For anyone who has wondered, but is afraid to ask...
Like me, you may have been reading about the virtues of ASCP for the better part of a year now, and you're still
wondering if a zillion bloggers are right, or if they just want
to fit in with the crowd. This post is for you!
First, let me reassure you that as of the date of this post,
I have had ZERO communications with anyone from
I have had ZERO communications with anyone from
Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, and am not being compensated
in any way, form or fashion. I bought my quart of
Old White with my own hard-earned disposable income.
I bought it in-store, so shipping was not a factor
in the cost of my paint. (I'm sure it was included
in the store's cost. Your price may vary.)
Here are 7 reasons Why I think ASCP is worth the money:
#1 - NO PREP WORK
Part of the allure was that it supposedly sticks to ANY type
of surface - oil, latex, varnish, raw wood, etc.
without priming, sanding or prep.
You don't HAVE to know what kind of finish is on that piece you picked up for a few bucks at the thrift store.
I have one of those. Actually, I have a lot of those.
One is painted in latex over oil. If you've ever encountered latex over oil, it's a problem. I wanted to see
if I could get by without stripping it.
Stripping paint is not my favorite thing.
Since I wanted it painted anyway, ASCP was worth a try.
My first project proved that it doesn't
work that well on latex over oil.
Still, after removing the mess of bubble gum-like
latex on top of oil paint from the top of my little table,
the rest of the project went off without a hitch.
And ASCP stuck very well to the oil.
#2 - IT COVERS REALLY WELL
It goes on fairly thick and is not entirely smooth,
but it sands very easily and will be as smooth as
you need it to be with just a little sanding.
One coat plus a little touch up here and there
is all my pieces have needed.
#3 - IT DRIES REALLY FAST
In my experience, it dries much faster than latex.
By the time I finished painting a piece, it was ready for
a little touch up. When I finished that, it was ready to sand.
#4 - IT SANDS EASILY
Like Butter. You don't have to make your arm fall off
to get a great look. Sand a little too much? Just apply
a little more paint, and repeat the process.
#5 - IT HAS A LOVELY HISTORIC LOOK
I like the matte look. I love the old, paint that is
"almost worn off" type of look. It's great for that.
(If you want a slick, shiny, modern-looking finish,
ASCP is probably not the best paint for you.)
It's easy to dry brush and highlight details with ASCP.
#6 - TIME = MONEY
When I say this, I mean it.
Time saved = priceless gain (hard to quantify)
(More ME time, time to do more painting,
time to nap, whatever you want it to be!)
#7 - IT GOES A LONG WAY
Here are some photos of
everything I have painted so far with
my quart of Old White:
4 boxes...
a table...
another table...
a bowl...
a planter...
an angel shelf...
a wall plaque - 11 x 14
a mat and frame - 5x7...
dry brushing on a larger frame...
And I still have this much left in my quart:
All the items above only used a little
more than an inch of paint. And I still have
almost 4 inches of paint left.
That could be 10 side tables,
5 bowls, 5 small frames and mats, 5 planters,
20 small boxes,5 angel shelves, 5 wall plaques,
and some dry brush highlighting.
And countless hours of sanding, priming,
stripping and other not-so-fun activities.
Take it from me, someone who purchases
more than an inch of paint. And I still have
almost 4 inches of paint left.
That could be 10 side tables,
5 bowls, 5 small frames and mats, 5 planters,
20 small boxes,5 angel shelves, 5 wall plaques,
and some dry brush highlighting.
And countless hours of sanding, priming,
stripping and other not-so-fun activities.
Take it from me, someone who purchases
oops paint at every opportunity, shops thrift stores
weekly, buys store brands, and generally
is a very frugal person to do the things I want...
I'll definitely plop down another $42.16
for a can of ASCP Linen in the near future.
Who knows how much more I can paint!?!
For someone intent on painting her whole house
in shades of white, it's a bargain.
Word for the Day:
Daniel 12:10
Many shall purify themselves and make
themselves white and be refined,
but the wicked shall act wickedly.
