top of page
Writer's pictureTina Brown

Some of my must-haves supplies, especially for beginners.

*In no way am I affiliated with or being paid to promote any of the products listed below. These are products I have personally used and have had positive experience with.


​I tried really hard to think of what necessary items are needed without all the extra, Also keeping in mind cost (they range from $5-$25). I can tell you that after selling my first piece, I made enough to cover all the supplies I had purchased. And the nice thing is that almost every item listed here is able to be used on multiple/many items. 


Leave me a comment and feel free to post to the Facebook page any feedback, experience, products you LOVE, etc.


xoxo,

Tina



Last,  Let's Start with Prep:


Reusable hand sanding tool with Refill Sanding Sheets 

Please spend the $10 and buy this. I was buying sand paper sheets, sanding blocks, etc. None of them come close to this! The hand tool is superior ergonomically and the sanding sheets are wonderful! I actually prefer using this tool over a power sander. You can buy additional packs of the sanding paper. This was a HUGE game changer for me!

Klean-Strip GIDDS-881056 Jasco TSP No Rinse Substitute Cleaner Quart

This stuff is a must for a good cleaning of old, dirt and grime filled furniture. Here is the spiel  "For the fastest cleaning and surface preparation, use this no-rinse one-step formula to prepare your surfaces for repainting or refinishing. It is recommended to bond old enamel, oil-based or latex paint, varnish, or lacquer finishes to new coatings, or before wallpapering. It removes grease, grime, mildew stains, food stains, crayon, dirt, smoke, old wallpaper paste and wax from painted or unpainted wood, metal, or vinyl wallpaper."


Then the paint:


ok, here's the deal....

if you are someone who has not yet made the leap of faith to spend some good money ($30+) on a pint/quart of brand name chalk style paint, this is your ticket! please do yourself a favor and buy calcium carbonate over plaster of paris. it is finer and will give you longer shelf life (less clumping at the bottom). wear a mask whenever working with fine powder, sanding, etc. you can get a 1 lb bag for $5-$10 and i store the powder in a mason jar once opened.


the recipe i use is: mix 2 tbsp calcium carbonate (cc) with 1 tbsp water. stir until no clumps. add 1 cup latex paint (any sheen but matte or flat is best) and stir very well. i use smaller size coffee canisters. even better is when you can buy a sample size (usually already in a 1 cup/8 oz size) and you can mix the cc/water mix right in!


now, i will say this- if you are able to drop $20 on a quart of chalk style paint, i still recommend going with behr decorative chalk paint. you will get great coverage out of that quart (multiple pieces) and you will not have the mess and loss from mixing the paint. 


Next, the Brushes:


Brossum Large 2-in-1 Round Chalk & Wax Brush for Painting Furniture

inverst in a decent brush. yes, these are not perfect and you will occasionally need to pick out a random bristle from your wet paint. until you are confident enough to spend the $27+ for a high quality brush (I now have 2 Cling On brushes and love them) make sure you have a nice sized bristle brush for waxing. this specific brush comes in at about $15 and you can use for waxing and painting. i have this brush and will continue to use for waxing. 

Wooster Brush Q3211-2 Shortcut Angle Sash Paintbrush

​love these brushes!!!! you can find them right by the paint section at home depot. i have had no issues with loose bristles, love the comfort of the short handle, no irritation or blisters from the rubber vs wood handles on other brushes, and.....they fit nicely in a sandwich baggie! (fyi- instead of cleaning your brush after every use, you can store in the fridge for same-color painting. don't worry, i didn't realize it at first, either.) These brushes are around $7 each and are totally worth it!


KINGART 2" Foam Brush Value Pack - Set Of 20

foam brushes are a must-have for applying stain and top coats. i like to have a variety of sizes available. you will also use these when wanting to apply small amount of paint to highlight details. you can also buy the round foam brushes which are prefect for stenciling. i love to pick these up at ross and other local stores.




