With so many different types of paint available these days, it can be very confusing and a bit overwhelming to work out which is going to be the best one for you, so here is a little bit of information that I hope will ease the confusion.

CHALK PAINT

First of all, chalk paint will give you a lovely matte finish, although it is porous, so will need to be sealed for protection (I will talk about sealers in another blog post). So, even though you will need to seal your project, it has amazing adhesion and will stick to metals, plastics, glass, laminates and melamine too.

Generally, there can be very little preparation work done if you’re in a hurry – a good clean, and prime if you have a timber that will bleed tannins (this happens a lot with Balinese type pieces) or if you’re going from a dark timber to a white or light finish, although some people (like me!) choose to prime every piece anyway.

Another good thing about chalk paint is that you can reemulsify by spritzing with water, which can be amazing if you want to blend colours, and als0 for getting a smooth finish, especially on hot days. Chalk paint also dries and cures really fast so that means on a warm day you can apply your second coat after about 20-30 minutes (obviously longer in cooler, wetter weather). But my favourite feature of chalk paint is that it distresses beautifully for a gorgeous timeworn appearance.

MINERAL PAINT

This is a different stylise of furniture paint and as it contains higher levels of resins, it does not require a top coat.

The down side here is that mineral paints will require more prep time and priming, especially on shiny or slick surfaces, and because of the higher resin levels, the dry and cure time is also longer. What this means is that while with chalk paints you can paint, seal and use in one day, with mineral paints, it will remain in a “green” state (or be a bit tender for about 7-30 days). Artisan mineral paints have ban eggshell sheen finish so that your piece generally should not need top coating (although of course, it is a personal preference and is up to you).

Due to the longer drying time and higher acrylic resin level, mineral paints are generally self levelling (although this will also depend on your technique). If you are distressing mineral paint, it is best to use a wet distress technique while the paint is still a bit wet, otherwise the paint will tend to tear instead of wear back naturally.

Finally, mineral paints are generally more water resistant and more suited for outdoors (Artisan is actually water resistant and UV stabilised for outdoor use).

But of course, what type of paint you choose to use is entirely up to you and your personal preference and style.

Happy painting!!