And none of the wicked shall understand,
but those who are wise shall understand.
Who knows how much more I can paint!?!
For someone intent on painting her whole house
in shades of white, it's a bargain.
Word for the Day:
Daniel 12:10
Many shall purify themselves and make
themselves white and be refined,
but the wicked shall act wickedly.
And none of the wicked shall understand,
but those who are wise shall understand.
Possibly Linking With
| |
Sunday
| |
Sunday’s Best
| |
Creative Bloggers Party Hop
| |
Nifty Thrifty Sunday
| |
Restyled Sundays
| |
Sister Sunday
| |
Just something I whipped up
| |
Creative Me Link Up
| |
Monday
| |
Metamorphosis Monday
| |
Mod Mix Monday
| |
Making the World Cuter Monday
| |
Motivate Me Monday
| |
Show Off Your Cottage Monday
| |
Revival Monday
| |
Masterpiece Monday
| |
The More the Merrier Monday
| |
Manic Monday
| |
Just a party with my peeps!
| |
Make it Pretty Monday
| |
Tuesday
| |
Vintage Inspiration Tuesday
| |
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
| |
Cowgirl Up!
| |
Cowgirl Up!
| |
Cowgirl Up!
| |
Tuesday’s Treasures
| |
Be Inspired
| |
Twice Owned Tuesday
| |
Wednesday
| |
White Wednesday
| |
Share the Love Wednesday
| |
Primp Your Stuff Wed
| |
Piece of Work Wednesday
| |
Restored it Wednesday
| |
Wow Us Wednesday
| |
Penny Pinching Party
| |
What’s it Wednesday
| |
Would You Buy It Wednesday
| |
Show Me What Ya Got
| |
Thursday
| |
Under $100 Link Party
| |
Suzy's House Party
| |
Transformation Thursday
| |
Thursday Open House Party
| |
Share Awesomeness Thursday
| |
Thrifty Thursday
| |
Thursday Favorite Things
| |
Time Travel Thursday
| |
Treasure Hunt Thursday
| |
thrift’n on a thursday
| |
Home and Garden Thursday
| |
Doin’ It Yourself
| |
Share Your Cup Thursday
| |
Live Laugh Linky
| |
Friday
| |
Feathered Nest Friday
| |
Furniture Feature Friday
| |
Fridays on Remodelaholic
| |
Friday Redoux Link Party
| |
Frugal Friday
| |
Frugalicious Friday
| |
Furniture Friday
| |
Inspiration Friday
| |
Flaunt it Friday
| |
Vintage Inspiration Friday
| |
Free For All Friday
| |
Spread the Love
| |
Rustic Restorations Weekend
| |
Delicately Constructed Friday
| |
Saturday
| |
Saturday Nite Special
| |
Get Schooled Saturday
| |
Show and Tell Saturday
|
If I see chalk paint I know it's going to be good. I love how this looks and at first I thought you were going to use black but the white looks sooooo good! Nice job. I'm following you. I would love if you stopped by to say hi and followed back
ReplyDeletewww.iheartpears.blogspot.com Have a great day
thanks for the info, revi! i really like the paint--love the sand ability of it most!
ReplyDeleteI use ASCP and I love it, too. Sometimes going with the crowd is great - everyone can't be wrong, right?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing so much in this post. It does go a long way.
Great post! I've been so tempted to order some but the price gets me every time! You have convinced me though by showing all that you have done with very little paint!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rondell
It took me a while to get on the ASCP train but I am on board and planning on buying more tickets! Great points about justifying the cost. I will admit, however, that I am going to try the CeCe Caldwell paint next. I am not painting everything white and they have some gorgeous colors from which to choose.
ReplyDeleteI'm in Turkey and I didn't use yet ASCP. But I love the colors and the historical look. I use my DIY Chalk Paint with calcium carbonate. It works good.
ReplyDeleteI'm your newest follower! I'll be glad if you follow me back...
