Furniture Makeover: How To Paint, Distress, and Wax Chalk Paint

I get questions weekly about how to wax chalk-finish paint, or whether chalky-type paint has to be waxed. Sometimes I wax, and sometimes I don’t; it depends on the brand of chalk-finish paint I’m using and the type of furniture.

My project today is a cedar chest, and yes, it’s waxed! There is a definite reason I chose to wax this piece, and I’m excited to share that with you.

Quick Project Overview:

• Paint and Color: Chalk-finish paint (Color: Cascade) creates a beautiful matte base that is incredibly easy to distress.

• Number of Coats: The chest was cleaned well and was not primed. Two coats of paint were applied.
• Drying Time: The first coat of paint dried in an hour, and the second coat was applied. The paint was completely dry after 24 hours.
• Finish Used: Wiping clear or neutral wax over distressed chalk paint instantly deepens the raw-wood highlights and removes the dry, whitish haze left by sanding.

How to Paint, Distress, and Wax Chalk Painted Furniture

It seems like I have at least one cedar chest makeover on the schedule every month—I guess I just have a thing for them! This particular piece is painted, distressed, and waxed, and it turned out absolutely gorgeous (shameful bragging rights intended).

Today is also the Furniture Fixer Upper Tour day, so we have another fantastic lineup of projects waiting for you. You can find all of those inspiration links at the very bottom of this post.

The Cedar Chest for the Makeover

The cedar chest was only $40 at my favorite junk shop, and it was worth the price. We had to make a few repairs and add a detail to the chest before painting it. You can find the repair tutorial here: How To Repair An Old Cedar Chest

The unique carved details on this chest made it the perfect candidate for a distressed finish. Honestly, there is just something about a plain paint finish with no special technique, no stenciling, and no antiquing that can look a little blah. Distressing the paint adds instant depth and interest.

 

Choosing the Chalk Paint Color for the Makeover

I went to select a paint color for the cedar chest and found 4 promising colors in my paint stash. I painted samples on a piece of wood and really liked all of them.

I thought I might do a two tone finish…..and I did start brushing on a second color on the cedar chest but I didn’t like it. Not enough contrast. So one color only.

The color I decided on was the second from the left, Cascade. The pretty color was brighter and fresher than the other three. (By the way, I did a Facebook Live and asked which color everyone liked the best. Be sure to follow me on Facebook.)

Ideas for Choosing Paint Color to Match Your Decor

If you don’t have a stash of leftover paint at home to choose from, picking the perfect color doesn’t have to be a guessing game. The best way to start is by looking at the room where your furniture will live.

Grab a favorite throw pillow, a piece of fabric, or a beloved decor item in the exact colors you love, and take it with you to the store. Holding your inspiration piece directly against the paint display makes it incredibly easy to spot the undertones that will look best in your space.

Once you’re at the paint counter, grab a handful of paint chips or paper color samples that closely match. Don’t just look at them under the harsh, bright store lights—they will look completely different once you get them home.

Tape the paint chips directly onto your furniture piece and watch how the color changes throughout the day in your room’s natural light. This quick trick saves you from buying a whole can of paint only to realize it looks completely different on your piece than it did on the store shelf!

How to Apply Chalk Finish Paint

This is what one coat of chalk finish paint looked like. I applied a second coat after this one dried. Dry time was less than 1 hour. 

How to Distress Chalk Painted Furniture

After the paint dried, I distressed all the lovely details using a battery-powered sander. Then I ran the sander over the whole chest—working on the edges and a few spots on the front and top.

I wanted to sand off just a bit of paint in some areas and remove a lot of paint from the carved details.

I tried sanding by hand at first, but I was having a hard time getting the paint off. So, I pulled out my power sander, and it did the job in no time at all. Chalk paint adheres very well and is difficult to distress after it has cured for more than a day or so.

Sanding Tips for Distressed Furniture

• The Power Sander Advantage: If the paint is adhering well, don’t wear out your arms sanding by hand. A lightweight orbital sander, detail sander, or mouse sander for tight spaces makes quick work of stubborn paint.

• Remove The Sanding Haze With Wax: This is how the chest looked after sanding it all over. You can see the whitish or lighter areas where the sander was used. Don’t panic when you see this dry haze—to hide those areas and bring back the deep wood color, just wax the paint.

How to Wax Chalk Painted Furniture

Waxing the paint and the raw wood will make your chalk-painted piece shine! 

Step-by-Step Waxing Tips

• Apply with a Rag: Use a clean, lint-free rag to apply the wax. When you wipe the wax over the chest, you’ll see the distressed raw wood instantly darken up beautifully.

• Watch the Streaks Disappear: Don’t worry about any white sanding streaks on the paint—the wax makes them vanish immediately.

• Dry and Buff: The wax will dry in about 30 minutes. Once it’s dry, take a fresh lint-free rag and buff the surface. The paint will have a gorgeous, soft sheen.

When to Use Tinted Wax

When I want to darken, age, or antique painted furniture, I use tinted Howard’s Wax in the color Walnut. I love Howard’s because it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, and it adds a really nice sheen and patina to a painted finish.

Add the Finishing Detail

The lock had been removed from the chest, and a small metal insert remained in place. I found a brass keyhole escutcheon in my stash and drilled holes to place it over the metal piece.

The brass was a bit too shiny, so I spray-painted the piece with Rust-Oleum Antique Brass Metallic Spray Paint.

The keyhole escutcheon was the finishing touch the cedar chest needed. The Cascade color paint is a winner. The distressing is icing on the cake.

The Finished Cedar Chest Makeover

You can see where I sanded the corners, edges, and details rather heavily. The detailed trim I added at the bottom, in place of the drawer, looks like it belongs there. I did great. The cedar chest is larger than most I’ve worked on. It will be a nice piece for blanket storage or maybe a coffee table.

 

I thought about not painting the cedar chest. I was going to clean and oil the finish, but upon closer inspection, there were too many areas of damage in the original finish.

I’m glad I didn’t go with a two-tone paint finish. Given the amount of carved detail, the feet, and the overall look of the chest, two colors would have taken away from it rather than showcasing the cedar chest. Patting myself on the back.

Another Way to Distress Painted Furniture

The red accessories really pop against the turquoisy blue paint. One of my favorite color combinations. So what do you think of the cedar chest? How about the color and distressing? Leave a note before you head out on the tour.

Furniture Fixer Upper Projects

Click the text links below the “before makeovers” photo collage to take the Furniture Fixer Upper Tour…..

Refinish A Table – Just The Woods
Night Table Makeover – Confessions Of A Serial Diyer
Built In Kitchen Pantry Makeover – The Interior Frugalista
Fuchsia Sunset Painted Dresser – Salvaged Inspirations
How To Stencil Bone Inlay – Girl In The Garage
Waxing Chalk Finish Paint – Petticoat Junktion

As always, thanks for being here and have a great day, Kathy