up! Hopefully!
    Thanks for a great tutorial and your table turned out beautiful! Can’t wait to get started!

    Thank you!

  13. Your tutorial was so well done and easy to follow. You are encouraging and reassuring. You reinforce the fact that you just have to go for it. I am just learning and will review this tutorial and its links many times. Thanks!

  14. Hi There!
    I haven’t tried AS but I have just painted my old dresser with Valspar Antique white paint. It is my first project and I sadly didn’t realize I didn’t have to sand the whole thing (I could have been done with 2 dressers by now 🙂
    Now I am trying to distress it and it seems to not be showing up very well because of the original wood color underneath it. Any way I can fix that ?
    Also do I have to wax it or can it keep its finish just with the chalk paint?

    Thanks for your help!!

  15. I loved your table! Great job. I want to use Paris grey on an old dresser I found at a garage sale. How many cans did you use? Did one can do the table and chairs?

    1. I only used just a little over half of my quart…and that covered 7 pieces (a table and six chairs) with two coats of paint each. So this paint really does go a long way! You’ll have no trouble at all using one can on an old dresser with plenty left over for future projects. Best of luck, Vanessa!

  16. Just beautiful! You did a great job & I love all the detailed instructions. I’m sure this will inspire a ton of new Annie Sloan believers!! That paint is the best!

    1. Thanks, Mom! I owe my obsession with this paint to you and your example. Every time I visit your home, and I’m surrounded by your beautiful Annie Sloan transformations, I want to go back home and “paint all the things.” Ha ha. You are my Annie Sloan role model!

  17. Great tutorial! I love this new look for your dining room table and chairs. The candle shows off the sheen which shows how important the waxing is!

    Looking forward to my first Annie Sloan projects… those two furniture pieces in our tent house!

    1. Thanks, Mama! Yes, I thought the candle lighting helped show some of the sheen that is harder to capture in photographs. Can’t wait for you to sit at this table with us next month! And yes, I’m excited for you to use this paint for those tent house pieces. I have a hunch that though they’ll be your first, they’ll not be your last Annie Sloan projects….

      1. I just bought a coffee table and want to chalk paint it and distress it some more. Your step by step tutorial has helped me alot. I’ll start painting today or tomorrow. I have to go but the paint and other tools for the project. Just wanted to say hi, and thainks so much!!

    2. My very first project, a glass vase. It has two coats of paint. Now do I distress first or wax first? And I saw a small table painted Sydney Gray, it was to die for. Any idea where I can buy it? Thanks

      1. You can do either, Jo Ann! It’s just a bit chalkier and dustier when distressing first before waxing (but perhaps easier to remove). Not sure where you saw the small painted table. I don’t sell any furniture pieces, but hopefully some Google searching will help you find the original source! Or check out your local Craigslist. Best!

  18. Laur! This looks amazing! Definitely an improvement to the table and of course, I love your detailed tutorials. I just visited my local stockist this week and she suggested Paris Grey to me for Jonathan’s dresser… now after seeing it on your table I’m so excited to get it started. I will also be reading this tutorial again when I start my dining room chairs… your distressing looks so natural! That shouldn’t surprise me though, because YOU are a natural 😉 Love you, friend!

    1. Aw, thanks so much, Gianna! You’re makin’ me blush! You inspired me so much with your recent table transformation. And I love that you might have a Paris Grey project in your future…. I only wish I could be there in person to help you with it! (And to visit your local stockist to learn from her ways. Though I think I could probably learn some fab new tricks from you now!) Love back atcha.

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