When I took the plunge and purchased a quart of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Country Grey, clear and dark waxes and a wax brush, I was nervous. I have painted furniture for many years the "old fashioned" way....sanding, priming, sanding, painting, sanding, painting again, distressing, glazing, sealing....blah, blah, blah....IT. TOOK. FOREVAH! I was hesitant to try AS because of the initial cost involved. Paint-$36; Waxes-$27 ea; Wax brush-$30-ish. Not cheap when I don't know if I'll like it or if I can even use it properly. I got home that afternoon, took the hardware off of a buffet I have had for several years, wiped that sucker down and started painting. I was SHOCKED at how easily the paint went on. I shook the can a little before I opened it, but nothing was separated and it was nice and thick. By the time I finished the first coat, it was dry and ready for the second. AS paint dries super-fast. It drys to a perfect chalk-like finish. The finish was very delicate and would scratch off easily before waxing. Once the second coat was dry, I waxed it first with clear and then dark to get that great antique look. I was hooked. Literally in love with AS products. I've painted tons of furniture, bathroom vanities (even the crappy thermofoil (yes, a client taught me that word) ones that so many builders are fond of), even kitchen cabinets using AS paints, waxes and lacquer.
Some pieces I've done using AS Chalk Paint and waxes:
Now, on to the comparison....
I was interested in trying Amy Howard One-Step Paint because a cute store down the street from my home started carrying this line. Before she did so, however, I went to Homewood, AL one day and picked up a quart of Bauhaus Buff and some Light Wax for myself and the spray Primer and Lacquer for my shop-owner friend, Mary. I got home and wanted to try my hand at the One-Step paint to see what it was all about and if it could compare to my oh-so-loved Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I shook and shook the can, removed the lid and was shocked at the floating "water" on the top. It was so badly separated. I stirred and stirred and it just never seemed to mix well. I started painting a small bookshelf. I literally put on four or five coats over several days. It was streaked, uneven and didn't cover well. I was disgusted and went back to buying AS products. It literally took me nearly an entire quart to cover this small bookshelf.
Flash forward to last week: I kept seeing all of these pieces people have been painting with AH paint and none of them seemed to have the problems I had. I decided to give it another shot. I went to see Mary. I told her what a horrible experience I had with AH paint the first time I used it. She gave me some tips and we decided I must have had a bad can of paint. I chose Dunavant Green. Oh my grannies! I loved it! I had an antique buffet I purchased about two years ago that was in rough shape. I knew I wanted to paint the bottom and re-stain the top (which I have yet to get around to doing). I took Mary's advice and turned the can upside down for 30 minutes prior to using. When I popped the lid, there was none of that watery separation that I experienced the first time I used AH. I stirred it good with a plastic knife then started on my buffet. It is significantly thinner than AS. I did have to do three coats. I didn't use a lot of paint, though. I decided to just use the AH Light Wax on this piece after roughing up the edges a bit. I love how it turned out!!
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| Antique Buffet - Before (yep, it's a catch-all) |
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| This is more the true color. The bottom picture looks a bit too lime |
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Ease of use for beginners: Annie Sloan
Dries smoothest: Annie Sloan
Color choices: Amy Howard
Price: Amy Howard
Durability: I'm going with Amy Howard right now because you don't have to wax this paint. Annie Sloan HAS to have at least clear was on top.
I think I'll choose which paint to use on a job-by-job basis. Try them both...see what you think. Let me hear from you.
23 comments:
I'm interested in what you said about painting thermofoil! I want to paint my kitchen cabinets with it but I'm so afraid it will chip off! How is it looking today? Did it ever chip? Did you just wax it after painting??
Thank you for this comparison. I am curious about the durability of both paints on heavily used kitchen cabinets, as well.
