Petal + Ply

formerly Dear Emmeline

Old Pickup Blue Dresser {another DIY chalky paint finish recipe, leg reconstruction, and my very own goofball}

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Let’s get straight to addressing the post title.

Exhibit A:

DIY Chalky Paint Finish Recipe
Formula #2

  • 5T Plaster of Paris
  • 2T H2O (I added more)
  • 2 cups paint

1. Mix plaster and water until lumps disappear.
2. Stir in paint.

This particular recipe thickened up sooooo much, so quickly!  I had to keep adding water and by the time I got to the drawer fronts and touch ups there were little chunks of plaster forming up and spraying all over the place.  While I loved how the paint turned out on the finished piece and it distressed well it was a VERY messy recipe with A LOT of wasted paint (the paint becomes unusable)!  This recipe was made from Clark and Kensington Paint in Benjamin Moore Old Pickup Blue.  Love the color, love the paint, love how it looked after being distressed, DID NOT love the paint recipe!

Exhibit B:

The power of wood filler and a sanding sponge.  One half of this leg was missing when we purchased it.  A previous dresser owner obviously slammed the front casters into a wall when moving leaving 1 cracked leg and one 1/2 amputated leg.  My husband used wood filler to build out the leg, sanded it down to shape, and it’s good as new!  p.s. Our wood filler was a bit on the dried out side so hubby decided to add some water to see if it would revive it.  It did!

Exhibit C:

My little goofball in action!  This is what I’m up against every time I try to take pictures of a piece!

I did manage to snag a few without my little model.

As you can see I left the mirror unpainted and picked up 2 (new) wood knobs and stained them to match.  The new knobs replaced 2 ceramic floral knobs that came on the dresser.  They didn’t match so off they came.  I love the subtle 2 tone action which breaks up the brightness of the piece.  No sense painting a perfectly good mirror!  Now it hangs above the dresser and almost feels like a separate piece!  I absolutely adore everything about this piece.  The color, the wood accents, the style.  The plan is to sell it but I just don’t know if I’ll be able to part with it.

 

 

 

 

 

What do you think?  Is Old Pickup Blue for you?  Have you tried this paint recipe?  Did you have the same problems?  Let me know!

Comments

  1. That is GORGEOUS! I would love to try the recipe…have you found another you like better? It's on my to-do list :o)
    Stacey

  2. The first recipe I used was the one Cassie (P&P) uses but I found it to be way to runny and I needed a ton of coats…if it was still wet it picked right back up with the brush. This one started out a nice thick consistency and orked great but then it started getting chunky despite adding more water and stirring. At that point I still used it because I needed to finish but there were bits of plaster going everywhere and sticking to the piece. Since I was distressing it I wasn't too worried and I think the little beads of plaster helped achieve the speckley distressed areas (which I think look really great! I would possibly use this recipe again but would definitely make a half or third batch so there wasn't wasted paint!

  3. We also started another piece last night with another different recipe and after the first coat it looks great. It remains to be seen with distressing (if we decide to) and finishing if it will be a keeper! I don't remember the exact measurements (I will look it up and post it when the piece is finished)but it uses paint and baking soda!

  4. Keeper!! WOW, that is gorgeous!!! Great job. I have yet to try chalk paint…but I haven't painted anything in a long while (well, unless you could spray painting everything in sight).

  6. Have you seen the chalk paint recipe that involves mixing paint with unsanded grout (the stuff that goes between the tiles of a tile floor)? I haven't tried it yet, but it's on my list. I do love how the distressed finish turned out, and I love the color of this dresser!

  7. Great color! I tend to buy pieces that take A LOT of wood filler, too. I use unsanded grout for my homemade chalk paint, and I don't measure anything out. I make a little at a time (probably about a half a cup) and just put in what I think is a good amount of grout. It is a little grainy, and I add some water, but the motion of painting (I use a brush) smooths out the grains. I have also noticed the better quality the paint, the better the recipe turns out (using Ben Moore or Sherwin Williams is best). I am going to pin this so I can try this color at some point!

  8. Thanks Jessica! I loved the color too! Ace hardware was giving away sample quarts of Clark and Kensington paint but they have Benjamin Moore colors in their store (at least my local one) and as soon as I saw it…and the name….I knew it was the one!

