This is the story of a bench
I had never painted furniture before so why not start with storied, antique bench? I have a tendency to jump into new things at a higher level than a beginner probably should. Sometimes it turns out well and sometimes I learn a valuable lesson. In the case of the bench, it went well. However, If I had painted this bench 4 years ago, I might not feel the same way I do now. 4 years ago, we bought the lake house– which we sold when we moved to Cincinnati- and I was a raging perfectionist. I still struggle with perfectionism, but I’m definitely recovering which is why I consider the painting of the bench a success. The lake house renovations really taught me to embrace imperfections and appreciate things for what they are. In this case, this bench is over 100 years old. It’s covered in multiple layers of paint. It sat in the Chautauqua Institution amphitheater in New York state exposed to the elements. It’s going to look old and I want it to reflect its history.
Yes, I painted it and no, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. When the Chautauqua Institution’s amphitheater was torn down, they sold off the benches and we bought one- you can read the history and see the amphitheater- and the original look of the benches- here. And then it sat for years in various garages so it was time for me to take care of it. Once we moved and found a place for the bench, I decided to spruce it up using chalk paint, specifically Annie Sloan chalk paint in Athenian Black because I read that it was the only chalk paint that is a true black. Based on my experience, this is partially true. This shade of chalk paint is a deep charcoal before waxing and once waxed it is truly black. To prep the bench, I washed it with dish soap and water and let it dry in the sun. Then, wary of old lead paint, I wore a mask outside and used a sanding block to lightly sand only the spots that had chipped paint until the edges were smooth. If I did it again, I would choose to lightly sand the entire bench, not to make sure the surfaces were totally flat, but to potentially make the entire bench the same, smooth texture as the sanded, chipped spots.
With chalk paint there is no need to prime but for best results, each coat should dry for a full 24 hours before applying another. I applied about 3 coats of paint in the end. I say “about” because I only applied a 3rd coat to one part of the bench. The stockist I bought the paint from said to lightly sand before I waxed. That turned out to be a mistake and I quickly stopped. I don’t know if it was the color or because I didn’t sand the entire bench to begin with, but it looked awful, and I got scared and stopped. So the seat got a third coat of paint before I waxed! To apply the paint, I used a Wooster Shortcut brush for the first coat and a small foam roller for the subsequent coats. If you use a foam roller it will use of more of your paint, FYI.
The next mistake I made was applying the wax in the garage. You don’t want to skip the wax– it protects your work! For the final coat, I got smart, and Matt and I moved the bench to the much cleaner basement. Loose particles will easily stick to the wax, so it’s best to work in as clean of an environment as possible. Oh! I also used disposable lint-free cloths to apply the wax at first and they were absolutely not lint free. Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to test that cloth on a spot that would not be seen and when it linted itself all over the place, I switched to using microfiber cloths. You can clean the wax off of your microfiber cloths when you’re done by first soaking the cloth in vegetable oil and rubbing the wax off and then soaking in dish soap and water before putting the rags in your normal wash. I did the oil soak and dish soap washes outside in a plastic container and then disposed outside because I read that it’s bad to send any wax through indoor plumbing. For the last coat of wax, I also switched to using wax brushes for the application and wiping off the excess with the microfiber cloth and I wish I had used that method for the entire waxing process. Live and learn!
Once you’re done waxing there will be a curing period. I used the Annie Sloan wax and it was a solid 5 days before the wax was no longer wet to the touch (I did 3 coats). The label says it will not be fully cured for 21 days, so use that information as you will. We moved the bench into its spot in our family room (which also functions as a mud room and dining area for the kitchen) a week after the final coat of wax was applied and had no issues, but we didn’t use it heavily until about a month later.
The bench has been such a great addition to our family room/mud room/eat-in space, not to mention the fact that the length of the bench is perfect for its spot. It’s like it was made for this room. Speaking of perfect, I love that I can embrace the imperfections and love the bench the way it is, which is beautiful. It’s also fitting that it came from Chautauqua Lake which is the place that taught me to let go of perfectionism.
Just a little rewind to the beginning- did you sing the post title in your head the way I did?
As always, thanks for reading!
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