How to Paint Fabric with Chalk Paint The Easy Way

If you have ever wondered what kind of paint you can use to paint fabric, this tutorial will show you step by step how to paint fabric permanently with chalk paint. Painting fabric is a great alternative to re-upholstering a chair that is used frequently. Learning what types of paint can be used to paint fabric will save you time, money and any extra headache from re-upholstering.

What type of paint can you use on fabric?

There are many options for painting on fabric. From fabric acrylic paint to chalk paint. The options are endless like painting almost any other surface. But for painting on fabric I prefer to use chalk paint. So today I am going to show you how to use chalk paint on fabric!

A few years back I re-upholstered the fabric seats of some vintage chairs. And although I loved the idea of covering them in a light neutral color. You can just imagine it didn’t take long for them to show their use. Here’s a picture of how they were looking after 2 years.

Even though I had made some seat covers for these chairs they were definitely in need of a makeover again! Here’s a close up shot of one of the chairs.

Can I Use Chalk Paint on Furniture?

Yes!! If you have ever painted furniture with chalk paint you may appreciate how easy it is to use. Very little prep is needed to begin work on your furniture. In a similar way you can use chalk paint on upholstered furniture and the amount of work you will save is remarkable!

I have upholstered dining room chairs and arm chairs and other types of furniture and the amount of time and sometimes money spent can be significant. Chalk paint is a great alternative to re-uhpolstering furniture if you decide re-upholstering is not worth the effort.

How do you use chalk paint on fabric?

Well, that’s an excellent question and thankfully the answer is pretty simple! This tutorial will show you step by step how to use chalk paint on fabric. And I will also share with you all the supplies I used to turn my less than company ready chairs into the BEAUTIFUL chairs they once were! So let’s get started!

Here’s how you to use chalk paint on fabric:

Watch the how to paint fabric with chalk paint video tutorial:

The supplies needed to paint fabric with chalk paint:

• Water
• Chalk Paint
• Bristle Brush
• Paint Tray
• Drop cloth
• Sandpaper 220 grit
• Annie Sloan Clear Wax

Step 1: Prepare your fabric to paint with chalk paint

The first step to painting the fabric on your furniture with chalk paint is to prep your fabric. In order to prepare the fabric for painting make sure your fabric is clean. Then add painter’s tape on all sides around the fabric you will be painting.

Step 2: Brush Water on the Fabric that will be Painted

After the painter’s tape is on, it’s time to begin!

Start by brushing water on the entire fabric surface. I just took my paint brush and a mason jar and applied water over the entire fabric surface.

You can also use a spray bottle to apply the water. The point of adding water to the fabric is to soften the fabric so that the paint will be absorbed into the fabric. Then the fabric is colored similar to how a dye works.

Step 3: Apply the paint until on the fabric

Once the fabric is dampened, take a paint tray and pour water in the bottom of the tray. Then take chalk paint and pour it on the top of the tray. Add small amounts of water to dilute the chalk paint slightly. I used just a small amount of water to make a thinner paint. I would say a 75% paint/ 25% water mixture.

Cover the entire fabric surface with an even coat of paint. If you have stains or patterns showing through after the first coat don’t worry too much. A second coat will help to hide anything that is showing through. But when painting fabric using as little paint as possible is preferred.

After the first coat of paint is applied wait for it to dry to touch. My paint was dry to touch after 4-6 hours.

Step 4: Apply a Second Coat of Paint if Needed

Even though you can’t see it that well in this photo, after my first coat of paint I could still see water stains and other stains peeking through on the fabric. So after the paint dried I decided I would need to apply a second coat of paint. Just repeat the process of covering your entire fabric surface evenly with the chalk paint.

How to soften chalk painted fabric?

Step 5: Sand Your Chalk Painted Fabric

Once your fabric has dried completely its time to soften your fabric. This step is not 100% neccessary if you feel like the paint has been well absorbed into the fabric. But if you want to soften your painted fabric take a piece of 220 grit sandpaper or a sanding block and lightly sand the fabric. Brush away any dust from the paint.

How do you seal chalk paint on fabric?

Step 6: Apply Wax to your Fabric (Optional)

The final step to painting fabric with chalk paint is sealing your fabric with clear wax. This step is optional but gives your fabric a little more durability. Simply use a bristle brush and gently rub the wax onto the fabric. Then use a clean white cloth and rub off any stickness from the wax. You do not to need to apply a lot of wax but just rub small amounts on at a time. Work in 6-8″ sections just like you would a different piece of furniture.

And that’s all there is to painting fabric on chairs! Literally so easy to turn stained and outdated chairs into BEAUTIFULLY updated chairs that have so much life left in them! I love how these chairs turned out! And painting the fabric was sooooo much easier than re-upholstering the seats all over again!

If you ever have wondered how to paint fabric with chalk paint I hope you found this tutorial easy to follow. And I hope you will be willing to give it a try for yourself! Please let me know down below if you have a piece of furntiure that you might be trying it on soon!

Take care and God bless,