THE LOWDOWN: WALL PAINT VS CHALK PAINT®

Annie Sloan has been making Chalk Paint® since 1990. Chalk Paint® is a water-based paint designed to be used for painting furniture. Restoring furniture, doing DIY furniture makeovers with family like painting your old wooden sofa or giving a makeover to your study table are few of many creative projects that can be taken up.

The way it’s formulated means it applies to virtually any surface and can be used to execute myriad decorative effects. You then choose whether to finish with Chalk Paint® Wax or Chalk Paint® Lacquer which will provide protection. It took the interiors world by storm, as it suddenly allowed people the freedom to customise, personalise and restore their homes exactly as they wanted.

Chalk Paint® can be used on Walls, and in some older homes which require speciality breathable paints we actually recommend it, but it was not designed primarily for this purpose.

Wall Paint, however, is a whole new formula. Specifically developed to pack the pigment-rich punch Chalk Paint® is so known for, but with inbuilt protection. Although we’ve taken what we’ve learned from more than 30 years producing the market-leading furniture paint and applied it to our Wall Paint, there are key differences.

1. One step. Annie Sloan Wall Paint is harder wearing than Chalk Paint® without Wax or Lacquer. It’s a one-step process.

2. The look. The finish is slightly different. Our Wall Paint has a soft matte finish with a very slight sheen. We wanted to retain that powdery, velvety, synonymous with a quality look that our customers love so much in our Chalk Paint®. The slight sheen makes it more practical for walls.

3. Durability. Wall Paint is incredibly durable, dependable, and reliable. Independent laboratory testing proved our Wall Paint was more “scrubbable” (i.e., withstood more vigorous cleaning) than our peers (we won’t embarrass them here by naming names). It has a wipe-clean finish making it perfect for busy, lived-in, well-loved homes.

4. Colour choices. Although there is some overlap between the Chalk Paint® and Wall Paint ranges, there are 17 brand new colours developed especially for your walls. Including Chalk Paint® favourites that have been lightened to better suit walls.

5. Unlike Chalk Paint, Wall Paint will not work on surfaces other than walls, without preparation and priming. So we would not recommend Wall Paint as an alternative to Chalk Paint for furniture painting.

In conclusion, Annie Sloan Wall Paint is the paint for your walls, and Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan is the paint for furniture, kitchen cupboards, floors and older walls which require a breathable paint.

For more tips and photographs on this particular piece or other ideas on furniture renovation, DIY makeovers and interior styling, pick up a copy of The Colourist, Issue 6 from your local Annie Sloan Stockist Artsy Nest.