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How To Paint Furniture with BEHR® Chalk Decorative Paint

When it comes to home projects, taking the DIY route can be intimidating. Hanging wallpaper, laying tile, using power tools... it all sounds so difficult, doesn't it? But there's one project that even a novice DIYer can tackle: painting. All you need is paint, a brush, and some patience. Whether you're painting walls or painting furniture, the transformation is often dramatic and instantly satisfying.

Disclosure: This project was sponsored by Behr Paint Company. All opinions, photos, and words are my own.

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Recently, Behr reached out to me to try their new BEHR® Chalk Decorative Paint, Aerosol Paint, and Wax products and I was eager to test them out. Using BEHR Chalk paint and BEHR Wax Decorative Finish is a fun way to express your personal style and create a one-of-a-kind piece. I thought it would be great to update some of my much-loved furnishings. This teal dresser, which I've had for almost a decade, and the mirror above, were ready for a new look.


These pieces are still in good condition so it makes sense to hang onto them a while longer and give them a refresh. Using Behr's products, my plan was to take the dresser and mirror from calm and classic to bright and beachy. We've tended to use our paint sprayer to paint furniture in the past so I was curious as to what a hand painted finish would look like. I was provided the products used in this post but all opinions are my own.

How to Paint Furniture with BEHR® Chalk Decorative Paint:

Painting with chalk decorative paint is different than painting with latex. Here's a few things to know:

  • BEHR Chalk Decorative Paint requires little to no prep work. You don't need to prime, sand, or strip your furniture beforehand. It can be applied over most existing surfaces with very little surface preparation
  • After you apply the paint, you need to seal the finish with wax. This two-step paint and seal process helps to achieve one-of-a-kind accent pieces
  • Behr’s selection of paint colours paired with Behr’s decorative waxes allows you to create a unique and personal look 
  • Clean up is easy, using just soap and water 

Step 1. Select Your Piece of Furniture

I wanted to test out both the chalk decorative paint and the aerosols so I choose two pieces to transform. We currently use the vintage dresser in our basement to hold board games and craft supplies. The basement was recently updated with more of a coastal look and sadly, the dresser no longer fits in. A beachy makeover is just what this dresser needs. The mirror is a great size but the dark colour feels dated and heavy. I hoped to update it with a few coats of colourful spray paint.

Step 2. Select Your Paint Colours

For the dresser, I decided on a classic coastal blue and white scheme and chose Tin White BCP08 and Timeless Blue BCP38 from Behr's palette of popular chalk decorative paint colours. However, if you want something different, BEHR® Chalk Decorative Paint is tintable to match almost any Behr colour. To give the furniture a whitewashed look, I would seal the piece with BEHR® Wax Decorative Finish in White No. 7150.

The mirror would get a bright update using BEHR Chalk Decorative Aerosol Paint in Gingham BCP35 followed by a coat in Clear.

Step 3. Gather Your Supplies


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The supplies I used were:
  • 1 quart of BEHR Chalk Decorative Paint in Tin White
  • 1 quart of BEHR Chalk Decorative Paint in Timeless Blue
  • 1 tin of BEHR Wax Decorative Finish in White 
  • 1 can of BEHR Chalk Decorative Aerosol Paint in Gingham
  • 1 can of BEHR Chalk Decorative Aerosol Paint in Clear
  • Paint brush. I used one specifically for chalk decorative paint, but you can use a flat brush, or small roller. All will work well.
  • 2 soft rags
  • Drop cloth
  • Other optional supplies: Spackling paste to fill in old hardware holes, new hardware, painter's tape, tape measure, drill

Step 4. Clean and Prepare Your Furniture

Get your piece ready for painting with these simple steps:
  • Prepare your work area in a bright and well ventilated space. Put the furniture on top of a drop cloth
  • Sand any rough areas. You do not need to sand the entire piece; just sand any noticeable spots
  • Clean all pieces to remove oils and dirt. Vacuum all drawers. Wipe with a rag of warm soapy water, and then wipe with clean water. Allow to dry
  • Remove old hardware, fill holes with spackling paste, and sand. This is only necessary if you are changing hardware and the new hardware does not line up with the holes of the old hardware
  • Tape off any areas that won't be painted with painter's tape
  • Remove drawers or shelves

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Tip: Write down the order of the drawers on the bottom so you know where to put them back!

