Denise is totally correct about the possibility of bleed through with old, dark furniture finishes. I experienced it first-hand with white Annie Sloan challk paint over an old piece that had a reddish mahogany-like finish on it. It is extremely frustrating to spend the time painting and then find there is a pink stain bleeding through your paint so save yourself a ton of time and headaches and spray or paint your piece with Shellac first. Don't even bother with any other product. I tried a stain-blocking primer first and it didn't work; I still had the bleed through problem. Shellac is what the Annie Sloan chalk paint website recommends. Answer from Shari on hometalk.com
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Denise is totally correct about the possibility of bleed through with old, dark furniture finishes. I experienced it first-hand with white Annie Sloan challk paint over an old piece that had a reddish mahogany-like finish on it. It is extremely frustrating to spend the time painting and then find there is a pink stain bleeding through your paint so save yourself a ton of time and headaches and spray or paint your piece with Shellac first. Don't even bother with any other product. I tried a stain-blocking primer first and it didn't work; I still had the bleed through problem. Shellac is what the Annie Sloan chalk paint website recommends.
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It will stick to it but there may be a few other problems. If you use a light color paint, the dark wood might bleed through. And if you use a water base poly on top to seal it, it may give you a crackle affect which you may or may not want. To eliminate these problems, seal it with a coat of shellac first and then use your chalk paint. That should prevent bleeding and crackling.
Annie Sloan
anniesloan.com › techniques & tips › how to: upcycle pine furniture using chalk paint™
How to Upcycle Pine Furniture with Chalk Paint - Techniques | Annie Sloan
January 7, 2020 - If you’re looking for the best ... Chalk Paint™. Annie Sloan first developed this brand of furniture paint in 1990 specifically to go over surfaces like varnished pine without the need for priming first....
Videos
09:11
Color Washing HACK with Chalk Paint to Eliminate Wood Tones | Muting ...
07:19
Chalk Painting Furniture with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint - YouTube
15:38
Testing Annie Sloan Chalk Paint! // Sanding? Primer? Laminate? ...
16:22
Chalk Paint and Stained Wood Dresser Makeover - YouTube
11:19
Chalk Paint for Beginners & Java Gel Stain Tutorial - YouTube
Quora
quora.com › Can-chalk-paint-go-over-varnished-wood
Can chalk paint go over varnished wood? - Quora
I devised my own “chalk paint” by mixing plaster of Paris with emulsion and it makes a thicker paint that can be applied to unprepared wood surfaces and it covers dents to some extent.
Smashed Peas & Carrots
smashedpeasandcarrots.com › home › furniture rehab: painting over varnished wood
Furniture Rehab: Painting Over Varnished Wood - Smashed Peas & Carrots
January 3, 2014 - I just wiped the bench clean with a damp cloth and then painted the chalk paint right on top, no prep work! You can still see the varnished bench underneath one coat of paint, and from what the ladies over at Tattered Tiques told me this is normal. Usually laminate or varnished wood needs two layers of ASCP.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/woodworking › painting over varnished wood bed, prep work?
r/woodworking on Reddit: Painting over varnished wood bed, prep work?
March 22, 2021 -
I’m going to be painting over my varnished would bed this weekend, I have some light grey chalk paint, what kind of prep work is needed for varnished wood?
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Sand it to key the varnish, ideally you'd use some sort of adhesion primer too, I like Zinsser BIN which is shellac based so will stick to anything.
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Screwfix Community Forum
community.screwfix.com › forums › screwfix community forum › painters' talk
Painting over varnished surface. | Screwfix Community Forum
September 12, 2018 - I did not need to remove the varnish. Sanded very lightly to give a key. Bullsye 123 primer Dulux Trade gloss oil based paint because it was outside. (You could use Water based gloss for indoor) Still looking good 5 years later. No chips, peeling or fading. You could use Chalk Paint.
Porch Daydreamer
porchdaydreamer.com › home › paint tutorials › yes! you can use chalk paint over stain
Yes! You Can Use Chalk Paint Over Stain | Porch Daydreamer
January 13, 2025 - Transform a stained piece of furniture easily with chalk paint! You can apply chalk paint over just about any finish to create a matte finish painted french country look.
Fantastic Services
blog.fantasticservices.com › home improvement › how to paint varnished wood [everything you need to know]
How to Paint Varnished Wood - Guide by Fantastic Services UK
January 29, 2025 - Use chalk paint over varnished wood. If you like the chick, ultra-matte vintage look, or you are not sure in your DIY skills, the adhesive chalk paint is the perfect choice for your wooden piece.
Decorator's Forum
thedecoratorsforum.com › how-to-paint-over-varnished-wood
How to Paint Over Varnished Wood - Decorator's forum UK
May 24, 2025 - If you feel brave you can layer colours with chalk paint and sand through to bring under colours to the surface creating some spectacular finishes. This takes a bit more patience but can really pay off once you have a grip on the process.
