DIY chalk paint recipe

Have you ever come across a wall that has this paint that you feel you can just lick off? I remember as a kid I’d lick those types of walls and I’d be left with some color on my tongue. Of Course, I am now older and I know better. I’m sure this childhood experience isn’t mine alone and that paint that you licked off is what I want to talk about today. 

That chalk paint that seems and feels like you can just wash it off with a brush but you actually can’t. Or you ever lean against a wall and when you came off your outfit would have patches, well ladies and gentlemen that is what we are trying to make today. Chalk paint is annoying at first but it’s actually one of the best forms of paint out there. 

So you want to make your own chalk paint at home and you just don’t know where to begin? I have an answer for you. Chalk paint is one of the easiest to make out there and trust that you have all the ingredients in the comfort of your home. Maybe you just enjoy the thrill of getting it done on your own and you don’t want to get bored and have to go and buy the actual chalk paint at home. 

Don’t worry I got you, I have what you need and what you want right here. So firstly you should know that there are many ways to handle this but I will choose the easiest one for you. So we will go over two of the easiest recipes out there, and you will have to choose one and deal with that one as you wish. 

First Recipe: Unsanded grout recipe 

This first recipe was my favorite because I had almost everything in my home I did not even have to visit the store once. The paint came out perfectly and when I used it I was doubting myself for a while there but no, it did not disappoint, it did not peel and it definitely lasted longer. So let’s go through this recipe and if you don’t like it that much we can look at the next one.

What you’ll need:

  • 1 cup latex paint
  • 1 tablespoon cool water
  • 2 tablespoons unsanded grout
  • Mixing stick
  • Container

Part 1

So this is how it goes, first mix the unsanded grout with the water and make sure you remove all lumps. Hopefully, you will get it to look almost like a paste, and I said almost not fully. Just make sure no lumps are available

Part 2

Pour the unsanded grout mixture into the latex paint and mix well as well. Mix with the paint until it is as smooth as it was before you poured in the mixture. Make sure there are no lumps as well as that could mess with the whole recipe and destroy the final look after painting. 

So mix it well up. If you are done the latex paint should look the same as it did before you poured in the mixture and don’t worry when it dries up on your piece it will show the distressed look of the normal chalk paint 

Results

With this recipe when you are painting over anything it seems as if you are using any normal latex paint but when it finally dries off that when you will notice the distressed look which is what we admire most about these chalk paints. You can make any color from this just depending on the latex paint you choose to work with. 

Second Recipe: Baking Soda Recipe

Now this recipe here also works wonders, as for me I did not have all the ingredients and requirements in my home, so if you don’t think the first one works for you, try this one. The results will be just the same, I won’t lie and say that I know but I have asked people who used 

What you’ll need

  • ⅔ cup paint
  • ⅓ cup baking soda
  • Container
  • Wooden stick
  • Brush
  • Water 

So with this recipe, it’s pretty easy and pretty clear as well. Just have your regular paint and mix it with a ⅓ of baking soda. Mix very well and let it sit for a while. At the same time if you don’t want to have clumps of baking soda in your paint you could make a paste from baking soda and water. 

When you are certain that the baking soda has fewer clumps you can then add it to ⅔ cup of paint and mix very well, clockwise and anti-clockwise directions until you may as well not see the baking soda granules. 

Results

Now I have heard a lot of people who have used this recipe complain that as you paint over anything with this paint you will likely see the baking soda granules and as it dries up you might think that the paint will peel off but surprisingly it will stick to your piece like glue.

So as it turns out using it is quite unsatisfactory as a lot of doubt is involved but the end results are just as pleasing and the paint will actually last longer. 

Conclusion

So yes, when you are done with your recipes and you have your chalk paint I guess you now know what to do right? Just paint it over the piece you want to paint over and if you are unsure of how to actually do it I suggest you hire someone or you look up some articles that can instruct you on how to paint whatever it is you want to paint. 

Silly decisions could lead to disasters and you could end up with a waste of chalk paint. So best if you ask or look at tutorials if you do not know what to do first. I hope you also have a favorite recipe now and I’m sure you loved the results as promised by each recipe. Enjoy your DIY experiment. We have a great post to help with Painting over chalk paint.

Elissa Smith
Latest posts by Elissa Smith (see all)

Leave a Comment