Chip brushed are great to have access to because you will want to use these for applying stain, wax, glaze, etc. I try to keep on the look out for these in a pack at discount stores and the can last a while. You do not want to rely on these for your regular painting. 


Moving on to Hardware:


Trust me on this one. When you come across a piece of furniture that has all the hardware, that is a plus, especially when you love the look! One of the biggest concepts you will hear me talk about is "prepping a piece" to be painted. This includes the hardware! Vintage pieces, and really any piece of furnitfuure that has been sitting around for a few years, will accumulate lots of dust and gunk. Bar Keeper's Friend is a way to really get through all that so that you can A) leave as-is, B) paint over, C) wax. You aren't doing anyone any favors by painting right over the dirt. This is your ticket to a nice, clean surface. the stuff is amazing for cleaning, in-general. right under $10 for a 2-pack.

Then the Extras:


this stuff is amazing! you can buy a single for about $7 or the triple pack (antique gold, silver leaf, gold leaf) for about $13. i use this to cover my hardware (after being cleaned with bar keeper's friend), to highlight detailed areas, to blend away edging from a transer, for stenciling, etc. this will help you take a pretty but plain piece to the next level!


When you can, drop the $24 or so and get a 4-piece set of these. they will make your life SO much easier. i have heard of some people claiming that furniture legs can easily come off the roller but that is the purpose of the hole in the center- you can screw the roller right onto the bottom of the foot/leg. i have one set and plan to get more.


get one ASAP! when working with chalk paint you will often find yourself needing to incorporate small spritz of water. these misters are amazing and put out the perfect amount. no more annoying spray bottles with too much water in one area. you will use this when blending, needing to give your paint a little more work time, for wet-distressing, when making corrections and needing to wipe away paint because the stencil didn't come out perfect...again. i use mine ALL the time and need to get another one, just in case. around $8 and TOTALLY worth it!


ScotchBlue Original Multi-Surface Painter’s Tape, .70 inch x 60 yard, 2090, 1 Roll

You will use tape more than you think, even just in small amounts. Whether it's to tape off a mirror, to hold a stencil in place or to arrange molds to determine prefect placement, it is ALWAYS wise to have some quality tape on hand. I also have Dollar Tree painter's tape available for those not-so-important instances.


FOR PAINTING STRIPES, I RECOMMEND FROG TAPE!


Last, we have the finishing touches:


Minwax 785004444 Paste Finishing Wax, 1-Pound, Natural

When you're just starting out and on a budget, go grab some of this stuff! You can apply with a round bristle brush, lint-free rag, etc. Follow the instructions and you're good to go!


Rust-Oleum 284473 Varathane Triple Thick Polyurethane, Satin

When needing a non-wax finish (I use wax mostly on the body of a piece) my go-to is a decent Polyurethane. You can purchase at just about any hardware store and most brands are decent. i really like the Rust-Oleum Triple Thick in Satin. This is a great option for the tops of tables, dressers


Chalk Mountain Supply Co - 100% All Natural Furniture Finishing Waxes

I love this stuff, and a little goes a long way! Stock up on some lint rags and grab your round bristle brush or a chip brush and your ready to glaze! Add some onto corners and detailed areas and wipe away excess. Put too much? No worries! Add some of the clear wax and it will come right off! WARNING! Make sure you do this part LAST, after wax or Poly, or your paint/wood will absorb more than you may want. The clear wax or poly gives that layer to work on top of. This will give your piece some age and depth.

171 views2 comments

2 comentários


Get Python certification in Pune with WebAsha Technologies to validate and showcase your programming proficiency. Our certification programs are designed to equip you with practical skills and industry-recognized credentials. 


Curtir

Enhance your IT capabilities with top-tier Azure Cloud training in Pune. Our comprehensive program is designed to equip you with the skills needed to excel in the ever-evolving world of cloud computing. You'll gain a deep understanding of Azure services, architecture, and deployment through theoretical knowledge and hands-on practice.


Curtir
Post: Blog2_Post
bottom of page