Paint

Chalk Paint in a Paint Sprayer

Chalk paint can be used in a paint sprayer I don’t know where I’ve been, but I just discovered that you can put chalk-type paint in a paint sprayer! I have been a fan of chalk-type paint for years and have used Amy Howard’s version (One Step Paint) successfully on many different projects (like this bench, my kitchen cabinets, and my kitchen table).  I love it because it requires no prep work – you just wipe down and paint! However, I have always used the traditional brush route – until now. I was used the Amy Howard paint sprayer on this project, but unfortuntely they no longer sell a sprayer.  However, I have two other favorites I have used, and you can see those HERE and HERE.  Both require watering down the paint a little, but the sprayer provides a beautiful, smooth finish. My cabinets were a very 90’s dark green.  In my previous makeover I left the desk area green and only worried about the cabinets people saw from the doorway.  I painted the cabinets that were visible cream, and I always regretted the cream next to my very white washer and dryer. I decided to paint all the cabinets (including my desk area) a new color. I sanded the cabinets that I had previously painted cream and didn’t worry about sanding the other cabinets I had never painted. This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy. I cleaned all the cabinets with a rag and Simple Green. All the doors and drawers were painted in my garage. Early in the design stage, I wanted colorful cabinets and ordered Amy Howard’s One Step Paint in Barefoot in the Park.  However, I fell in love with this image on Pinterest (unfortunately I don’t know the source). I decided to mix some colors to create a soft similar color. I played around with a little paint to get the perfect color.  Once I felt confident in my ratios, I used an empty gallon can and mixed a batch large enough for both sets of cabinets in my laundry room. I used:
  • 1 quart Barefoot in the Park
  • 1 quart Ballet White
  • 1 quart Luxe Grey
I used the sprayer and applied thin coats of the paint. I used a brush and foam rollers to paint the cabinet frames and sealed the paint with a Gloss Sealer.  I applied the sealer just like I did the paint.  I sprayed the doors and drawers with the sealer (but no thinning is required) and I used a brush and roller for the rest of the cabinets. And after an afternoon of painting, my cabinets were a gorgeous new custom color! I used Hickory Hardware’s gold Skylight Pulls, and they are the PERFECT accent for my cabinets.  They are just gorgeous! This room was definitely a labor of love, and I really am so excited to share the full reveal HERE! I have a few finishing touches left (like caulking around the tile and finding accessories for the space), but the hard work has been done. UPDATE: It has been several years since I painted these cabinets, and they still look great!  Spraying helped provide a smooth finish, and I ALWAYS recommend a water-based sealer rather than a wax for cabinets. You can go here to see why I don’t recommend wax on cabinets. Go create something!
Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home. Find me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Pinterest *This post is a sponsored post by Amy Howard at Home and Hickory Hardware. I take pride in reviewing only products that fit my brand and will be beneficial to my readers. And while this post is sponsored, all the opinions are my own.
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20 thoughts on “Chalk Paint in a Paint Sprayer

  1. I probably missed it but what did you use on top of the paint to finish the product? Did you use the sprayer for that? It looks great!!! I can’t believe how much you get done in a short time period!

    1. You didn’t miss it – I forgot to mention it! I added it into the post, but I used a water-based gloss sealer. I used the sprayer for the sealer on the doors and drawers and applied the sealer to the cabinet bases with a brush and roller. Thanks, Gwen!

  2. These look awesome! Love your subway tile too. Are your cabinets formica or wood? I’m dying to try painting my kitchen cabinets but they’re formica and I’m afraid they would chip. I’ve seen many people painting their cabinets when they are the builder grade oak.

  3. These look fantastic, Sara! I thought about painting my wood cabinets but am a little nervous that I’ll mess them us.

    Thanks for recommending the sprayer, I was wondering how those things work for non-pro painters like myself.

  4. Great tutorial, and love that laundry room! This may be a silly question, but how did you water down the paint? With a thinner? And how much did you use for how much paint?

  5. I thought the all in one paint eliminated priming and sealing. I was going to order some of the paint to try on some end tables but they will get some wear on top. Do you recommend sealing the tops

  6. This is a silly question, but do you have any of your paint left? If so, could you send me a small sample so I can take it to Sherwin Williams and have them try to match the color? I’m building a new patio home and would love to have my laundry cabinets this color! They are so pretty! Thank you very much!

  7. Hi, I tried your link to learn about the Gloss Sealer but it’s showing ‘Page Not Found’.
    Could you let me know what it is? Thanks so much!!

  8. Would you recommend wax when chalk painting a bedroom suite – wardrobe and chest of drawers – or the paint sealer? Thank you.