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behr chalk decorative paint, chalk paint aerosol, behr wax decorative finish, behr chalk paint aerosol, blue and white coastal dresser

Step 5: Apply a first coat of BEHR® Chalk Decorative Paint

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  • Work slowly in one section using long strokes
  • Start by painting along the edges, dabbing in the corners to ensure you cover every inch
  • Paint in the direction of the wood grain
  • Don't worry about getting a thick coat with the first coat. Just make sure everything is covered at least once
  • Watch for paint drips in the corners and down vertical edges like behind legs. Ensure that you don't use too much paint in decorative grooves and that it doesn't pool

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Here's the dresser after one coat of the Tin White BCP08. I find Behr paint generally to be on the thicker side and I loved the coverage I got with just one coat. The teal paint is barely noticeable beneath the white.

Step 6. Apply a Second Coat of BEHR® Chalk Decorative Paint

Allow for one hour drying time and then apply the second coat of paint. This coat is where you achieve deep, opaque and even coverage. Here's a drawer after two coats of Timeless Blue BCP38. You'll notice that after the second coat the brushstrokes become less visible and you achieve a nice matte finish.

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Step 7. Apply BEHR® Wax Decorative Finish to seal the paint

The wax coat ensures that your paint will be durable and long-lasting. You can use a brush or soft rag to apply the wax to your piece. Dab the brush in the tin a few times and apply the wax in long strokes going with the grain. Apply along all the edges and dab in the crevices. You don't need to overload your brush with wax as you'll be wiping much of the wax off.

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Use a rag to wipe off most of the wax. Use long strokes going in the direction of the grain. Allow some of the wax to remain in areas you want to highlight, such as along the edges or in the grooves. You can reapply more wax and wipe it off if you want a more textured look. It the wax is too heavy, keep wiping it away with the rag until you get the depth and finish that you want.

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Here's a video showing how I applied the paint and wax on the drawer:



Step 8: Buff Your Piece (Optional) and Reattach Hardware

If you like the matte look, you can leave the piece as is after the wax coat. Let the piece dry and cure for 24 hours before handling and putting drawers back in and reattaching the hardware.

However, if you prefer a slightly glossier look, take a clean rag and rub the piece in small circles. Just polish it enough to give the furniture a bit of a shinier finish. Reattach the hardware and put back the shelves and drawers.

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how to paint furniture with chalk paint, behr chalk decorative paint, chalk paint aerosol, behr wax decorative finish, behr chalk paint aerosol, blue and white coastal dresser

I applied the wax to both the drawer fronts and the dresser body and gave them a slight buffing. The wax toned down the blue paint and gave the drawers a more aged, whitewashed look.

How to Paint With BEHR® Chalk Decorative Aerosol Paint:


The painting of the metal mirror with the chalk decorative aerosol in Gingham BCP35 was super simple. As with the liquid paint, there's very little prep work required before you apply the aerosol.

  • Prepare your work zone in a very well ventilated area. I spray painted outside in the garage
  • Clean the piece with a warm soapy cloth and allow to dry
  • Use painter's tape and newspaper to cover any areas that won't be painted
  • Apply one light coat of the chalk decorative aerosol. Spray in short strokes, moving in one direction. Ensure you spray all surfaces but don't worry if the coat is lighter in some areas. Several light coats are better than fewer, thick coats which are prone to drips
  • Wait about 10 minutes for the first coat to dry and spray a second coat
  • Finish off with a coat of BEHR® Chalk Decorative Aerosol Paint in Clear


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Are you ready to see how the finished pieces look? Here's our "new" beachy dresser and mirror!

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how to paint furniture with chalk paint, behr chalk decorative paint, chalk paint aerosol, behr wax decorative finish, behr chalk paint aerosol, blue and white coastal dresser

I love how these pieces turned out. They look and feel so different from their original state.

The blue and white colour scheme plus the glass handles adds to the coastal scheme of the room. The paint has added character to the piece and it has brightened up this corner. The mirror turned out really lovely too. It has a nice muted finish and isn't too glossy or shiny.

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how to paint furniture with chalk paint, behr chalk decorative paint, chalk paint aerosol, behr wax decorative finish, behr chalk paint aerosol, blue and white coastal dresser

The dresser also has a little surprise inside. I lined each of the drawers with a drawer liner in a caned pattern. It lends the perfect summery touch.

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You can see here how the revamped dresser helps tie in all of the other blues in our basement, like the craft room door painted in Blue Moon Bay S480-5 by Behr. Even though we get little natural light down in this room, the coastal decor has made the basement feel much more lively and fresh.

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I was very pleased with the performance of the BEHR® Chalk Decorative Paint, Aerosol Paint and Wax products and am wondering what other pieces I can revitalize next. The process wasn't complicated at all and it was a fairly quick and simple transformation. Don't be surprised if you see more painted furniture around here soon!

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