Saturday, March 17, 2012

Arles chalk paint and zinc

 I love little tables this size maybe because they're so versatile and I'm always changing things around.... 
Below is how she started out.
and her top was pretty beat up and a little wonky--love that word
 I actually painted her with a coat of latex while we  were working on the dining room set (for a customer) we painted in Emperor's Silk and topped with zinc...that was BEFORE I knew I was going to own my own chalk paint
 So I decided to take another go at the chalk painting after reading the book(Quick and Easy Paint Transformations by Annie Sloan)....*very* helpful I might add.  So thank-you Marykay!!!!
 And I felt like this little piece turned out alot better than my first try.  She says to paint "sloppy", and if you do it gives you a much more textured piece...which is even more apparent once you wax...
 This would be ME working on wrapping the top in zinc.  I wanted to get a little more hands on with this one so I could learn more.  I soldered all the corners and did a lot of the hammering. You can see the tutorial post on topping with zinc here...I have to say that post has been all over the place and is getting tons of traffic....
 So here's the top all finished up.  We also decided to try distressing this one a bit as well as aging, and waxing it.
 A closer look at the top...*those dandelions are from Doodlebug* when he saw me putting flowers and things on the table he wanted to help decorate it.  A boy after my own heart...sigh....
 Some detailed photos of the paint finish and the glass knob...and good texture on the leg in the photo below as well...
And I 'm hoping to do a separate post on the aging process here soon....I'm going to be decorating our church nursery so I've been busy getting ready for that...
A coffee filter project with a little spin and a few other things...
Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
Furniture Feature Fridays

6 comments:

  1. This looks amazing-the colors look fab with the wax-Following you from MMS-stop on over for a visit!

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    1. Thanks Claire! I popped over really quick but I'll be back when I have more time...looking at all the creative ideas gets my brain TOO stirred up right before bed!!!! LOL

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  2. Another one!! Just gorgeous. I recently saw a gorgeous chest at Antrhopology in LA that had zinc panels topping it, then they had secured it with little upholstery nails. It looked amazing. Of course, the price was amazing too. Amazingly unbelievable!

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  3. Beautiful! I found my way to your blog via the DIY Club. Congratulations! Your red zinc topped table is fabulous.
    I am very curious about your weathering technique. I had a slip cover made for my bar from zinc and I love it, but it is a huge pain to keep clean. I'd love for it to look more like galvanized metal, in fact, that is what I asked for when I contacted the man who made my counter cover. I'd be so grateful if you have any tips you could share.

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    1. It should (over time) turn a grey-ish color on it's own. We age it with cupric sulfate mixed with water (which gives it a grey color depending on how heavily you apply it) --- then wax it. You can use butcher's wax which protects the forced aging. BUT if you wax the zinc without aging it you'll be protecting it from aging on it's own. If that makes sense.....when you say it's a pain to keep clean what does that mean? Is it more like stainless steel looking right now? You should just need to wipe it with a damp cloth. Acidic cleaners will remove any patina and make it "shiny" again. You can also use scotch brite to take it back down to the original bare metal....not sure if any of this helps! Feel free to email me if you have more questions or something doesn't make sense!

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