How to prep your Furniture before Chalk Based Painting

Prep furniture
Bénédicte, from La belle commode, shows us today how to properly prep your furniture with Colorantic products. The key to the success and durability of your work lies in the preparation of it, it is the very assurance that your paint will adhere well to the surface. Work more efficiently not harder!
It is therefore essential to follow all the recommended steps before starting to apply chalk paint to your project.

List of Products Used

TSP Cleaner and Varnish Remover

Sanding Blocks – 2 grains

How to prepare a blank piece of furniture (free of varnish)

First, remove the handles if applicable.
Then sand very lightly with the sanding block in the direction of the grain of the wood, only to scratch the surface.
Spray on the polish cleaner and remover (which is also used for wax). Let the cleaner act according to the degree of dirt and go with a cloth to remove the residue deposited over time.
Finally, go over with a damp cloth to make sure the furniture is free of residue.

How to prepare furniture with water-based varnish

First, remove the handles if applicable.
Then, spray on the polish cleaner and remover. Let the cleaner act for 15-30 minutes, when it is no longer sticky you can remove it and wipe with a cloth to remove the residue deposited over time. This step should remove the chandelier from the furniture, feel free to do it twice if necessary!
Then sand very lightly with the sanding block in the direction of the grain of the wood, only to scratch the surface.
Finally, go over with a damp cloth to make sure the furniture is free of residue.
Apply a Colorantic water-based primer to properly prepare the surface to receive the chalk paint.

How to prepare furniture with oil varnish

First, remove the handles if applicable.
Then, spray on the polish cleaner and remover. Let the cleaner act for 15-30 minutes, when it is no longer sticky you can remove it and wipe with a cloth to remove the residue deposited over time. This step should remove the chandelier from the furniture, feel free to do it twice if necessary!
Then sand very vigorously with the sanding block or a sander in the direction of the grain of the wood, only to remove the varnish from the surface. It is not necessary to strip the furniture completely bare.
Finally, go over with a damp cloth to make sure the furniture is free of residue.
Apply a Colorantic oil primer to properly prepare the surface to receive the chalk paint.