Painting an Upholstered Chair with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint
Chairs are such a solid investment when it comes to furniture purchases. You can find chairs in secondhand stores, op shops, roadside and your grandmother’s shed. They are everywhere. When buying or finding a chair, look for solid features, line, design, shape. Don’t worry too much about the finish of the chair. They can be sanded, varnished, oiled, painted – and yes, even fabric chairs can be given new life with a lick of paint!
You may want to change the fabric, but if you don’t want to go to the trouble and expense, you can always paint it with chalk paint! I created this look a few years ago after reading about how to chalk paint fabric chairs, and seeing some amazing results. So I decided to have a go with one of these two little bedroom chairs I found on the side of the road. I loved the shape of these chairs but was not keen on the skirt or the fabric. I do love old fashioned patterns in fabrics, but was not keen on the overall feel of the chair. So in I went with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Napoleonic Blue – one of my absolute favourites. This is an update of the original post, which is one of our most popular posts ever!
How to paint an upholstered chair with Chalk Paint
1.First, spray the chair down with some water to make sure the fabric is a little damp. Use some water on the brush with the paint each time as well. You are trying to work the paint into the fabric, not just paint on the surface.
2.Have a tub of water nearby with your paint so you can keep the paint quite wet. Also used a quality bristle brush. You want the brush to be able to hold lots of paint and have a lovely finish. I also used a small paintbrush later to touch up small areas, the buttons and the trim.
3. Begin your chair painting with quite thin layers paint, with more water in the mix. Then as you work, add more paint and less water to cover the patterns – not the texture. I have read some people have had trouble covering patterned fabrics, and that is one reason I chose the dark colour, other than the fact I love this colour!
4. If you have buttons like me, dab and swirl the brush to get right into the depth of the buttons. This worked well for me. You could also use a smaller brush like a stencil brush on buttons or other deep areas.
5. As this had a skirt, I cut it off and trimmed it as much as possible, but left a frayed feeling as I liked the vintage industrial vibe it gives to the chair. I also ripped off the old carpet underlay someone had put on the feet to protect a floor, as now they were visible. Later I used copper spray paint on the bottom edge and the feet and then sanded them back a little to give a distressed look with some blue showing through.
6. How many coats you will need depends on the chait and your personal preference. I just love how the embossed pattern and the buttons are highlighted with the paint. It took really only one overall coat – but is more like one and a half to two coats, as I went over some areas. You really have to go with it on the day as to what finish you want.
7. Use stippling or dabbing brush stroke to get into the nails on the back and around the seams.
8. Spray painting the legs and trim – later I used a small paintbrush to tidy up around the trim and distressed the legs.
10. One of the most important steps is to wax and sand the chair to seal the finish. Just as you would with a timber piece, the wax helps to seal the paint. It also gives it a more buttery finish. You can use any non-toxic clear wax. I used a beeswax. You could use a tinted wax if you wanted to alter the colour.
And the feel of the chair? This is the question most people ask!
To begin with the chair may feel a little like a canvas chair – actually quite comfortable and no paint coming off. If you have a softer fabric than mine, with the wax the chair can feel more like a soft leather. A few years later my chair has held well and still retains the paint.
Helen
xx
**Originally posted in 2014
Annie Sloan Unfolded
No I have not used it, didn’t know its available in Aus?
ohh I didn’t know you had done a chair – off to check it out – I really want to try one 🙂
How did the fabric feel after you came back and did you try waxing? I have a few chairs I want to try but I am concerned with the feel once I paint it!
a while ago Natasha Andrews but doing another one shortly!
Nicole Isles another option
Ann Verbakel!
Keeping this one!
oh yes! Marné Roesch very much so – you can get it from Brocante in the Barossa here in Adelaide :0
I am definitely doing this…thinking on it around 2.30 am this morning!
brilliant! please share Megan McLean
Jackie Walz maybe I can paint that arm chair??
Yep, go for it!!
Wow very nice
Kylie Collyer, have you seen this use for chalk paint
wow I love the chair, I had no idea!
Joanna Schuetz
Thanks Laura. I have nearly finished my ottoman.
Looks great!
we will be sharing more soon on these kinds of projects Kylie Collyer 🙂
thank you Lee Bartlett!
Jason Skinner
WOW
Looks great Helen! Another chalk paint project for us Cara Gomez 🙂
JUlie Morgan
Oh wow!
Caroline Jansen
Did you find the paint quite firm on the fabric? I cant seem to find a chalk paint that doesnt go really firm? Anyone else tried it?
Stacie O’Neill Did u know this?
Sonia Jreij this is cool
Kass Mickel you need to sandpaper it and wax it just like timber. I find it like a canvas chair but not overly hard 🙂
thanks Kathryn Kock
🙂
Thats made!!!
I just found some fabric paints to dry very hard and the fabric looses its softness.
