Upcycled Farmhouse Table with Homemade Chalk Paint

Fixer Upper Inspired Upcycled Farmhouse Table with Homemade Chalk Paint on Frugal Coupon Living. Farmhouse Decor for those with Joanna Gaines taste.

Upcycled Farmhouse Table with Homade Chalk Paint

So I am a frugal shopper. Before reading this post, that fact should be a given to anyone from my blog title alone. I am someone who will run into Goodwill or the Salvation Army for a piece of furniture. If I lack the time, I also search the Facebook market place for my home wants, and pick it up locally in my area.

In addition to discount furniture shopping, I often find myself having to paint my projects. Often after I purchase, I see they are the wrong color for my space or in desperate need of attention. I am not the biggest fan of painting, but my dislike is outweighed by my desire to save a penny. Speaking of saving a penny, painting can be surprisingly expensive especially when buying chalk paint. I have gotten pints of chalk paint for as much as $40 (and a pint is not much.) I have seen them for as much as $70 – ridiculous! To save more, recently, I discovered Rusty Hippo DIY Chalk Paint Powder. This turns your affordable latex paint into chalk paint!

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This paint booster works beautifully with Flat, Eggshell, and Satin paint. Please note semigloss or oil based paint are not recommended.

Mixing Instructions:

1.) Pour Rusty Hippo DIY Chalk Paint Powder  into water and stir until smooth.(30 Seconds)
2.) Pour the Powder/Water mixture into Your paint and stir until Smooth. (60 seconds)

BOOM! You’re All Done! That is just under 2 minutes total. Easy Peasy, right?! If only you furniture was done too!

Note: This chalk paint additive can also turn into chalkboard paint, simply double the amount of powder for the same amount of paint.

Back to my Upcycled Farmhouse Table. There are a few ways to prep your old table. Some paints do require sanding before. I know Annie Sloan and most chalk paints do not. On your ever day latex paint, I prefer to sand so that the paint grips. There are two ways to sand prepping your table. 1.) with sand paper or 2.) with a sander. We actually found a DEWALT Sander to be quite inexpensive (especially for the number of times you might use sandpaper in the future) and you feel like a bad-ass sanding your table like a true Fixer Upper pro. Again, this prep work is often optional!

After sanding, dust off the extra dust and mix your latex paint and Rusty Hippo DIY Chalk Paint Powder using directions on the back of the bottle, or what we shared above.  Any color latex paint works. We grabbed a pint at Home Depot for about $15. We mixed in our Rusty Hippo Powder to turn our latex paint into chalk paint. Some people prefer to use a round brush for chalk paint, but I have used many type of paint brushes. Just make sure your brush isn’t a cheap brush or your bristles will fall off on your table (project) and stick – In my opinion, this is the worst!

After you paint, let it dry and then plan to sand small touches of the table. I will sand using 200 or 220 grit sandpaper or sand sponge. I personally find the sandpaper easier than the sponge because it can be molded – it can be bent, folded, etc.

When you sand, focus on the edges. You want your piece to look rubbed, older, distressed. Add small sanding touches where the original color of the wood comes through. Step back and look at your piece. You can always add more sanding, but it’s harder to over sand and then have to go back and paint.

After you sand, brush off all all the loose powder and get ready for Waxing.   I prefer to wax. This seals the table and protects it. Often it is option, but I say do it!  I like to use a clear finishing wax.  To apply the wax, I like to use an older t-shirt to put the wax on the table because, unlike a towel, it does not leave behind debris. One coat of wax is fine unless you feel your piece might be mistreated along the way – for example you have young kids or you are working a table where every one sits at multiple times a day to eat. Once you are waxed, your product is finished! You are officially a paint and wax pro! Great work Joanna Gaines (…or Chip Gaines!)

To make your own chalk paint, pick up your Rusty Hippo DIY Chalk Paint Powder today.

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