Top Five Chalk Paint Recipes

Do you want to try your hand at painting furniture? If so, chalk paint may be the perfect choice for you. Although you can purchase premixed chalk paint, it is quite expensive. Luckily, you can make your own chalk paint using one of these five easy to make chalk paint recipes. 

The best part about these recipes are that you can use almost any latex paint you have on hand. However, most professional furniture painters say to avoid paints that have primer built in. A paint and primer mixture becomes hard when it is mixed with baking soda, calcium carbonate, plaster of Paris or unsanded grout.

Chalk paint made with baking soda is extremely cost effective and produces a beautiful grainy finish. With this recipe, you probably have everything you need on hand. For each cup of chalk paint, you will need 2/3 cup of latex paint and 1/3 cup of baking soda. Mix these two ingredients together until the paint is smooth.

Calcium carbonate is the tried and true chalk paint recipe that consistently delivers the perfect chalky finish. For this recipe, you mix 2 pars paint with 1 part powdered calcium carbonate. This recipe will deliver a finish project that looks exactly like the brand name chalk paints. For a small to medium size piece, you will need 2/3 cup of latex paint and 1/3 cup powdered calcium carbonate.

Plaster of Paris has been used time and time again to produce chalk paint. The tried and true recipe uses 3 parts paint to 1 part plaster of Paris. For example, to produce 1 cup of chalk paint, you will need 3/4 cup of latex paint and 1/4 cup plaster of Paris. In a small bowl mix the plaster of Paris with a couple of tablespoons of water to form a creamy paste. Then, scoop paste into the paint and stir until smooth.

Unsanded grout can also be used to make chalk paint. This recipe produces a grainy feel that is perfect for pieces that are not perfectly sanded smooth. Parents making time out chairs swear by this recipe because it is not as slick as other recipes. Mix 2 tablespoons of unsanded grout with enough water to make a thick paste. Stir the grout mixture for a couple of minutes and add to 1 cup of latex paint. Stir the chalk paint until it is smooth.

For an ultra hard finish, try the Plaster of Paris and Calcium Carbonate recipe. This creates a durable finish that is perfect for pieces that you do not want to distress. Mix 2 tablespoons of plaster of Paris, 2 tablespoons of water and 2 tablespoons of powdered calcium carbonate together in a small bowl. Stir until completely smooth; then, combine mixture with 2 cups of latex paint. 

The five chalk paint recipes listed above all have a slightly different texture. When trying to determine which recipe to use, think of the final finish of the project. Do you want to distress the piece? Do you want to leave it perfectly painted with a smooth or slightly grainy finish? The end result will warrant which recipe you should mix up.