Hi I was wondering if you have a piece of furniture that has a shiny look to it, do you have to sand that off first before using either one of these paints? Thanks
I've used Amy Howard paints and her waxes and laqaur. I have to say that it is incredibly difficult to paint with. I actually wind up sanding after painting because it streaks so badly. I've used several different colors and they all do the same. Very difficult to get the paint off your brushes, the waxes are ok but be prepared to put in a lot of work. If you simply use the AH paint you'll end up with chunky bits, streaks, and a little grit that all needs to be sanded down before adding a wax or laqaur. I'm switching to another paint asap. Takes entirely too long to finish one piece of furniture.
Any chalk paint needs a coat of wax or laqaur over it for durability purposes. Chalk paint will mark and can't handle moisture if nothing I'd put over the paint. Laqaur is the most durable, waxes are great for an antique look but you never want to use both on the same piece.
No, you don't have to sand.
No, you don't have to sand.
I'm having the same experience! What a pain. I'm going to use the Annie Sloan and just invest the money and do it right.
So far my AH paint it chipping off badly. I am doing chairs. Two coats and they chip whenever anything bumps against them. HAve not had this happen before with Annie Sloan. Anyone else experiencing easy chip/peel/nick with AH? Yes I waxed the chairs
I haven't tried AS. I have used AH, however, and the experience has been far from pleasant Thin, drippy, runny, poor coverage -- I would have been better off using a Benjamin Moore flat pain and waxing it -- and it would have been cheaper. On a happy note, I have had excellent luck with Waverly's chalk paint. It truly covers in one coat -- and it does not run and drip.
Question about other qualities of Amy's paint-odors, drying time, stc? Is there nay latex in her paint as in most other Annie wannabe paints?
I closed my eyes after reading this blog. What amazing feeling. I wish to experience even 1 time. Thanks for your sharing. news
I've used Amy Howard to paint a large 5-tier shelf, the wood on a Victorian sofa and the trim on a mirror. That being said, I wasn't aware that Anne Sloane paint was available the next town over! I need to try it because as you've mentioned I was very disappointed with the level of streaks, chunks, etc. that have shown on each project.
I just painted a table today. The legs and apron are spray painted in Amy Howard eggplant. The top I brushed on the Bauhaus Buff. The spray paint was a bit thin and needed a bunch of coats. But I didn't have any trouble at all with the coverage on the buff. I read the directions and let the paint sit upside down. I also let it sit in the warm car until I was ready. It was chilly today where I wanted to paint outside. The issue I had was with the condition of the table.
It was an old work table so my overspray from old projects was there, divots from old tools and LOTS of cracking of the original paint which is around 65 years old. The crackling is coming through the new layers and I love it! I had not planned on waxing the legs. But I do intend to wax the top. The color is really great but it needs to shine a bit more. I'm used to smoother textures.
I get a smell from the legs since it was aerosol. But the canned paint seems to be odorless.
I'm an Annie Sloan fan, but I was wondering how AH would fair. Let's face it, AS is expensive. But according to these comments, you get what you pay for. I'll stick with Annie Sloan!
I have a rocking chair that I want to paint and use at our ski shack and I'm curious about this paint - but have questions. 1- Would this paint work on a piece of furniture you sit on? 2 - What if your boys come in with snow covered clothes and sit on it? If I laquered it, would it work?
I have been chalk painting furniture for customers for about 4 years now. I have used chalk paint and wax from Annie Sloan, Joann Fabrics and Crafts and now with Amy Howard. I have NEVER been so disappointed in the wax as I am with Amy Howard light antiquing wax! This is the 3rd tin I have bought and they have all been the same...so terribly dry. The first time I bought the tin of antiquing wax, I thought maybe it was just old, so I decided to try again. The second tin was no different than the first. I bought some again yesterday because I was in the middle of a piece and had already used Amy Howard antiquing wax on part of the piece and did not want to switch to a different brand in the middle of my project. The directions say to lo "load a bristle brush ....". This wax is so dry you would have to use a wire brush to get the wax out! I have to scrape it out with my fingernails! It seems most of my time is spent picking up the chunks and "crumbs" that fall off my cloth instead of actually waxing the piece! I started out using an old sheet under my piece I was working on but quickly switched to newspaper so I could better hear the chunks of wax falling and would know to look for them! I wasn't too thrilled with the wax Joann Fabrics sells because it was so runny, more like a paint, but it at least spreads much more easily and your'e not spending most of your time picking up chunks of wax from all over the floor to try and get it to stay on your cloth to begin waxing! It's hard for me to believe that all three tins of Amy Howard antiquing wax were old. One or even two, maybe? But not all three! Has anyone else had this problem? I will never use this wax again!