Hugs,
Monica.
Thanks for the tips. I'm still wanting some Annie Sloan. Hope I find some available around here soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insight. I've never used it - have been making my own chalk paint with plaster of paris and am happy with the results so far. BUT I'm heading out tomorrow to a new local store that sells ASCP - can't wait!!! Now to decide on the the colour - Old White (of course). provence? linen? Maybe all three. I wonder how much it will be in Canadian dollars?
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteFound your post at Feathered Nest party. I've been making DIY chalk paint and like the results, but do want to try ASCP for some large furniture pieces. Thanks for sharing all of the great tips.
Barbe
hi! i read your post... helpful info. i've read several others' blog posts about ascp as well...everyone seems to like it, but what i never see is anything regarding durability. i was concerned that since it sands so readily, that it would not be very durable, and paint would be coming off the painted piece like mad. what are your thoughts on this? does one have to do anything special to keep the paint on? does it have to be sealed, etc.? if you could reply, i'd appreciate it a lot! i'll be checking back! thanx!
ReplyDeletetake care!
debra
Hi Revi
ReplyDeleteI really like your statement about what being a new blogger might do for you--self-motivation and accountability. I'm a new blogger and trying to define that issue for myself! I found this link through the Shabby Nest's Frugal Friday linky party and clicked on because of the Chalk Paint topic. I've been out of the decorating for a while--life got busy--and now it seems like it's all OVER the place! This was really helpful information. Thank you!
Love ASCP! I really like your #7 table!!!! Thank you for linking this up to Rustic Restorations Weekend!
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I've never used it and don't paint many items. You've given some great reasons and valuable advice to use this brand :)
ReplyDeleteHow nice of you to post all this information. You have a lot of helpful thoughts, and your project look great!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Susie
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I've always wondered about ASCP. You answered ALL my questions. Your pieces look great. I'm with you--time equals money. Plus, I'm a little ADD and like fast results!
ReplyDeleteyes-totally agree-bought a few colours of the ASCP -have done several projects, including my FRONT DOOR and have oodles left over for lots more projects!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I have tried ASCP a couple of times and really liked it, but that was with friends that bought it and let me try it. I haven't made the leap myself. Do you also use the wax? Lisa~
ReplyDeleteI have heard so much about this paint and wondered if it was as great as everyone was saying. Thanks so much for this informative post because now after reading this I can see that it is worth the money! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteToo bad it's not available in the Philippines! Sounds great! And what a lot of awesome projects! Patsy from
ReplyDeleteHeARTworks and
papemelroti
Great information. I was wondering the same as a previous poster about wax. Did you use the ASCP wax?
ReplyDeleteWhat do you sand with - what grit? I love the chalk paint! It is worth it and looks so good.
ReplyDeleteI've never been one to jump on a bandwagon, or if I try something I put a lot of thought into it first. ASCP IS AMAZING, simple, easy, and fun, that's the bottom line.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I have made many projects, some furniture with it, and still have more then half of a quart left.
It's a wonderful paint, and worth every penny. I have recommended it highly on my blog, and to my friends.
Thanks for sharing your projects with us, and your favourite paint.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
Great post--I am a recent convert as well and just got to do some training on the paint. I am going to be sharing this post tomorrow on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI have encountered a problem with the chalk paint...on certain stained pieces which may not have a varnish on them, the pinky stain color seeps through. The chalk paint does not seal the unvarnished stain so you have to use an oil primer first. Anyone else have this experience?
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen this problem addressed anywhere so I will do it here. There recently have been a few (very few!) cans of paint that seem to not be up to Annie's standards arriving lately.
ReplyDeleteSo far, we have experienced it with Old White, French Linen and Coco. The coverage is simply not there when using it. If you experience this problem (or any) contact your stockist and discuss it. Don't assume the paint isn't all that wonderful, because it really is!
New ASCP users, especially, need to be aware that if you cannot get good coverage with one coat and a touch-up, that particular can of paint may be defective.
