Hey readers it’s  Rachel from Tea and Forget-me-nots. Come along with me on this Chalk Mineral Paint Adventures!

Materials Lists:

Step 1 Prep

To start, I gave the piece a well-needed clean. I rinsed it with White Lightning TSP cleaner. I removed the leftover residue with clean water. Then as I had the first coat of paint and stain on the shelves, I scuff-sanded them. I used 180 grit sandpaper to rough up the entire surface to help the new paint grip to it and give a smooth finish. Then I removed that sanding dust with a damp lint-free cloth.

Scuff sanding the bookshelf

Step 2: Painting

Once the piece was cleared of dust and cleaned, I found a similar color, Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint Sea Glass. Which is one of the best Chalk Mineral Paint colors for spring. With Chalk Painting, a little paint goes a long way. If you still find that the paint is thick to apply. You can use a mister bottle to spray a little water on the brush to help move the paint around. It’s a good idea to raise the piece off of the floor when painting at the bottom. This helps to keep a clean painted edge.

Painting bookshelf with sea glass chalk paint

Step 3: Raised Stencil

A raised stencil uses a product to create a 3D layer before applying the paint. It adds an additional step in the process but gives the look so much depth. To go with the slightly shabby bookshelf, I chose to only partially apply the stencil. I used various portions of the design rather than the entire piece to give a distressed appearance. As though it had worn away over time. I used Dixie Mud as the stencil compound. I often use Dixie Mud as a wood filler. But the white version is great for creating raised stencils. I repositioned the stencil several times to apply it to various parts of the side. I positioned it strategically over things like a large nail head. Things that were fine originally but given the choice, may as well be covered. Where the stencil left any of the Dixie Mud in unwanted places, I wiped that off with a damp cloth. I waited 24 hours for the stencil to dry. And then painted over it in the same original color,  Sea Glass. I like to paint over raised stencils to make them look like a naturally integrated part of the piece of furniture.

Painting over raised stencil

Step 4: Time to Seal

And then it was time to seal it. I did two coats of top coat in a Satin finish. Which is durable and has a medium sheen. The final step was to enhance the raised stencil. So, I added white furniture wax. I used a large wax brush and added the wax to all the crevices. I could have made it more subtle by buffing it but I chose to leave it quite thick. On the shelves, I used wax in horizontal and vertical brushstrokes. This created a cross-hatch and made a cool texture on the flat surface. The wax really nicely highlighted the details. The wax also acts as a third protective coat. So for a shelf with heavy use, it should hold up well.
Enhancing raised stencil with white wax]\
Here is the final look! 18 months later and I love the final result. The light green and white feels beachy and coastal to me. And the raised stencil adds both interest and does a good job of hiding a few flaws too.
Side view of bookshelf with raised stencil
To read more about this Chalk Mineral Paint Adventures on a Wooden Bookshelf head over to Tea and Forget-me-nots.
Bedroom, Featured, Home Decor, How To

About the Author

Tea and Forget-me-nots

Rachel created Tea and Forget-me-nots in 2018 after receiving compliments about her upcycled furniture. She started her blog to help others learn and share her creations!

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