After a bit of a dry spell craft/DIY wise, I decided to chose a nice easy project to kick off 2014.
I found this little cabinet at our local thrift store for $25.
It had a couple of scrapes but nothing major and the top glass panel is in perfect condition which is a major bonus. It's made by Lane so is a good quality piece, is really sturdy and ridiculously heavy. I thought it would make a perfect tv cabinet.
I've seen chalk paint all over Pinterest and the blogosphere. I Googled a couple of major brands, and making my own (while saving a few pennies) seemed to be the best way to go. Plus the 'no prep required' really sweetened the deal - you know I love a shortcut!
I picked up a tester, a couple of mixing cups and a box of plaster of Paris all from Lowes. I mixed:
1 Lowes paint tester (221 ml)
75ml plaster of Paris
75ml cool water
These measurements are all in milliliters because that is what's on both the tester and the measuring cups. Much easier than having to Google conversions!
The mixture itself was like slightly watered down paint - but not to the point where it would run or drip more than usual.
I removed both doors and the hardware, then used a regular cheapo paintbrush to apply 2 coats - no sanding or priming needed. It went on unbelievably easily with each coat dry to the touch in about an hour. I'm not sure how well the mixture will last, but I had enough paint left to refill the tester jar so I'll let you know!
I left the cabinet overnight to dry completely, then applied a coat of Minwax finishing wax with a cloth to seal the piece. Next up I spray painted the hinges and pulls using Rustoleum in Champagne Mist.
I picked Almost Charcoal for my color, but failed to take into account the fact that the plaster and water would lighten the color. So it's not quite as dark as I wanted, but I'm still pleased with how it turned out.
Kate
xxx
