How to distress a white armoire with white chalk paint?

March 2, 2017 12:28 PM

Hi Metas... I have a very nice white pottery barn armoire that I love but I am ready for something a bit different. I just want more of a distressed antique look (still in white), and have watched a few tutorials on distressing and using chalk paint. My question is, I want it to remain white so if I use the white chalk paint and then distress it using sand paper around edges and elsewhere, will it even look any different since it is already painted white? Do I need to distress the paint that is on there now but sanding a bit to get down to the wood first, and then paint with chalk paint over and distress again?
posted by MamaBee223 to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

Best answer: I'm not sure you need to repaint it. I would just take some sandpaper, maybe to the inside of a door, assuming they are painted, and see if the sanding will distress it to your liking.
posted by sarajane at 12:37 PM on March 2, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Naw, no way, that would be an unbearable amount of sanding. Here's what you do: paint the likely-to-be-worn areas brown; let dry completely; paint the whole thing with chalk paint; sand the likely-to-be-worn areas. Voila, distressed.
posted by Don Pepino at 2:50 PM on March 2, 2017

Best answer: Don't sand everything...I made that mistake on two VERY large dressers. There are a lot of youtube videos about chalk painting. You'll have to buy some wax for the top coat also.
posted by irish01 at 3:55 AM on March 3, 2017

Best answer: Just sand away some of the existing paint. Then clear poly. Viola.
posted by fixedgear at 6:21 AM on March 3, 2017 [1 favorite]