Bob Vila
bobvila.com › diy › painting & finishing › how to use chalk paint
How to Use Chalk Paint to Upcycle Furniture
January 21, 2025 - Preparing furniture to be painted is pretty straightforward: Chalk paint can adhere to most surfaces, so there’s no need to sand wood furniture (even if you’re working with varnished wood pieces), or prime it, before introducing the chalk paint.
Opendoorsopenhearts
opendoorsopenhearts.com › home › blog › diy › how to paint over chalk paint | no sanding – beautiful results
How to Paint Over Chalk Paint | No Sanding – Beautiful Results - Open Doors Open Hearts
June 1, 2023 - If the furniture doesn’t have wax on top feel free to start painting. But most chalk-painted pieces will be sealed with a wax topcoat.
Annie Sloan
anniesloan.com › techniques & tips › how to: paint with chalk paint™ – the basics
How to paint furniture with Chalk Paint™ A Beginner's Guide | Annie Sloan
May 31, 2022 - Whichever piece of furniture you’re ... can get straight into the fun bit! Chalk Paint™ has incredible sticking power and will go onto almost any surface, even varnished pine or laminate....
Dependablepaint
dependablepaint.net › painting-over-varnished-wood
Mastering Painting Over Varnished Wood: Expert Tips and Techniques
Application: Apply directly over ... still providing an effective surface for paint adhesion. Chalk Paint: Adheres to varnished surfaces without sanding....
Building Institute
buildinginstitute.edu.au › blog-details › how-to-paint-over-varnished-timber
How to Paint Over Varnished Timber
Chalk Paint: Popular for a vintage, matte look. Requires a wax finish for protection. Durability Considerations: For Australian conditions, where wood may be exposed to varying temperatures and humidity, oil-based paints are often preferred for their durability.
Thepurplepaintedlady
thepurplepaintedlady.com › tag › varnish-chalk-paint
varnish chalk paint | The Purple Painted Lady
WATER BASED: Annie Sloan Lacquer is a clear water based varnish that comes in both Gloss and Matte. It is a strong penetrating Lacquer meant to be used over wood, linoleum or concrete floors painted with Chalk Paint®. It is the penetrating characteristic which makes it so hard.
Craft-art
craft-art.com › home › painting over varnished wood – how to add color to dated wood pieces
Painting Over Varnished Wood - How to Add Color to Dated Wood Pieces
July 27, 2023 - First, you wash the wood surface, ... you can use, in this case, is chalk paint and it can be applied directly over the varnished wood surface without sanding or using a primer....
Mumsnet
mumsnet.com › home › talk › property/diy
is there a way to paint over varnished wood | Mumsnet
January 21, 2016 - Yeah chalk paint - I've used annie sloan it's very popular atm, just search on here for advice. You do have to varnish or wax it which is a bit of a bind. ... Annie Sloan Chalk Paint? That goes over pretty much anything without prepping but it depends whether you want a chalk finish or not.
Sherwin-Williams
vanderkolkpainting.com › can-you-paint-over-varnished-wood-helpful-tips-and-step-by-step-guide
Can You Paint Over Varnished Wood? Helpful Tips & Guide
November 19, 2025 - If the finish becomes sticky or tacky, the wood is varnished. This quick test helps you identify the type of finish, allowing you to select the proper preparation method for painting. Yes, you can paint over varnished wood!
Call 616-202-6570
Address 225 Graham Street SW, 49503, Grand Rapids
Chalking Up Success!
chalkingupsuccess.com › home › furniture › how to prep furniture for chalk paint
How to prep furniture for chalk paint
May 22, 2023 - You can use chalk paint on many different surfaces, including wood, melamine, terracotta, and metal, and you can even use it to paint floors, glass, and laminate furniture! It can also be painted over a previously painted surface and comes in ...
Reddit
reddit.com › r/upcycling › what are the benefits of using chalk paint on furniture upcycles vs matt or other paints?
r/upcycling on Reddit: What are the benefits of using chalk paint on furniture upcycles vs matt or other paints?
October 26, 2023 -
I’ve been watching YouTube videos about upcycling furniture to get some inspiration for improving some of my own second hand furniture. I’ve noticed they frequently use chalk paint and I’m wondering if there’s a particular reason for it?
Is it just a “flatter” version of matt paint, that people like the look of? Or does chalk paint have an advantage with furniture, like not needing a primer or fewer coats of paint or something?
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I wish the furniture refinishing was just called refinishing. Upcycling to me means taking something that was going to be trash and using it for a purpose other than its original intention. It’s still cool to refinish furniture and give it new life
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You don't need to sand before applying chalk paint. It also comes in a much more limited color way and is more expensive. There are matte and some gloss options but limited. However, once chalk paint is on an item, I think it is more difficult to strip than a typical paint. For this reason, I only use chalk paint on items that are lower value - if it's a really nice piece of wood furniture I'm going to do it by the book with sanding, primer, regular paint.