I have been chalk painting furniture for customers for about 4 years now. I have used chalk paint and wax from Annie Sloan, Joann Fabrics and Crafts and now with Amy Howard. I have NEVER been so disappointed in the wax as I am with Amy Howard light antiquing wax! This is the 3rd tin I have bought and they have all been the same...so terribly dry. The first time I bought the tin of antiquing wax, I thought maybe it was just old, so I decided to try again. The second tin was no different than the first. I bought some again yesterday because I was in the middle of a piece and had already used Amy Howard antiquing wax on part of the piece and did not want to switch to a different brand in the middle of my project. The directions say to lo "load a bristle brush ....". This wax is so dry you would have to use a wire brush to get the wax out! I have to scrape it out with my fingernails! It seems most of my time is spent picking up the chunks and "crumbs" that fall off my cloth instead of actually waxing the piece! I started out using an old sheet under my piece I was working on but quickly switched to newspaper so I could better hear the chunks of wax falling and would know to look for them! I wasn't too thrilled with the wax Joann Fabrics sells because it was so runny, more like a paint, but it at least spreads much more easily and your'e not spending most of your time picking up chunks of wax from all over the floor to try and get it to stay on your cloth to begin waxing! It's hard for me to believe that all three tins of Amy Howard antiquing wax were old. One or even two, maybe? But not all three! Has anyone else had this problem? I will never use this wax again!
I am just finishing up my first (and last) piece using the Amy Howard paint. When I bought the first can-for the color-it was so coagulated that I could not get it to blend. I returned it to the retailer who had an electric mixer and mixed another can well for me to exchange for. What a nightmare! There are streaks, drips and I have had to use three coats and I still have to do another to get the coverage I need. A $34 learning experience.I am going back to Heirloom Traditions Paint.
I use both AH and AS. The trick with the AH is to buy it a week before you need it. Leave it upside down one day, turn on side and do a guarter turn every 6 hours or so, then right side up then back on side. Occassionally give it a good shake. After about a week your paint will be dandy. I rarely have any problems but I think a flat traditional soft brush gives a nicer finish than a chalk paint brush. I use it on objects, frames, and the like but still like AS for big pieces. AS old ochere is my default furniture paint and I love Louis Blue for doors. I dislike AS waxes. I finish furniture with sealer - varnish and only use waxes on small things. Finished a small madonna statute this week. AH paint, AS 2 part crackalure and AH dark wax. Whatever works.
Same here. I actually just picked up another can of AH one step paint hoping the first was no good, or my tools weren't the right ones. However, I have to sand and sand and sand and sand more
I just got 5 quarts of Amy Howard One Step Paint. HATE IT!!! Now I am stuck with it though, because the return process is insane. They charge a restocking fee of 15%, charge you the original shipping costs, and I would have to pay to ship it back. So, I am stuck with this junk paint. Rustoleum is 100000000000 times better than AH paint!! It goes on awful, the smell is gross, and I am going to have to do so many coats. And also, don't waste money on her Clean Slate cleaner, it is basically very watered down turpentine. Such a disappointment!!
I have gotten to where I only use Sherwin Williams paints. I can choose my colors specifically and the durability is top notch. As long as you use an oil based primer, you can use any paint.
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