PAINTING ON FABRIC WITH CHALK PAINT™
APPLYING CHALK PAINT™ ON UPHOLSTERY AND LEATHER
When it comes to dyeing upholstery, small items that are tightly upholstered (such as a dining chair seat) and made from a natural fabric (such as cotton or linen). In these cases, Chalk Paint™ can be diluted with water and painted as a "wash" that will stain the fibers. Fabric dyed in this way does not need to be waxed afterwards.
There are other ways to dye upholstery, but the success of dyeing any piece of upholstery depends on factors such as the condition, color and composition of the fabric, how tightly it is padded, and from the color used (red colors are less persistent). .
In most cases you will see better results going from light to dark than trying to go from dark to light.
If you are confident, you can experiment with different techniques - applying the paint more thickly will change the composition of the fabric, making it stiffer. It can then be waxed and polished to create a leather effect.
You can also use Chalk Paint™ on leather and vinyl - build up the coating in thin layers and then wax to finish. As leather ages, it creases and cracks, so does the color, so keep that in mind if you're using well-worn or padded items.
We recommend testing any project on a small area first before committing to painting the entire piece. In general, we do not recommend painting heavily upholstered sofas or suites, as well as items that are used very intensively. There is no guarantee that the paint and color will last on the fabric, and once it is dyed, there is no going back.
If you do decide to try it, we don't recommend it as your first Chalk Paint™ project. If you've never used Chalk Paint™ before, start with a small piece of furniture to get a feel for the paint.
TRANCING ON FABRIC WITH CHALK PAINT™
To stencil fabric with Chalk Paint™, apply with a sponge roller. No need to dilute the paint.
To prevent the image from bleeding around the edges, try not to overload the roller with paint. Allow the fabric to dry naturally, then heat seal it by tumble drying or pressing with a hot iron.
DYEING FABRIC WITH CHALK PAINT™
Painting fabric with Chalk Paint™ is a great way to completely change its color. You can control the intensity of the color by adding more or less water. Linen, cotton, cotton wax, and synthetic drapes work well in this technique. You can also use patterned cotton or linen.
We have found that deeper pigmentation colors such as Aubusson Blue, Scandinavian Pink, Antibes and Florence work best.
Please note that when you paint fabric with Chalk Paint™, you will never achieve the exact color of the original paint. Keep this in mind as you die. If you want something like Antoinette, consider painting with Scandinavian Pink. Antibes Green for Lem Lem, Aubusson Blue for Provence and so on.