Yes Ervina I did, but I haven’t been brave enough to try it U0001f633
Erin! U0001f603 From expensive material costs and 2 full days of cutting and sewing and tacking and sweating and consuming gallons of lemon drink, down to A FEW HOURS!
wow that’s unreal Recycled Interiors 🙂
Amy Louise Grovenor ☺
Maybe i should try this to your red lounge chair Susan Petrovski ?
I’m the same. I don’t find the chair comfortable to sit on after. I did sandpaper the fabric a lot so it’s lovely and smooth but when you sit on it it’s hard.
Prue Clarke
Does it come off on your bum Joanne Petrovski?
Tina Stanley Jessica Lee Burnetthow cool is this!
Yeah i have tried every product and softening agent and even googled other crazy remedies to help but nothing keeps the chair fabric soft?
What are you thinking of trying it on?
Wow! Impressive.
Nothing in particular. Just thought it was a cool idea.
Jess Wren
Destiny Mark
Elise
Does it work on any fabrics?
Wow that’s amazing,where do you get the chalk paint from Bunnings ?
Looks great and so different how much paint would it take and what would it cost please
Debbie Purdey you can get a few different chalk paints, the Annie Sloan is about $70 for a tin, you only need a cup or two for something like this 🙂 where are you based?
hmmm Maybe it is just a different type of fabric Kass Mickel Kymbalee Johnsen but did you use plenty of water when painting, like water the chalk paint right down?
thanks!!
Trish Farrell you can get it from your local Annie Sloan stockist, look on their website 🙂
🙂
apparently Vilma Hing but i have not used it on all fabrics, but it is worth a try!
no Susan Petrovski 🙂
Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful idea!
Yeah i did with my last project… I think its just trial and error too with projects U0001f60a
Annie Sloan paint available from Reluisant in Queenscliffe
Definitely Kass Mickel
Thanks Patricia
Very clever
Jacky Kassis Turano
you are welcome 🙂
Really wow
Shane Whalley look out i be painting fabric now lol
i tried this and followed all your instruction but the paint cracked and flaked, what am i doing wrong?
@jayne hmmm did you use lots of water and push the paint into the fabric? and then wax and sand?
Going to try thisU0001f60a
go for it, be sure to use plenty of water and push the paint into the fabric and remember to sand and wax as usual 🙂
Gianna Morelli- could be an option??
Could be! U0001f44d
I know how fantastic is this !!!!
You can paint fabric.!!!
Wow!!
That paint is the best
Killed the chair U0001f615 it was lovely the way it was.
I just painted a couple of $5 KMart cushions with copper paint. 🙂
fair enough each to their own 🙂
I’m loving this idea, cheaper than upholsteringU0001f380
so cool. 🙂
Yes each to their own 🙂
Ann Podobnik Sutherland…haven’t read the article
Does it make the fabric go quite firm? Or keep it soft? Always find painting the fabric makes it go really firm and crunchy
if you wax and sand like a timber project it feels like a canvas chair but not crunchy. Mine has held for over 18 months and feels nice U0001f60a
Ok awesome! Thanks! ☺️
Liz Strutt. This would be another option rather than reupholstering
Still cant get my head around it U0001f615
Jennifer- try this for me!!!
What a great idea! From what I heard it ends up feeling like outdoor furniture fabric?
i know yeah! but it’s a thing
if you wax and sand it is reasonably soft. Slight canvas feel but mine has softened and held well over time. The sand and wax is important U0001f60a
Wendy Cole – trendy before your time!!
Preferred the before photo
Aaron Geary we should do this to your hideous man chair!
Norm Shaz Julia check out this chalk paint chair!
How awesome…. Not sure about it being an everyday sit on chair but willing to give it a go…
How do you clean it?!?! I’m in the process of painting one and my husband asked that question. I just told him I hadn’t gotten that far yet. 😉
I just use a soft cloth and a little bit of water if needed, and then a bit more of a wax
Oh my favourite blue!
mine too!
@Denee I have used a soft damp cloth and worked fine, and then another wax 🙂
It is actually quite comfy to sit on!
I was so excited to try this so first started our with my arm chair covers. I have done 2 coats and its so blotchy I am so disappointed. I tried diluting the annie sloan chalk paint (cocoa) and then also tried spraying and keeping upholstery wet. anyone else have this problem. AND how many coats does one have to do? I need some insight.thanks
Hmm one of the keys is to water the paint down but also to really push the paint into the fabric and let it sink in rather than paint it on the top – do you have a picture you could send me? And what type of fabric is it?
@Denee How was your project going?>
I can never decide whether I like the before or after better… U0001f602
Does the material remain soft and does it wear off
You need to sand and wax it like timber and can do maintenance waxing. I have found it a little harder than original, like a canvas chair, but still quite soft with the wax 🙂
I, myself, am not crazy about this…I don’t know how it would feel, as I don’t love the feel of even painted furniture with the chalk paints.
that is fair enough. We all like different things – it is surprising how soft it actually feels, and in particular on materials such as vinyl. This chair is still going strong a few years later!