Here's another example of painting a vintage dresser using the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint process.  This is a beautiful dresser that I was hired to paint ASCP Old White.  This dresser has lots of character with the beautiful grooving on the front and the knots, divots, and marks over all.  Again, there are lots of ways to paint, this is a specific example to 'guide' you on your own project.

1. Clean your item. I always start with cleaning the item.  The point of this exercise isn't just to clean the piece, but to get to know the piece, to identify any imperfections your eye may have ignored, but the cloth (and your hand) won't ignore. This is the point where you have to decide to repair/patch or not. Remember, any perceived imperfection will only be highlighted after painting. So, if you need it to be perfect, sanded, patched, whatever, now is the time to do this.

2. Start at the bottom. You always start painting at the base of the item, the feet, legs, or just bottom edge. Another reason you always start at the bottom because once you paint the top, you don't want it to touch the ground. The top of the piece is the most important part so you want to paint it and protect it.

-After cleaning it, I lifted it on one side and painted the legs, then I started painting the side.  As you can see, there is no primer used.

3.  Clear Wax.  After the dresser has been completely painted with 1 coat of ASCP Old White, I waited for it to dry (about an hour).  I then applied a light coat of clear wax on everything I had painted using the flat head wax brush.


5.  Dark Wax.  This is where I think the true creativity of the ASCP lies, in the application of the dark wax.  Immediately after applying the clear wax, I started applying the dark wax.  I concentrated on the grooves, divots, and marks so the dark wax really got into those spots.  It looks a little dark right now, but after buffing, it will really come alive.

6.  Buff. After the wax has dried about 24 hours, I buff.  I start with this great green kitchen scrub pad.  I find it really gets the dark wax smoothed out without removing it from the deep grooves.  After buffing the entire dresser with my scrub pad, I then do a final buff with a buffing pad, or old clean t-shirt scrap.

- The dresser turned out fantastically all it needs is the crystal knobs and is ready for my customer to pick it up!  I hope they love it like I do.