DIY Weathered Paint Effect with Chalk Paint

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Give any decor or furniture this pretty DIY Weathered Paint Effect with these easy steps and how-to video.

This DIY Weathered Paint Effect is a fun project, guys! And, so much easier than it looks. It’s all about layering the paints and picking colors that look good together. If you’re looking for more paint makeover inspo, you might also like my Classy Blue and Dark Wax Cabinet Makeover or this Shabby Distressed Layered Paint Look.

I’ve wanted to give this mirror a quick makeover for months. The black seemed a little too stark in that light colored entry. So, I wanted to tone it down a bit. And, I love that weathered paint effect when I see it in the stores. This was the perfect excuse to give it a try with chalk paint. What do you think? I’m pretty excited about how it looks. It was really easy too.

But before we get started, this project is just 1 of 12 Creative Wall Projects shared by some of my talented blogger friends. You can find a link to all of their awesome DIY Wall projects at the end of this tutorial. OK, let’s start this DIY Weathered Paint Effect with Chalk Paint tutorial.

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Materials Used

• Fine Grit Sanding Sponge
• Nylon Paint Brush
• Chippy Paint Brush
• Clean Rag
• Paint and Finishes Used (Tip: you don’t have to use these exact brands. You can find any pretty medium blue and greige chalk paint shades that look good together. Or mix up your own DIY chalk paint from latex paint and plaster of Paris.)
  • Dixie Belle Chalk Paint in Vintage Duck Egg
  • Amy Howard Chalk Paint in Selznick Gray and Linen
  • Gold Acrylic Paint
  • Minwax Paste Finishing Wax, in Natural

Watch this Quick Video to See the Easy Steps

DIY Weathered Paint Effect – Steps

Step One – Start with the base color

Start with 2 layers of your medium greige chalk paint (Selznick Gray), using a good nylon brush. Chalk Paint will stick to almost anything. But, if what you’re painting has some built up dirt or oils, you can clean it first. I’d use Dawn dish soap mixed with water or TSP to clean. Let that dry, then paint.

Step Two – Add lots of layers

Grab your chippy paint brush for the rest of the layering. You can see in the video how to do a very light dry brushing with a chip brush. You just barely touch the brush to the paint and lightly apply it across the mirror. I started with the vintage duck egg because I only wanted hints of the color to show through.

Grab a gold acrylic paint that looks like shiny gold jewelry, not that antique gold. Using your finger or a q-tip put a little on any raised points, in grooves or on details. This is in the video too. 🙂

Then I dry brushed a light cream color, called Linen. Followed up by one last dry brushing of that original paint color, a greige called Selznick Gray. AND again with that Linen color. All of that layering is the key to this look. Just keep adding more to get a look you really love.

After all of that paint dried, I wet a fine grit sanding sponge, squeezed it out, then lightly sanded everything to smooth the finish. I sanded a little harder on the raised details to bring more detail and paint variations in there. Distressing corners and edges always makes faux finishes look better. At least, that’s what I think.

Step Three – Sealing the DIY Weather Paint Effect

Now it’s time to apply a wax sealer. First, wipe the whole thing damp with a slightly damp clean cloth to remove any residue from the sanding. Let dry, then rub on 2 layers of your favorite clear or natural wax. Be sure to follow the directions on the wax for the best results.

If you don’t have wax, you can use a water-based poly to seal the finish instead.

That’s it for this DIY Weathered Paint Effect with Chalk Paint tutorial. BUT, some of my incredibly talented blogger friends have also shared their latest DIY Wall Projects. See all 12 of the Creative Wall Projects here.

Looking for another paint tutorial?? Check out this cool shabby, distressed paint look.

Looking for more paint makeover inspo? Check out How to Patina Paint 20 different Metal Finishes.

Or, try this beautiful Dark Blue and Dark Wax Chalk Paint Makeover.

You can also find this popular Blue Distressed Paint Using Vaseline Tutorial and this easy DIY Stain Wood Furniture without Stripping tutorial, on this blog.

Feeling inspired? Now that you’ve seen this DIY Weathered Paint Effect tutorial, you can do it too. Let me know if you have questions. Don’t forget to sign up for the Abbotts At Home email newsletter to get DIY, Remodeling, and Crafty ideas in your inbox.