Distressing Chalk Paint with Water

In my last post showing the new living room I showed off these bookcases and mentioned they needed their own post.

 These two beauties came from a dumpster so they were a little banged up and had some broken glass in them...I don't have a good "before" photo but you get the idea...the doors are below...

 I decided to use "French Linen" because the "Paris Grey" was a  little more blue than I wanted in the living room...

 So I painted it on the high, detailed spots with the French linen because I wanted it to show through the Old White.  

 This is nice because you don't have to worry about making nice straight edges...much quicker! And it's all getting covered with the Old White.

 I debated buying the "Aubusson" color for the interior.  It would've been really striking in there but I'm glad I went with a warm color 

The "Arles" looks really nice inside...

 SOoooo in reading the book I saw that you could use water to remove the paint if it hasn't been waxed---REALLY????  

I decided to give it a try on these...

 The chalk paint is wonderful to work with don't get me wrong--but the paint, wax, distress, rewax, dark wax---it's alot of steps especially on bigger pieces with alot of parts!

 So I used a damp, clean cloth diaper and a bowl of water.  You'll be pulling the paint off so every so often you need to rinse the cloth out and get clean water....

 It took a little bit of consistent work in one spot before it started to come off but if you are really wanting the base color to show through this process does that well...

And NO dust at all --

much different from sanding...

But I should add that I did sand a little bit here and there....

 This is also where the texture of the paint really adds to the distressing....the more texture your coats of paint have the more those show when you distress.

I finished them up with clear wax only.  And I found that brushing the wax on and really working into the paint then giving it one, gentle swipe with a clean cloth helps remove excess wax. 

 The idea is for the paint to be hardened and not feel tacky or waxy when it's done.  

  Then I waited a day or so and went back over them with a clean cloth to buff them a little and get a soft sheen...