DIY Painting Fabric Upholstery with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

DIY-painted-fabric-chair-annie-sloan-chalk-paint

Do you want to know how you can paint fabric upholstery with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint without making the chair feel hard? Then this post is for you!

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I picked up an old chair off craigslist for $25 bucks. It came in this hideous floral fabric print. But I knew it had potential!

I had my eye set on those pretty french style chairs at Anthropologie but thought this DIY would be more fun and save me some money.

People look at me crazy when I say I painted fabric but it’s possible! I used Annie Sloan Chalk paint in Louis Blue for the fabric and Old White for the wood trim of the chair. Annie Sloan Chalk paint is simply amazing! It allows you to paint any surface without primer or sanding – even fabric. It’s super easy and great quality. I went to the Annie Sloan website and located vendors in Atlanta that sold the paint stumbling upon a great local store called the Bird and the Bee.

Materials needed: 

  Annie Sloan Chalk paint (I used Louis Blue for the fabric and Old White for the wood trim)…Chalk paint from Amazon if you can’t find a retailer for Annie Sloan.
Annie Sloan Soft Wax in Clear  or finishing wax can be found on Amazon
Paint Brush (This paintbrush is really similar to the more expensive Annie Sloan brush can be purchased for a whopping $40).
Sponge Brush 
Rag Cloth for wiping down the wax
– Sandpaper
– Tape

diy-painted-fabric-chair-annie-sloan-chalk-paint

DIY Painted Fabric Chair Tutorial Steps:

1. Tape the edges of the chair so you won’t get the paint for the fabric on the trim.
2. Dip your paintbrush in water then in the paint to get a tiny bit of water in the paint mixture (If you don’t put in a little bit of water the paint will be too thick and the chair will be a little crusty).
3. Paint one layer onto the fabric part of the chair and let it dry overnight. I repeated this process until the floral print was no longer present – it took me 3 layers. In between layers I would lightly sand the fabric to make the surface smooth.
4. Paint the trim of the chair and let dry 30-60 minutes – wood dries incredibly fast compared to the fabric and you don’t need to mix the paint with water. Paint a second layer and let it dry again.
5. Using a clean sponge paintbrush (or Annie Sloan brush made for wax application) apply a small amount of Annie Sloan Soft Wax to the entire chair including the fabric. Waxing the fabric will give the chair a nice leather feel. Wipe down the excess wax with a cotton rag and let set for one day.

Be sure to check out my jewelry creations on my site at Jou Jou My Love!

Enjoy!

♥ Jou Jou My Love Jewelry

 

18 thoughts on “DIY Painting Fabric Upholstery with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

  1. If this works on fabric and has a lasting quality, I will be sure to try is out. Are you sure it will keep looking good even if it is used extensively?

  2. I haven’t used mine extensively yet but talking to the girls at the Bird and the Bee here in atlanta, they say it will last long. After applying the Annie Sloan Soft Wax the chair should feel like leather. If it wears off you can always re-wax the chair! Hope that helps. Thank you for visiting.

    ♥ Jackie
    Shop handmade jewelry @ http://www.joujoumylove.com

  3. I have tried yesterday, you were right its feel like a leather, I paints my suede dinning chair on a different color and turn really nice.

  4. I’m going to try this with a chair I was going to out in a classroom.. Will it with stand kids you think??

  5. I have used fabric paint before, but this sounds like a better process, and your results are fabulous. One question. Did you dip your brush into water just once, or each time you loaded the paint?

  6. The paint will not crack or peel up once it has dried and cured. Once the paint is dry, it has a very “crusty” feel. When you sand the fabric before applying the wax it will soften the paint a bit. Once you wax it, it turns into what feels like leather. Its the coolest thing!! You dont want alot of wax or it will be sticky. Just apply two thin coats and really buff it in good between each coat. Let dry 48 hours before using. The wax will not come off on your clothes. You can wipe down the chair when needed. If it will be getting used alot, remember that when you wipe down a chair alot, you are also taking off some of the wax. Every 3 or 4 months you are going to want to reapply the was to keep the fabric protected. Hope this helps everyone!!

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