I am not a stockist but we happily host one in our shop. She strives to make every experience a positive one for painters and is in close contact with her next-in-line to determine what the problem is and how to solve it.
I personally have used ASCP for well over a year and even I was taken aback when one can of French Linen I bought was defective. I kept expecting it to work and it really didn't. I am still using the replacement can and I have painted numerous projects with it beautifully!
If you have a problem, give your local stockist the opportunity to make it right! Don't continue to use and be disappointed by a can that fails to meet your expectations. It is WELL worth the money!
I like the ASCP but I don't get the coverage most people get. I've also had issues and had to prep on some items. I think it's a fine paint but I don't use ot exclusively. It's another tool in my box.
ReplyDeleteRevi here - to answer a couple of questions.
ReplyDeleteWax - I haven't yet used the AS wax, but I plan to purchase some in the near future. None of the things I've painted so far have shown any wear, but if you paint a piece that will receive wear, have moist items like glasses on it, it would be highly advisable. I also plan to try some matte poly on some of my pieces, since I have it on hand. My experience with a different brand of paste wax was not great - it was very hard and I found it difficult to get enough wax out of the container to adequately coat my tabletop. It might be better to try it in the summer while it's warm, so I might do that. I did see the AS wax where I purchased my paint, and it is very creamy, not like the other wax I bought. I also want to try some dark wax to highlight details with.
Sandpaper - I just used a medium grit that I had around the house. I think a finer grit might do the job, and help get the really smooth finish that's more desirable. Mine was smooth to the touch, but you could see a sort of scratchy texture (in the 7 tabletop).
Others have left comments about inferior batches of paint. If you don't have results like I did, you might return your paint and ask to sample another quart before you leave the store.
Stain penetrating the finish - I've experienced this with other paints as well, not yet with ASCP. I think the oil primer or a lacquer primer like Kilz would be advisable in the case of the mahogany or red stains that seem to have this problem.
Thanks, everyone, for sharing! This is great.
-Revi
I've used AS paint, but haven't found the coverage you did. I have both waxes and really love the clear wax. I was a little disappointed when I opened my dark wax, it was upside down in the box and when I opened it seemed very thin and slid out. I do love the color of it through. I also think the colors are beyond gorgeous. So glad you are happy with it. Thanks for sharing your creative inspiration with Sunday's Best - you help to make it a great par.tay!
ReplyDeleteHello Revi,
ReplyDeleteI am a Stockist for Chalk Paint™ decorative paints and for pieces that have old water damage or very old dark stain (think 1093's mahogany) I brush on some Zinsser clear water based shellac. It dries fast and is a great sealer for stains..knots and odors. You can even brush it on over Annie's paint if a stain pops through.
Also be sure to let your can sit upside down for about 30 minutes prior to opening for the first time and then give it a really good shake. Chalk Paint™ is a very highly pigmented artisans paint and all the 'good' stuff settles to the bottom.
One more little tip...to make the paint glide smoother across your piece try this ....pour your paint into a container, have a little bowl of water..then slightly tip the end of your brush into the water, gently blot on a paper towel..then dip into your paint. Your paint will glide along nicely with no tugging and the paint will go much farther. No soppy/drippy...just dampening the brush ends.
Ok...I lied..one more tip. DON'T overwax! massage Annie's Clear wax into your paint (Yes..the paint actually absorbs the wax), then be sure to wipe away all excess surface wax. Your piece should feel almost dry to the touch...not slippery at all. If it feels slippery, you still have too much wax on the surface. Wait 24 hrs before buffing.
Enjoy!!
Sorry for going on and on....I LOVED your post!
janet xox
The Empty Nest
Can I address a couple of posts? Bleed through - Yes this sometimes happens on old oak, mahogony, or other made in china finishes. Simple trick - wipe on some clear shellac varnish...let it dry. It is quick and paint over the top of it...nothing will come through the shellac. Oil based primer? Yes, some stains will bleed through even that. Waxing? Absolutely recommended for a piece of furniture you will be using as the paint is very porous and will absorb even oils from your hand. The Soft Wax was made to work with this paint so isn't like the other ones you might have tried. Once you get the hang of using it, you're hooked!
