FAQs

Our paint is water-based and doesn't contain any solvents. Therefore, natural bristle brushes are not recommended to use because they absorb water, which causes the bristles to flare or become too soft to paint effectively.

Our line of brushes was selected specifically for use with our paint and wax - they are made from a special blend of synthetic bristles which will allow you to easily apply the paint to your piece without noticeable brush strokes. These brushes are high-quality and will last you a very long time.

Most of the time, there is very little you need to do in terms of prep work. You do want to make sure that your piece is clean, dust-free and is mold-free.

If the piece has been painted before, make sure there is no loose or scaling paint (unless you don’t mind that the new coat will chip away). It all depends on the look you’re going for! If the surface is glossy, then we recommend you sand it lightly with 120 grit sandpaper so the paint adheres better.

Certain types of wood may cause the stain to bleed through to the paint, leaving it looking yellow or pink. To avoid this, you’ll need to apply a stain-blocking primer (such as Shellac) before you paint. If you’ve started painting already, you can also apply it over the paint, let it dry and continue painting with a new coat.

Before you start painting, always make sure the surface is dry and the temperature is approximately between 10°C (50°F) and 30°C (86°F). If it’s too hot the paint will dry too quickly and if it’s too cold or too humid the paint will take a long time to dry.

Please visit our Surface Prep Tutorial for detailed instructions!

One of the awesome things about our paint is that it is super easy to distress. You don’t even need sandpaper! Take a look at our distressing tutorial to see how it is done.

No. You are absolutely free to leave your piece untouched and not distress it! Just finish with wax after your final paint coat and you’ll have a stunning piece for your home!

Yes, our All-In-One Decor Paint is wonderful for painting kitchen cabinets! We have a tutorial available that shows you how to paint cabinets, so make sure to read and watch this tutorial before you start.

Our All-In-One Decor Paint is designed for outdoor furniture as well as indoor furniture, so yes, you can definitely use our paint outside! When you are putting your project in a covered area, then you don’t need to worry about using a top coat. However, if your piece is going to get rained on, we highly recommend finishing your project with Tough Coat so it will last a lot longer!

Wax isn’t recommended for outdoor use as the heat can melt the wax and you wouldn’t want a sticky piece of furniture, of course!

For table tops, as well as kitchen cabinets, we have developed Tough Coat, an extremely durable finish that provides excellent protection for table tops and kitchen cabinets. You'll find it at our retailers or in our online shop.

Here are some tips for working with Tough Coat:

• First of all, Tough Coat should be applied only to painted pieces that have dried for at least 24 hours. It might be better to wait a bit longer if you have painted several coats, or if it is cold or humid.
• Tough Coat (as well as the paint) needs to be stirred thoroughly before use.
• Do NOT shake the can, as this will incorporate air in the product and bubbles in the finish.
• You want to make sure that the temperature you are working in doesn't exceed 70F or 21C.
• Use a clean foam brush to apply Tough Coat.
• You also don't want to keep going back and forth over the same area. It is best to apply in long strokes and not go over the same section when it's started to dry (and it'll dry quickly).
• Make sure to apply a coat that is neither too thin or too thick. Too thin will mean that it'll look blotchy and too thick and you'll get drips.
• Try to apply only little pressure: too much pressure and it might start getting a bit foamy and bubbly.
• If it dries too quickly, you can add up to 5% water.

The finishing product you choose will depend a bit on the look you’re trying to achieve, and also what the piece will be used for. Both antiquing wax and glaze are designed to give your piece age and depth, but they have different colors and very different application methods. Click here to see examples of antiquing wax and glaze or click here to watch our tutorial about the differences in our finishing products where you’ll not only see the various results, but we’ll also demonstrate the different application methods.

If you’re refurbishing a piece that will get a lot of traffic or heavy usage, we recommend using a glaze so that you can seal your work with Tough Coat to give it the best protection possible. Tough Coat cannot be applied over wax as it’s a water-based product that won’t adhere properly over an oily product like wax. If you’re project will not be used as heavily and you’d just like a nice, professional-looking finish, then antiquing wax may be the way to go!

It’s so frustrating when that happens! Certain types of wood or nicotine residue, may cause the stain to bleed through to the paint, leaving it looking yellow or pink. To avoid this, you’ll need to apply a stain-blocking primer (such as Shellac) before you paint. If you’ve started painting already, you can also apply it over the paint, let it dry and continue painting with a new coat.

We recommend cleaning your painted furniture and home decor with a slightly dampened cloth. If you have used wax on your piece, you’ll probably want to re-apply some wax every 6-12 months. If you used Hemp Oil on your piece, you'll want to re-apply every 12-24 months.