20 Best Finish For Chalk Paint (2023 Updated)

Painted a pine double wardrobe with the lamp white fusion mineral paint. I did one coat on the inside ( looks like a “wash”) and 2 coats on the outside. After the first coat I thought I was going to need another pot to cover the dark orange pine but the second coat gave excellent coverage.

Amazed that one 500 ml pot went such a long way and covered so well. Very easy to apply with a brush and foam roller. ( I lightly sand it before I started painting) Given an old wardrobe a new lease of life.

Very happy.

I would highly recommend this paint. It is a far superior product than similar paint you can purchase in local diy stores. It has a lovely Matt finish but it is not chalky. It is very easy to use and applies easily without being sticky and gloopy.

There is no need for a primer before hand and it is very hard wearing.

I’ve used this paint before on furniture projects. Covers within 2 coats. Glides on and the finish is lovely. Colour you see on the images is pretty accurate.

I LOVE the DuraClear varnishes! I use both the glossy and matte varnishes for various projects such as rock painting and painted wood crafts. Recently, I did an acrylic painting on canvas, but I wasn’t happy with the finish.

It had dried somewhat glossy and had reflections in some areas when light shined on it. I ended up sealing it with the ultra matte varnish and it totally solved the issue. I can look at the painting from any angle with no reflection.

I will be sealing all of my paintings with this varnish from now on. I’d also like to add that the DuraClear varnishes are also very durable. I’ve used them in many outdoor projects in the past and they hold up very well.

It has been extremely difficult to find an inexpensive matte varnish to use with my Sculpey that is ACTUALLY matte. If you’re looking for a TRUE polymer clay matte varnish, this is the one for you. A lot of other claim to be matte, but still have quite a bit of gloss.

But the DuraClear Ultra Matte Varnish is honestly the best matte varnish I’ve tried in years.

I did a comparison of the DuraClear Matte versus their Glossy along with just paint without any finish as a controlled sample on a baked piece of clay. I applied three layers to see if the Matte would change at all, but it didn’t! And in fact the Matte application looks exactly the same as the one that’s just paint.

It applies the same as the Glossy formula and dries streak free and actually Matte.

I bought some Satin Polyvine a while ago when it was sold in the blue bottle and although I used it for one or two projects, it sat languishing and unloved in a corner of the ‘shop for several years.

Recently though, I purchased a quantity of beautiful Olive Ash and it was pretty clear that my normal ‘go to’ finish wasn’t going to be up to snuff, so I then bought a new bottle of Matt Polyvine to try out.

Playing around with it over the last few weeks has made me realise just how good this stuff is and if properly applied, the finish produced is absolutely superb. Depending on the timber, sand to a max of 320g and wet the grain to raise it.

When dry, sand smooth and apply a goodly application of Satin with a rag or Liberon brush, removing the excess to leave an even coat. Allow to dry for around 20 mins, de-nib with worn 600g Abranet or 0000 wire wool and repeat.

Then apply two further coats of Matt in the same way and allow to dry thoroughly. no more than an hour in a warm workshop. To finish, de-nib the final surface with 0000 wire wool and apply a really good quality wax polish, afterwards buffing with a soft cloth.

The beauty of this stuff is that it’s quite possible and relatively easy to obtain a first class, robust and durable finish in a couple of hours. As a bonus, Polyvine can also be applied to light timbers, where an oil based finish is liable over time to turn it a ‘familiar’ shade of yellow, which is definitely NOT desirable.

Used this on a pine table as a refurbishment finsh having removed the old surface back to bare wood. Lovely finish and bought out the colour of the wood. Two coats adn three on the top with a very light sanding betweenproduced a great satin finish as expected.

Will certainly use this again. I did splash out to purchase a varnish brush as well adn ensured teh final sweep went right across the surface adn feel this was money well spent. Have also use teh mid oak version before and that was just as good.

Wanted to refinish a breakfast table which had marks and scratches. Rubbed down with a fine abrasive cloth, wiped over the surface to remove any dust and then applied two coats of this wax varnish. Not too much odour and touch dry in 2-3 hours.

Then next day applied second coat. Certainly has improved the finish and now after about 20 days the surface is hard and resists heat. Only small point is the very small indentations have not been levelled out by the finish and can still be seen, not perfect but very acceptable.

Perhaps needed to sand down the surface more before applying the varnish. Will certainly use again. Tried this on my hand tools to improve handle finish but not so good – keep to furniture and flat surfaces.

