Chalk Paint

So, I have admitted (quite often, actually) that I am a Pinterest addict. Any Pinterest fan has heard of "Chalk Paint." I've pinned hundreds of pins detailing why to use it, how to use it, when to use it and even how to make it. 

According to the hundreds of pins, the reasons to use chalk paint is as follows:

1) No prep (other tan cleaning the surface) is required. No more sanding, deglossing, stripping or even scuffing. No priming - just use it!

2) Adheres to most any surface - wood, metal, glass, painted, varnished - you name it!

3) Most streak-free paint available

4) Smoothest, factory-like finish

5) Goes 3-4X farther than regular paint

Trust me, I have read all the write-ups and even though we sell Plaster-of-Paris in my department, I was a bit hesitant to try to make my own. Heck, I had just developed a love interest in liquid deglosser and it was working for my & my customers' needs just fine. Then, a few weeks ago, I received these small boxes marked, "New Product." Hmmmm. I left them alone for four whole days! I should receive an award. Protocol has it that I have to wait for our MET team to unpack new products in their new "home." Well, after four days, I couldn't wait. I ripped open a box and guess what! Home Depot now has Chalk Paint! Seriously! We have had it available on-line for months; however, here it was, sitting in my hands! It took me about two minutes to open one up and begin trying it out! I found some old cabinet doors and a heavily-used paint brush and tried it out.

 Guess what?

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It was just as awesome as all the pins had stated! Beautiful finish (even with the wrong brush), clung to the beat-up, varnished door without primer or sanding, and the finish was BEAUTIFUL! I put the door on display and everyone that passed the door had to reach out and touch it! Every. Single. Person. I scheduled a class for that weekend to educate the public about our new product!

The turn-out was amazing and even though we only have seven colors, we are selling out! I even tried a glaze/paint mixture over the top to age it and guess what? Perfection!

A little 8 oz jar is $8.48. People are always shocked - for that little jar? But that little jar does almost as much as a big quart! I tried it on a glass jar, a metal display stand - it does work on all of the surfaces! We completed one entire door and scuffed to to apply an aging glaze, but was so pretty that we left it as is. 

Americana Decora is the company and I have had numerous customers come in and clean us out because they said they have been purchasing another brand on-line and pay up to $35 for a little 8 oz jar! There is a wax that you can put over the top as a protective coat and even that is pretty cool! Most furniture waxes are heavy & STINKY & require a lot of elbow grease. This wax is actually a liquid that you can brush or rub on and has no smell. Pretty awesome. 

Now, I just have educate our employees that it is not "Chalkboard" paint...