Here is my first try at chalk paint.....Loving it, it is so easy and does not require all the annoying prep work  usually needed for painting furniture. No sanding, no primer, one coat is enough. You don't even need a special paint to spend a fortune on, you can use your left over paint.

Here is the recipe I used for my plaster of Paris chalk paint.

I used left over paint I had from painting my kitchen I was not sure about the result because my paint was semi-gloss, but mixed with the plaster I still obtained the flat finish I wanted.

• 1 cup of plaster of Paris

• 1 empty paint can ( 1 quart)

• latex paint

• water

I mixed the cup of plaster with enough water to make it "greek yogurt thick".

poured the plaster in the can 

slowly added the paint while mixing with a stick until almost full.

This is what I did, I guess that you could cut the measurement in half since I have plenty left over, and I am not sure if it is not going to harden with time.

 

Using the paint is so easy, it is very thick and I only needed one coat, I used a regular cheap paint brush, I let it dry one day and sanded a little bit the edges and other small area to give it a distressed look, added a dark glaze with a brush and rubbed it in with a rag, one more day later I sealed it with a coat of wax, and voila.

 

I was affraid that the plaster would lighten the color, I don't think it did, anyway the glaze will darken it, I feel that you don't need any special technique, it is pretty fool proof, you can always correct mistakes by painting and distressing a panel over if needed.

Change of heart, no problem repeat all the above steps and enjoy your new color, no prep work necessary.