My daughter picked out some wooden letters from Michael’s to spell her daughter’s name and ask me if I could spray paint them for her. So I purchase this to spray paint and when I tell you that I am super please with the outcome! After the letters dried they look so smooth and silky I actually went back to Michael’s to purchase more letters for my other Granddaughter I can’t wait to paint her name as well.

I have purchased the brand of spray paint for my canvas painting their gloss spray paint! I will note that I did this in my garage and I used a face mask for the fumes and left the letters in there a few days it was great the weather back here is in the 20’s and my garage is probably colder than that.

This product worked fine. The color was good, but the coverage was thin. The spray nozzle worked consistently but did clog and spew. The lid was very hard to open. Probably will not use again or if I do I will choose a smaller project, like a frame, verses a piece of furniture, which is what I was painting for this project.

I waited until I could apply two coats to a new soapstone kitchen countertop before submitting this review so that I could provide a meaningful review. We have been using the countertop for the past week and are extremely satisfied with the sheen (satin) and toughness of the soapstone sealer.

It is water repellent, does not leave fingerprints and is very easy to maintain by wiping/washing clean. The oil does take a week to cure between coats and slowly changes to a less reflective coat, exactly what we wanted for our soapstone.

It has a very mild pleasant scent of walnut oil as it dries. Before applying these coats, I sanded a few areas, because of a gauge and some scratches (the sanding lightened these areas in comparison to the smooth surface); all parts of the surface were darkened equally by the sealer, hiding the blemishes.

Our primary interest in selecting this product was a natural product alternative to petroleum chemical/mineral oil; it has definitely exceeded our expectations in look and durability.

I love soapstone! My kitchen counters have a beautiful vein of white across a black background. When cut to fit I forwent the sealing process. With help from rkMills’ consultant Real Milk Paint Soapstone Sealer was the product recommended to finish and protect the countertops.

Following the expert instructions the wax was applied, smoothed, doted upon and buffed by hand. Beautiful!!! Couldn’t be happier with the result. Admittedly I’m fixating on the surfaces now, always giving an extra rub with a soft cloth to deepen the tone.

Because of the high cost of a well-known brand name of chalk paint, I’ve hestiated using for years. When it came to refurbishing two antique mirrors I finally decided 2022 was time to try chalk paint at a price point I could afford.

Without any loyalty to certain brands I tried Folk Art in Blue Chill. The hue is a soft blue that I loved, and layered with a darker blue and sealed with Folk Art Clear Wax. Was new to wax for chalk paint as well.

Working with both products was not as difficult as I assumed. It brushed on easily. Clean up was a breeze. Giving the antique mirror an “antique” finish by using wax and scuffing a bit was also easy as pie.

The end finish came out beatiful, in my humble opinion. I would not hesitate trying out other colors of Folk Art, too. Can’t remark on durability since the mirror will hang on the wall untouched, except for occasional dusting.

I’m a 20+ year FolkArt Chalk Paint Mixed Media artist. It’s my go-to paint for variety, versatility & cost. When I need to use multiple colors on a project, I grab the 2oz size. I would like to logical suggestion; there was been new colors added to the chalk paint line up; however, they’ve only been made available in the 8oz size.

It would make more sense to add the new colors in the 2oz size so people can try it before investing in the 8oz. As a FolkArt Chalk paint mixed media artist, I cannot stress enough how much I need affordability & versatility in my supplies.

I do hope my comments are read and the new colors become readily available in the 2oz.

I had to give a star rating to write this, but I have never actually used this paint. I bought it because I was hired to paint art on a chalkboard, and thought this paint was for that purpose. After purchasing I did a bit more research before using it, realizing this paint will be permanent on a chalkboard and is only called ‘chalk’ paint for its finish.

I wanted to leave a review so others would not buy this thinking it can be erased. It may be a very good paint but was just not suitable for my application. The rating of 3 stars bears no weight to how good this product actually is, as I have never used it.

This paint is decent if you’re in a pinch and can’t get ahold of any Annie Sloan. I used a foam roller for the majority of the dresser and it worked well. It did need 3 coats but luckily you can re-coat after an hour but I waited a little longer.

It was kind of clumpy even after stirring multiple times. It ended up smooth after I sanded between coats. I haven’t tried Krylon before but the Anvil Gray is a darker blue with hints of gray. Totally now what I saw in the sample photos.

I personally am okay with this but it’s definitely not what I expected. Im not sure if this applied to other colors so just watch out.

