Chalk Painting Our Front Porch Bench

I really enjoy the transformational process that occurs when I chalk paint furniture. We purchased this bench from Grandinroad. It is the perfect size for our porch; however, we changed our minds about the color (black) and decided to chalk paint it so it blended better with our porch.

I lightly sanded the bench to rough up the finish to ensure the paint would stick. I wiped it down with a damp rag and let it dry.

I did the sanding outside. However, I covered my kitchen island with paper and carefully painted it inside. The Alabama heat is torture during the summer! ☀️ Because chalk paint dries so fast, I try to chalk paint inside (shop, basement, garage, etc.). I have learned this the hard way in that my paint was actually drying before I finished painting a section and this led to brush marks.

I always start painting furniture on the bottom or underneath. This is my favorite chalk paint. I like this brand and color. Even though it is a small jar, it goes a long way. I purchase it at Home Depot, but you can also purchase it from Amazon. In this picture, I started painting over the black. I took my time to be sure I painted every nook and cranny. There are several crevices.

A few more painting tips . . .

When you paint, be sure to paint in the direction of the grain of the wood. Try to paint with long, even strokes. When you paint the edges, make sure your last paint stroke ends at the edge of the surface – – sort of letting your paintbrush finish this stroke going off (or away) from the table.

Also, check for drips. If you have a drip, go over this again with your paintbrush.

I check it from every angle to be sure I did not miss any spots. I also interrupt Neal from working and have him double-check me. I let the first coat dry and then paint a second coat of the chalk paint to ensure even coverage. This is a picture of the back. Now I am ready to sand off some of the chalk paint to reveal portions of the black. I moved it outside to sand it.

I first start with all the edges. I sand all the like areas before moving to another “like area”. For example, I do all the legs, then both arms, then the back, then the seat, etc. This helps me to ensure consistency.

On some pieces of furniture, I just sand the edges and on some, I sand the edges first and then come back and sand some of the flat areas. It just depends on the look you desire. After I initially sanded all the edges, Neal looked at it and wanted me to sand the flat areas too. So I did!

Below are some closeup pictures after sanding.

I want the spots revealed to be random (no uniform). I also try to sand the areas that would be naturally worn a little more.

I look it over multiple times to be sure that I did not miss any section and ensure a uniform look. Now it is time to wipe it down with a cloth to remove the dust that occurred from sanding and prepare for polyurethane. In many instances, I use a blower before wiping it down with a cloth to remove the dust. It is essential to get all the dust off. Now, it is time for polyurethane. I use this Minwax wipe-on poly.

Tip: Be sure to apply the poly in the same direction of the grain of the wood. Use long even strokes in a very uniform way to give it a smooth and consistent finish. If you are not consistent, you might see smudges after it dries. If that happens, don’t sweat it, just learn from it. Over time, you will not even notice this.

I put 2 coats of poly on the bench and made sure to let it dry between coats (let dry overnight between coats). I actually let it dry on the porch. When the poly is dry, I added my pillows. Neal and I were pleased with the results! It welcomes our guests and I sometimes sit here when watching Daisy play in the front yard. Voila! Welcome to our home!

Click here to see the milk can blog post.

Click here to see the blog post on sewing pillow slipcovers.

Check out some of my other chalk painting blog posts:

• • How to Chalk Paint a Lamp
  • Vintage Bench Makeover
  • From Butcher Block to Farm House Table
  • Dresser Makeover
  • How to Chalk Paint a Table
  • Green Chalk Paint Nightstand
  • Farmhouse Table (chalk painted legs)
  • How to Chalk Paint an Entertainment Center
  • How to Chalk Paint Picture Frames

 

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