Whether you are planning on upcycling your old chest of drawers with that shabby-chic look, transforming an ornamental mirror into a bright and bold statement piece, or updating your kitchen or front door, chalk paint is a great alternative to traditional household paints. As an increasingly popular paint, chalk paint is easy to apply, quick to dry and leaves a stunning finish. It can give walls, furniture and ornaments a new lease of life!
While still being relatively new on the market, there are many questions about chalk paint, with most of them revolving around its application – specifically, on the best brushes for chalk painting furniture. To help you narrow down the brushes you need to paint your furniture with chalk paint, we’ve put together a few things to consider.
How to choose the best brushes for chalk paint
You may have seen people using both oval and straight brushes in chalk painting tutorials. If you want to make the most of your paint job, it’s important to use the best brush for chalk paint, rather than a one-size-fits-all craft shop find.
Getting the right shape
If you are accustomed to using a flat, DIY-store brush or are new to painting furniture with chalk paint, you might like to consider investing in an oval brush. These can really help achieve a smooth finish as they are specially formulated for chalk paint pick up assisted by their domed profile and tapered bristles.
Alternatively, if you prefer to stick with a flat brush then opt for one with finer, softer, tapered-end bristles.
And don't forget specially shaped round wax brushes if you are using a traditional style chalk paint that needs sealing or if you want to use wax to add decorative effects. The ones with round and straight-ended shaped bristles are by far the best and mean applying wax is an absolute doddle!
Is size important?
When shopping for chalk paint brushes, you should also consider the width of the brush head. For larger, flat surfaces, you will cover more surface area with a wider brush. However, when getting into tight areas and corners or painting narrow sections, it may prove difficult so a smaller brush is also useful.
For projects with carved detail or lots of panelling, then some small detailing brushes are also helpful. If you have a range of brush shapes and sizes to hand it will mean you can switch-up as required, whatever your chalk painting furniture project.
Can I use a regular paintbrush for chalk paint?
Although there is no set rule that states you must use a special type of paintbrush when applying chalk paint, it’s worth considering before diving straight in. Certainly, technique and practice are a huge part of achieving a successful result but low-quality tools are likely to increase the risk of a substandard outcome. They and can end up costing more in the long run if you have to rectify issues.
You might be tempted to use the brushes that you have lying around the house. However, cheap and low-quality brushes are often not the best solution when using chalk paint as they can make it challenging to achieve a smooth finish. Generally, opting for quality is the best choice of brush for chalk paint to give you the tip-top results.
How to prevent brush strokes with chalk paint
While some like the unique shabby chic aesthetic that can be achieved by creating texture with multiple brush strokes, others prefer a smooth, matte and seamless look. Fear not – both can be achieved with chalk paint, whatever your desired outcome.
To minimise the appearance of visible brush strokes on your project, there are a number of tips to try whilst developing your own technique:
- Sunlight – Don’t work in direct sunlight as the paint could dry too quickly and cause drag marks.
- Overloading – Don’t overload your brush with paint. Dip only a short way down the bristles and apply with long, smooth, even strokes and a light touch. Let the brush do the work. Too much paint on the brush can lead to it becoming overworked, causing uneven texture by dragging the paint.
- Water – Some like to work with a dampened brush or to lightly mist the surface with water. This slows drying a little and means drag marks are less likely. Slightly thinning the paint with tap water works for some, but it can affect coverage.
- Sanding – Where brush marks do occur, these can be minimised by sanding back lightly once dry. Whisk off the dust and apply another coat.
- Brushes – Good brushes, designed for chalk paint pick up and release are helpful.
- Paint – Self-levelling chalk paints will provide a smoother finish. If you want to create texture or layers, use a traditional style chalk paint without self-levelling properties.
- Practice – Above all, practice makes perfect!
Easy and effective brushes for chalk painting
Finding the right paintbrushes for your project doesn’t have to be difficult. At Frenchic Paint, we stock a range of carefully chosen brush sizes, shapes and types with a choice of bristles, all perfect for your chalk painting needs.
With durable, affordable brushes that work best with chalk paint, we can help you skip the hassle of finding the right brushes. If you’re planning on doing a lot of projects that require chalk painting, don’t hang around. Grab a few of our brushes and get painting. We know that you’ll enjoy using them as much as we do!
