Chalkboard Top Desk Tutorial

:) I have a confession to make, y'all.  I'm the girl you see stopping at dangerous intersections, streets and busy county roads attempting to haul off whatever curbside "treasure" or junk (and junk to me is AHH-mazing, by the way) and stuff it into my super deeeeee duper Mommy-van...yuuup! I'm THAT girl!  A badge I wear proudly.  A "picker", "dumpster diver".  You see, the word "Free" turns me into a crazed maniac, but can you blame me?! :) I believe in rescuing poor, mistreated, left for dead furniture and turning it into something amazing.  We all deserve a second chance, right?!  (Yes, I realize I'm personifying furniture.  Don't you JUDGE me!)

::Sigh::

I guess I should just dive right in, huh?  :)

Painted Desk Tutorial- Evey's Creations-Style!

First, you MUST be awesome enough to stalk local Facebook pages like my town has! (Go Deb, go!)

Then, when someone posts "Free furniture, curbside", you must RACE there BEFORE ANYONE ELSE DOES!  (Even if you ARE in the middle of a client's cake, that may or may not have had a frosting mishap, and your client is due in a few hours to claim said cake. Sorry, unnamed but AWESOME client, I did finish it though!)

BEFORE- Vintage Child's Desk (FREE)

Fact: Proper sanding DOES matter!  In order for your primer and paint to adhere properly, you must prepare the surface properly.  I rely on my handy-dandy power mouse sander for small pieces like this and always have a sanding block ready for those spots my power sander can't reach.  Though you don't have to sand down too much for paint jobs, you MUST completely sand down for stain jobs. 

So sand your piece of furniture properly.  If it's possible that you're as awesome as I am, do this step in a pretty dress and nice shoes while grooving to your iPod while waiting for everyone else to get ready for church! ;)

Clean your sanded piece thoroughly with a damp cloth.  Allow it to dry.

Time to prime.  I use both Kilz spray and traditional primer.  If spray priming, follow the directions on the can and make sure you shake the can VIGOROUSLY first for the duration of time stated on the paint can to avoid bumpy and grainy painting. Allow it to dry THOROUGHLY in between coats.  Sand with 220 sanding sponge, for a smooth finish.  I like the 3M brand.  Clean your piece again.  (I know, it's tedious BUT WELL WORTH IT!)

Now time to paint.  For this piece I used leftover free (Yes, I said free) flat Glidden paint from the vanity I redid last year.  The color is called "Driftwood Grey" and I LOVE it!  I used the dry brush method since I wanted to go for the aged, distressed look.  You can find that tutorial on this blog.  I like her video at the end.  :)

You can see the brush strokes if you look closely in this image. Yes, the type of brush you use DOES also matter.  Many people (bloggers) I know swear by the "Purdy Brush" brand and many others love "Annie Sloan's brushes" when using her chalk paints.  I like the "Purdy" brand, myself.

Now on to distressing.  Some people hate this look.  I LOVE it!

I used my 220 grit 3M sanding sponge to distress where a piece would naturally distress over time, such as corners and edges.  

:)  This piece makes me happy.

The last step should not be skipped unless you want your hard work to go kaput.  Seal it all with either a wax (I like the Minwax brand), or some polyurethane.  

For the top, I decided to use chalkboard paint.  If you know me, you know I LOVE chalkboards.  I used the Rustoleum brand.  (DON'T WAX OR SEAL THE CHALKBOARD PART!)

Tip: Let the paint FULLY dry in between coats.  For a smooth finish use a foam brush instead of a bristle one.  Also, it normally takes about 3-4 coats for full coverage.  Also, follow the can's instructions and "cure" the chalkboard once it's fully dry.  This simply means to take the side of a piece of chalk and rub it over the entire surface.  Let it sit overnight or according to the brand's instructions.  This ensures that your chalkboard will clean easily.

There you have it!  My Peanut AKA Aspieboy was THRILLED with his new desk!  I am, too!

xoxo,

Evey