Gorgeous Chalk Paint Dining Table Makeover (DIY)

Want to learn how to use chalk paint to update an old dining room table to a beautiful, modern farmhouse table? Check out my Chalk Paint Dining Table Makeover DIY Tutorial using Rustoleum Chalk Paint!

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Chalk Paint Dining Table Makeover Tutorial

Hey everyone! For today’s post I’m excited to (finally) share our Rustoleum Chalk Paint Dining Table Makeover and Chalk Paint Table Tutorial. This is a fun DIY project I completed last Fall season, and I wanted to put together a full post with tips on how to use chalk paint and my DIY chalk paint table experience in the hopes that it would help others who wanted to give their dining table a chalk paint makeover.

If you want to learn how I did this modern farmhouse chalk paint table makeover then keep reading and be sure and leave me any questions you have about chalk paint in the comments below!

Modern Farmhouse Dining Table Makeover

Our dining room table has been part of our family for over 9 years now and while I’ve always loved the size of it, it was looking pretty rough after surviving 5 moves. Both the table and chairs were knicked and scratched, and there were a couple unfortunate burn marks on the top of the table that always bothered me. Plus, the stain was a bit dark for my current taste and I was ready for a change.

Although I could have easily went and bought another dining set, I guess I’ve grown somewhat sentimental of this one with our boys literally growing up with it. Plus, I had always really wanted to do a chalk paint makeover and I knew this was my chance!

I’ve always loved the look of modern farmhouse dining room tables so I used that as my inspiration. With the overall goal to really brighten up our dining room space, I decided to chalk paint the legs of the table, the backs and legs of the chairs, and to sand and stain the table top and chair tops.

Here’s a look at what the dining room table looked like before the chalk paint dining table makeover.

Modern Farmhouse Dining Table Makeover Before Photo

Chalk Paint Q&A – What to Know About Chalk Paint

Before diving into the actual tutorial, I wanted to quickly answer some of the most commonly asked questions about chalk paint and some of my best tips for using chalk paint to give your dining room table a makeover.

 

What Is So Great About Chalk Paint?

With chalk paint there’s zero prep involved and the full coverage requires less coats than traditional paint. This equates to a much easier and quicker project than a traditional paint job. You can also use chalk paint on almost any surface and it adheres well to laminate, particle board, solid wood, leather, and more.

 

Why I Chose Chalk Paint

I wanted something that would give my dining table a fresh new look and I knew that chalk paint would really brighten things up. I’d also heard people rave about how easy it was to use for years and wanted to try it out on some projects around the home.

I first used it to paint my vanity as a test run and was instantly hooked after seeing first-hand how easy it was to work with and how beautiful it made my vanity looked.

 

What is the Best Chalk Paint?

I personally LOVE and recommend Rustoleum Chalk Paint. I talk a little bit more in detail below about why I recommend this paint over other popular brands, but mainly I love it because it’s affordable, easy to use, and amazing quality!

 

Do I Need to Sand Wood Before Painting with Chalk Paint?

Nope! That’s why chalk paint is so fabulous. You don’t have to sand wood down before painting like you would with regular paints. It glides right on and has amazing, full coverage.

 

Can You Really Chalk Paint a Dining Table & Will It Last?

I too was a little skeptical at first with the idea of chalk painting our dining table, but it turned out amazing and I’m so pleased with the results. Even now, over a year later, it’s still held up wonderfully and looks like I painted it yesterday. I definitely recommend applying this clear protective top coat over the chalk paint to ensure it lasts a long time. I applied a total of 2 coats.

 

How Long Does It Take to Chalk Paint a Dining Table?

Without interruptions, you can easily chalk paint a dining table over the course of 3-4 days, or 1 week at most. It ended up taking me quite a bit longer because I was constantly having to stop and start. I mostly worked on it during the evening hours whenever I had time and it took me about 3 weeks. If I were to do it again, I would recommend taking time off so you can tackle it all in one go.

How to Use Rustoleum Chalk Paint for a Dining Table Makeover

First things first, you’ll want to grab all the needed supplies for this project. I’ve included all my recommendations below and the products I used for this chalk paint table makeover.

Recommended Chalk Paint Table Supplies:

• Rustoleum Chalk Paint Linen White
• Minwax Polycrylic Protective Coat
• Pro Grade Paint Brushes
• Small Paint Brush Set (for detailing)
• Drop Cloths 
• Rustoleum 2-in-1 Wood Stain in Kona
• Detail Sander
• Block Hand Sander
• Sanding Paper, Various Grits
• Microfiber Cloths
• Lysol Cleaning Wipes

 

Before diving into a chalk paint project,  you’ll need to first decide on the kind of chalk paint and color you’ll want to use for your project. I ended up choosing and 110% recommend Rustoleum Chalk Paint in Linen White. It’s such a beautiful, bright, white paint and looks so clean and fresh.

I personally did a lot of research on chalk paints and while the Annie Sloan chalk paint was highly rated, the Rustoleum Chalk Paint was the preferred choice by so many users who stated the formula was easier to work with. It’s also a lot cheaper than Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, so for me it was a no-brainer.

Next, I cleaned all the furniture really well using a rag and good ol’ soapy water to get rid of any food, dirt, or grime on them. Don’t skip this step unless you want PB&J eternally encrusted on your chairs (haha).

After that it was time to sand the seat tops and table top. I used this electric sander in my garage and it made the job a total breeze. I was able to get all 6 chairs sanded smooth in less than an hour. I also went over top of it with this hand sander with a fine grit to make it super smooth and soft.

The table top took a little longer than the chairs, but again the electric sander made the process so much quicker than if you were attempting to sand manually. I’m pretty sure you would go crazy doing that.

Next was the fun part of staining the table top and chairs. I used the Rustoleum 2-in-1 Stain in Kona which has both the stain and polyurethane in one. I definitely recommend getting the 2-in-1 formula, as this helps eliminate extra steps for you.

I did a total of 3 coats, lightly sanding with a fine finisher grit in between each coat. I also used my vacuum’s furniture duster to get rid of any dust or debris on the surface and a microfiber cloth.

Once the staining was completed I used the chalk paint to paint both the legs and backs of the chairs and table legs. This was the most time consuming step in the entire process because it took about 3 coats total to get the desired level of coverage I was looking for. The trickiest part by far was doing the back area of the chairs where the seats and backing meet.

I actually used some small craft paintbrushes for this part as it was easier to get into all the tiny crevices that way, and used some lysol wipes for any paint on stain mishaps along the way. Because I did it immediately any stains wiped off easily. Last but not least I applied two coats of this clear top coat to both the table and chairs to protect it. I highly recommend this step (especially if you kiddos)!

 

Chalk Paint Table Makeover – Before & After

And without further adieu here’s some lovely before and afters of this chalk paint dining table makeover. I’m kind of (okay, A LOT) obsessed with how it turned out and I seriously can’t get over the dramatic difference in the before and after. It seriously brightens up the space so much and gives my dining room that modern farmhouse look I was going for!

Before Chalk Paint Dining Table Makeover

After Chalk Paint Dining Table Makeover

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What do you think of this Chalk Paint Dining Room Table Makeover? Have you ever used chalk paint for any DIY projects in your home? Let me know in the comments and be sure and drop any questions you have about this chalk paint table makeover below!

Thanks for stopping by! – Cara

 

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