Something I’ve been dreaming about doing for over a year (but have been too scared to do) is finally happening this week!! As we speak I have the first coat of Benjamin Moore Simply White painted throughout my entry and 2 story foyer and I am loving how it looks (huge sign of relief)!
I will definitely talk more about the foyer and hallway progress in the future! Today though I want to share a 1 year update on my DIY painted couch.
It’s been a year and 2 weeks to be exact and I still cant believe that I actually painted a couch!:-) I have received a lot of questions about this particular project and I really feel I owe it to you guys to do a 1 year follow up post on the subject!
If you are new, you can find the original ‘How to Paint a Couch with Chalk Paint’ tutorial, HERE. As a refresher this is what the couch looked like before I painted it.
I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to do this post and I think a Q&A will work well.
These are the questions I’ve been asked the most.
So let’s begin!!
Does the paint come off or rub off on your clothes? No, absolutely not! Once the paint dries it is there to stay.
Will the paint chip over time? No. The couch looks just as good as it did a year ago. No chipping and no signs of any other kind of wear.
Is the couch rough after painting? If you follow the tutorial (which states to sand a lot after painting) then the couch is not rough. It is stiff but not rough.
Have you washed the fabric since its been painted? I did try it once (to see if it would soften it). The paint got a bit splotchy though in a few places. I don’t know if it was caused by the water or the liquid fabric softener I used with it. Anyways I ended up repainting the splotchy areas.
What grit sandpaper did you use and, what do you think about using a power sander? I started out with 120 grit and then finished with 400 grit. The super fine grit sandpaper is what really smooths it out the best. I’m not sure about using a power sander. I think you could try it but just be careful not to push too hard into the upholstery.
Is the painted couch comfortable? Yes and No. It is comfortable enough to sit on but it is not cozy. It it similar to the stiff feel of outdoor furniture. It is fine to sit on for an hour but it’s not something you want to cozy up on and read a book or take nap.
Should I use chalk paint on my favorite chair or couch? If it’s your go to chair for relaxation and comfort or a piece of furniture you use multiple times a day then maybe don’t paint it. I don’t use the couch I painted very much because it’s in the living room and we spend much more time in other rooms. It’s comfortable enough to me for occasional use but it’s not what I want to cozy up on multiple times a day.
What would be the purpose of waxing it? Would waxing come before or after sanding?
The purpose of waxing is to seal the paint and protect it. This would be extremely important if you want to use the furniture piece outside or if you feel the upholstered couch or chair is at risk to getting spilled on (like if it was an upholstered dining room chair).
Waxing can also add luster or shine which can look great but it’s not what i wanted for this project so I did not wax my painted couch. Waxing comes at the very end after sanding.
Did you try spot washing the couch to get rid of stains before you started painting? I didn’t try spot treating the stains other than the water I sprayed on before I started painting it. The paint covered the stains without me having to do anything special to them.
How bad is the paint smell, and about how long does it take to go away? Or does it not have much of an odor?
It’s just like painting a wall…it smells for the first couple of days and then goes away.
How long does it take the paint to dry? For me it took between 4-6 hours. However it really depends on how wet you make it with water beforehand and the moisture/dryness in the air. I painted mine in a basement in Ohio which tends to be somewhat humid.
Can you paint leather and microfiber? Yes, I have read that you can paint these materials. The fabric on my couch is chenille and it worked. I can’t say for sure if it will work on other types of fabric . If you are wondering about a specific fabric your best bet is to google.”can I paint …….. fabric?”
If your fabric has a pattern will painting it get rid of it? With enough coats you can cover a colored pattern but not a pattern created by texture variations. My couch had a texture and it still does even with 3-4 coats.
If you ever paint upholstery again would you do anything different? If I do it again I would like to try using my paint sprayer. I didn’t have a paint sprayer at the time but I think it would have made the process less tedious and time intensive.
I also wonder (but am not sure) if it would make the fabric less stiff to spray it. When I have painted rugs the rug is less stiff if I spray it rather than if it is painted with a brush.
Also, one reader recently suggested using liquid fabric softner mixed in with the chalk paint to soften the paint. I don’t know if this works but I would probably give it a try if I ever do it again.:-)
Well, that’s my update! I hope you have found it helpful!! If you have any lingering questions feel free to ask them in the comment section below!
Also if you are interested I have recently updated my Rustoleum Cabinet Transformations Review (the product I used to paint my cabinets from cherry to white) post. You can view how the cabinets are holding up, HERE.
Have a wonderful weekend and as always thanks for being here!! 🙂
