When talking about furniture paints the majority of people immediately starting thinking of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ there are also many other brands of Chalk Paint being created all over the world as these companies try to cash in on this revolution. Are all Chalk Paints created equal? Well….actually that’s a complete other story. In short the quality and coverage vary widely. Some of these brands can contain products such as Latex, Ethylene Glycerol (antifreeze), Ammonia and Methanol. Most reputable manufacturers produce something that is referred to as a MSDS or CSDS. This is basically information about what is considered to be hazardous in its contents or ingredients. Our advice to check the individual product labels or ask for a copy of the MSDS. Reputable manufactures and retailers will provide this for you free of charge. Don’t be fobbed off with claims such as we put all our ingredients on the label or we don’t need to as there are no “nasties” in our paint. Just think about that first bit for a minute….if you put all of your ingredients on the label wouldn’t that be inviting someone to copy it??? From a commercial perpestive it is not a good idea. Just a thought!

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™
Chalk Paint™ comes in a ready-made form. Open the can.Give it a stir and off you go. Do you need to do any prep before hand? I know many people claim that none is necessary but personally I’d rather say little to none. Obviously you need to remove any loose or flaking paint from the surface. Give it wipe down to remove any grease. Occasionally, depending on the surface, a bit of rough sanding may be necessary but this is the exception rather than the rule. Chalk Paint™ is great for a textured look and this is part of the “Annie Sloan” look.It can also be distressed very easily.
One of the great advantages of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ is that it dries very quickly and can be used on most surfaces including wood, raw or painted or varnished, glass, metal or concrete. It is also one of the few paints that will cover waxed furniture without any problems.

So what about coverage? Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ has very good coverage. Approximately 13m² per litre. Other so-called “chalk paints” do not offer such good coverage. And the same goes for the number of coats required. Normally only one possibly two coats are all that is required. Whites, by their very nature, may need more coats.

Is Chalk Paint™ waterproof? The answer to that is NO. It dries to a matt chalky (porous) finish which needs to be sealed with either soft wax or floor lacqueur to protect the paint. For exterior use we recommend Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Lacquer.

Milk Paint
In this particular instance we are going to refer to Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint. There are a few other milk paints out there but this is one of the better known ones. Milk Paint is the oldest known form of paint and is well and truly tried and tested. It is made of only natural products and contains no preservatives.In fact it is made up from Milk protein (casein), limestone, clay,chalk and natural pigments. Hence it comes in powder form. To make a paint you simply add one part powder to one part water. Give a good mix and off you go.

Like Chalk Paint™ it is a water based paint ( milk paint is much finer to use) but unlike Chalk Paint™ it is self leveling which means it provides a smooth flat finish without brush marks. Milk Paint will also dry to matt chalky porous finish and is easy to distress for an aged look. It too requires minimal prep. Some light sanding.

So what is different about milk paint? It is best for use on wood but it can be used on metal, glass and other surfaces with the addition of “Bonding Agent”. Bonding agent can also be added to the mixed paint for extra adhesion on glossy surfaces. Because it is made of all natural ingredients it contains zero VOC’s.
Unlike other paints Milk Paint will sink into the wood and become part of the fabric of the wood. This means that unlike other paints that simply sit on top of the wood it will not chip or knock like a conventional paint. It will also allow the grain of the wood to show through just like a wood stain does.

Milk Paint is much thinner than chalk paint and requires at least two or three coats for good coverage. Again white may need more. It does however depend on how thick the paint has been mixed initially. Finishing is the same as Chalk Paint™ and needs to be sealed using either wax or hemp oil to the protect the paint.

Like the two previously mentioned paints Fusion is also quick drying but does take a little longer to fully cure. Like milk paint it is self leveling and gives a wonderful smooth finish without brush marks. But unlike the other two paints it has a built-in top coat. This means there is no need to wax. It is also waterproof and UV resistant making ideal for both interior and exterior use.
It too will cover most surfaces including wood – raw, painted or varnished, glass, metal and concrete. Fusion’s Ultra grip can be used as an extra bit of prep to ensure adhesion on glossy surfaces such as glass, high gloss varnished items etc.

Fusion, like Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint is made from all natural ingredients including water, minerals (titanium dioxide, iron oxides and calcium carbonate) plus 100% acrylic resin. Fusion is also contains no toxic fillers and is zero VOC free.
The coverage of Fusion is also very good. A 500ml pot will cover approximately 7m². It needs one or sometimes two coats. At the risk of repeating myself allow extra for whites.

All three paints are available from La Deuxième Chance.
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