I can’t rave enough about Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines and crafted by KILZ- Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines Cabinetry & Furniture Paint with a satin finish. It not only offers superb coverage but is also low odor, and dries to touch in one hour.

What?! Yeah you read that right dries in one hour! I’ve always been a big fan of Joanna Gaines and this paint is just another example as to why I am. It’s perfect for any of your homes painting needs as well as any furniture/cabinetry restoration.

With my experience one coat did the job for the most part and with the quality of this particular paint I can tell you it’ll last for quite some time or until you decide to do your next make over throughout your home.

The best feature this paint offers is the satin finish can be washed down with a damp cloth and the sheen is just right, not to shiny or not shiny enough but rather perfect semi-glossy finish. If you’re like me and looking to make a statement with freshly painted walls and on a budget I highly recommend giving this brand a try.

I mean Joanna Gaines and KILZ is the perfect combination for perfect results!.

This is a very nice color. This all went smooth and even with a cabinet paint machine and has covered completely in 2 coats. This machine gives a nice semi gloss finish and the paint cans have covered more area than their website specifies.

I am very pleased with all of them and this made it possible to restore my kitchen cabinets without sanding or priming (used soft gray). I really liked the Magnolia Home By Joanna Gaines Cabinetry & Furniture Paint, Semi-Gloss because it made painting so easy from coverage to thick, I didn’t have to worry about paint dripping or splattering.

I found it better to apply it with the machine than with a very soft brush. I was impressed with the smooth finish, it didn’t let the brush strokes have an air brushed finish. I did very little prep work for my project but did make sure the surfaces were free of dust and build up.

It took my builder grade vanity and countertop (yes, I painted both) to a whole new modern level. I’m happy with the results I got from applying this paint to my remodeling project. Recommended with guarantees.

I think this is a good company so i do feel bad saying something negative. But i feel like i have to. I was very excited to try something lower toxic for my kids furniture. I mixed up the plum color and the strong ammonia smell was to intense to deal with.

I thought it was supposed to be low odor, by wow burn your eyeballs strong! (Im really not being dramatic) The consistency also was weird, like smearing uneven mud on the dresser. I powered through hoping it would be alright, but it did not look good.

After it dried i figured i would just sand it down to try something else, but sanding it the ammonia smell was now in a dust cloud everywhere! Even dry the stink is wild. The dresser is pretty much ruined as i can not sand it all off.

I didn’t even attempt to use the mocha color i also bought. I did however use the clear topcoat sealer on a pine wall which i liked. It did not have the ammonia smell. This milkpaint was a disappointment.

I ordered this paint for a chicken coop project because it’s non-toxic and quick drying. My pullets were already living in the coop so I needed a paint that was safe. It took a little time and muscle to get it mixed and prepared, (I did the mixing by hand) but I think it looks great.

(it was a little on the foamy side, but still worked just fine) I’m extremely happy with the results. I ordered barn red for the exterior and soft white for the interior. The barn red paint even covered the blue on the small addition without any problem.

The white on the inside looks fabulous and really helped to brighten it up. This will also help with cleaning. It’s only been painted for about 2 weeks and so far still looks great. We’ll see how good it looks after it goes through the first Kentucky winter ;).

Using this type of paint for the first time was rather interesting. Getting the thickness (viscosity) proper required a bit of “fettling”. This is a positive in that I could see situations where adjusting viscosity would be needed.

The paint itself covered well and I am very impressed with the finish. I will be ordering more for other projects. I love the fact it is low/non toxic and cleans up with plain water. I look forward to trying a number of your other products too.

Thank you Real Milk Paint you’ve gained another customer for life!.

Thought unfinished wood would be perfect for this paint. Got the satin so I wouldn’t have to wax it. I was assured by the store that I would need a quart for this little project. After I paid about $50 for one quart, the staff person said “you will want to sand and prime it first.

” Huh??? I thought that was the point of this paint?? Well, I didn’t sand or prine and it covered perfectly and looks great with 2 coats. Didnt use even a quarter of the can. Decided to use it on a 1940s nightstand.

Just had an old stain on it. Ink, water stains…needed a recovery. Cleaned with detergent and wiped clean to dry. Paint WILL NOT COVER. All the ink doodles, water stains, everything shows through after 3 coats.

I got a great color on the wall. The paint does not leave a bad smell after painting. It dries quickly. A pleasure to work with products from La Di Da! I highly recommend it!