ReplyDeleteI have been a painting contractor for over 15 years and knew the first brush stroke with this paint, it was special! Annie does know her stuff and has for quite some time!!
Me again--I read through all the comments. the bleed through has been addressed. the reason there is a bleed through is those old pieces had an anodized dye in them that never dries. The shellac takes care of this.
ReplyDeleteI am addressing furniture prep tomorrow, but I learned you need to clean a piece with mineral spirits, krud kutter and vinegar. This seems like a lot but it is quick. The paint will stick to the latex over oil, etc with this prep step.
The paint needs to cure. After 3 days it is tougher, full cure time is 4 weeks or 28 days. After 28 days you can take a fingernail to a painted cupboard door and it will not come off.
For a slick, shiny, modern finish all you need to do is sand with a few different grits of fine sandpaper and finish with a steel wool rub down. You will be amazed at how shiny and smooth this finish is.
Tune in tomorrow for more tips and hints and thank you!
After I used ASCP the first time, I was sold. I loved the thick consistency, the ease of using it, the beautiful way it sanded off, and long the can lasted. I'll never use another type of paint on any furniture upcycling. I LOVE it! :)
ReplyDeletexoxo laurie
I've been painting a lot of furniture lately and have yet to try the ASCP ... it almost sounds too good to be true! I know if I could but it locally I would have already grabbed a quart. Great info in this post, thanks for sharing. Did the paint have any odor while using it? I plan on painting my dining room table and would really love to leave in it place while doing so rather than hauling it to the garage ... a no odor / low odor product would be a must for me to do that.
ReplyDeleteRobin
happilyhomeafter.blogspot.com
If we redo our kitchen cabinets, I will definitely go with the good stuff ASCP instead of the "homemade version". It would still be cheaper than other cabinets refacing options!
ReplyDeleteYou could go crazy painting with her paints! Does make thing easier, your projects came out great. Laura
ReplyDeletePaint is just so much fun! And chalk paint is another great option for a very specific look!
ReplyDeletejust getting on this bandwagon myself and looking forward to starting these projects that have me a little intimidated...so your post was perfect timing to get me going on it, thank you !
ReplyDeletehmmm...I may be the last painter in blogland to NOT have tried chalk paint...you almost have me convinced!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I want to mess with process...if it's not broken...don't fix it theory:) but this is definitely food for thought!
Rene'
Thanks for this very informative post.
ReplyDeleteWould you recommend ASCP for pantry doors in the kitchen? I haven't seen any doors done with it. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteIf you'll go to the anniesloan.com web site, they address painting kitchen cabinetry. See the July 26 post for additional information and answered questions from stockists and long-time users of ASCP. (Answers to Your ASCP Questions) You'll find some great info there!
ReplyDeleteLove ASCP and I really like your boxes! So pretty and great details. Thanks for sharing this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Hope to see your prettiness again on Monday. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
ReplyDeleteI love this post! AS is one of my favorite paints and this is going to be really helpful to those that don't want to spend the money. I'll be featuring it tomorrow :)
ReplyDeleteRevi,
ReplyDeleteI have been using Annie Sloan paint for a very short time.It is expensive but I agree the time saved in prep and sanding is worth it.I was so confident I painted my kitchen cabinets with it.And I am very happy with the results! But I still use regular latex and milk paint.It just depends on the finish I want.But a little does go a long way.
xx
Anne
I absolutely love Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Its so versatile and forgiving that anyone can use it successfully. I have been using for a while and I find my painted pieces sell really well. In the UK a lot of people like Farrow and Ball but I think Annie Sloan paint is far superior.
ReplyDeleteWhat other paint feels like you are layering history and character on a piece of furniture or object. Wax and sand it and it shouts patina at you.
I am well and truly hooked.
Rose Cottage Interiors