  10. I LOVE the wood mirror and matching knobs! I've also used the unsanded grout and like it. It definitely adheres to the wood great the little lumps do even out with the stroke of the brush also. It still doesn't distress as nice as ASCP! But better than the regular latex which tends to peel.

  14. Chalk paint, which I think can also be used as chalkboard paint is used so that you do not need to prep the surface (besides making sure it is clean) before painting. This means no sanding and/or priming!

  16. The dresser is lovely and I truly love the two tone effect..have you tried the chalk paint recipe with the calcium carbonate or the plaster of Paris? I am aching to try something out soon, I got a few Benjamin Moore colors samples at my local hardware store. Now I just need something to paint….

  18. Thanks so much Heather! I used Plaster of Paris and I really love how the finish turned out but I think next time a bit less plaster might help it keep a thinner consistency. I also suggest making a small batch and then making another if you run out!

  20. I have used a plaster of Paris recipe but I used much less p of P and more water and I also mixed in relatively small batches. Mine worked beautifully. I actually liked my version in white better than I like the ASCP!

  24. Parting would be sweet sorrow though, because I bet you'd make a bundle on this little lovely. it's so beautiful and such an exceptional piece of furniture. Someone would probably snap it up instantly. Never tried making chalk paint. Glad to hear your review of that recipe. Good to know.
    Liz

  27. The dresser turned out very nice and I like the two-toned effect. Great job.
    Plaster of Paris seems to thicken pretty fast, so use small amounts. I prefer unsanded grout and make small batches by mixing the grout, a small amount of water and stir until smooth … then add the paint. Good luck with all your projects. Joined you and will be back for more inspiration.
    Blessings,
    Audrey Z. http://audreyzumwalt.blogspot.com/

  28. Oh how pretty! And cottage style dressers are just my very favorite pieces of furniture! I've had really good luck with homemade chalk paint. But I do mix it in very small batches and try to use it all up pretty quickly. Some brands of paint definitely seem to do better than others.

  29. I love the dresser and the distressed color. I had the same issue with the plaster of paris painting method. I ended up sanding mine completely down and starting over. I'm glad yours came out the way it did.

    I love the scale and blue jar too!

    I found you via DIY Project Parade and am looking forward to following you.

    Have a great day.
    Pam

  31. I'd have to agree! I'm a science nerd so I enjoy the trial and error process but none of the DIY batches even compare to the real deal in how they feel/distress but I do think you can still end up with a quality distressed or non distressed piece using a DIY version!

  33. I simply love everything about it.
    Sigh.
    I want it in my home.
    Guess I'll just keep admiring it in yours :o)
    Thanks for sharing!
    Stacey of Embracing Change

  38. This is so perfect. Everything you turn out is perfect! How do you get this all done???? How many kids do you have and how old. I am starting to feel like I am lazy here, and I work every spare second I have!

  39. 🙂 Thanks so much Emily. I really want to keep the piece but we don't have a good space for it. I am going to be SO SO sad to see it go. I think it might be my favorite piece I've refinished to date.

  44. Love it, love the color. I can see why you don't want to sell it. Did you? End up selling it? How do you arrive at your selling price? I tried the chalk paint recipe with unsanded grout and while it worked it quickly became a clump of colored hard grout. I'm trying Plaster of Paris today but only two TBSP. The dealer in the same store I sell at gave me her "secret" recipe!!! Check out my site.

    Bless, Lisa

  47. Oh my gosh, saw this over at 36th Ave. today. SO STINKIN' PRETTY!!!! I love, love, love it. Goin' on the Pinterest board for future inspiration.

  51. I did the grout and paint today on a bookcase and it turned out really lumpy on the wood….then tried to sand and it was spotting …the wood coming back thru…so I then mixed up some paint and water and literally white washed the whole thing! Looks much better…and I started buffing with Johnson clear paste wax and it is starting to look much better!

  52. That is one of my all time favourite blues (I couldn't help loving it with that name lol.) Your dresser looks wonderful. I just finished a dresser with half a missing leg and ended up shortening the dresser. I should have tried your hubby's method.

  53. Oh, and I also use Plaster of Paris for homemade chalk paint. I don't measure anymore and just sort of eyeball it but that sounds like a lot of paint and a lot of p.o.p. I don't have a problem with lumps anymore. I do use hot water however and mix the water and pop really really well before adding the paint.

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