All are excellent choices for painting furniture, but each paint is formulated differently using a unique blend of ingredients that give the user a variety of options for achieving different looks. Comparing acrylic paint with other formulations is like comparing treated leather with untreated leather. Where acrylic-based paints are non-porous and thus resistant to water marks and wear, other formulations are susceptible to stains and scuffs until sealed.

Fusion™ Mineral Paint is a water-based paint made from 100% acrylic polymer emulsion. It is a high adhesion, extremely durable and non-porous paint requiring no sealant to render it water resistant. The innate impermeability and natural mineral pigments of the paint make it resistant to fading and safe for outdoor use. Fusion™ is perfect for smooth modern finishes and is a great choice for refinishing cabinets and high-use pieces. Top coats can be added for increased durability, sheen, or decorative effects.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® is the original Chalk Paint® and was formulated to achieve many artistic looks and faux finishes. It is a thick, pigment dense paint whose porous nature requires sealing with wax or lacquer for durability and impermeability. The paint boasts great adhesion and can be applied to many surfaces including wood, glass, metal and stone. Colours are easily mixed to create new hues and can even be diluted to dye fabrics. Chalk Paint® can be finished smooth or textured depending on application technique and has a velvety matte finish.

Milk Paint by Fusion™ is based on an ancient form of paint and can give you unlimited looks. It can be used as a stain on raw wood, an opaque paint with the addition of a bonding agent or achieve a chippy old-world charm and crackled effect if applied over a sealed surface. Made from a combination of limestone, chalk, clay, casein and minerals, Milk Paint powder is mixed with water to create an extremely durable paint that carries little to no brushstrokes and dries very fast. It’s porous finish seals beautifully with natural top coats like hemp or tung oil – making the end result food and child safe.

As long as it’s not breathing, you can likely paint it! Wood (finished or raw), plastic, metal, glass, laminate, stone, tile and even leather and fabric can all be painted with the right prep work and product. Slick surfaces benefit from scuff sanding and priming for increased adhesion, while porous substrates like raw wood and unsealed stone require very little prep beyond a thorough cleaning.

Absolutely! Fusion™ Mineral Paint is UV and water resistant making it great for doors, fabric and chairs. The thick texture of Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint® is perfect for rough textures like raw wood, stone or brick and is weather resistant when a coat of lacquer is applied. On vertical surfaces where water isn’t likely to pool, the paint can be left unsealed. Milk Paint will also do well outside if it is sealed and is a safe option for garden boxes.

*Wax as a finish is not recommended for outdoors.
*To reduce chipping and peeling on wood, all surfaces must be painted if using a non-porous product like Fusion™ or a lacquer. Because the paint seals the wood, evaporating water absorbed through open areas pushes the paint off the surface, causing it to crack, chip and peel.
*If using paint as a stain, wood should be cleaned of all previous finishes and sanded enough to open the pours, allowing for maximum absorption of the product. Horizontal surfaces like decks and picnic tables should then be sealed with a breathable product like tung oil. 

Our paints are non-toxic and contain little to no VOCs, making them virtually odour free. Some oil-based products do have a mild odour that will dissipate once dry. It is recommended to apply mineral spirits and shellac-baed primers in a well ventilated area.

Yes. Poor paint adhesion is rarely due to an issue with the paint, but much more likely because of a problem with the surface it was applied to. Furniture polish, wood cleaners and conditioners, wax and oil finishes and even residue from our hands will cause the substrate to resist paint.

We recommend using an oil-free degreaser with a mildly abrasive sponge for large surfaces and a toothbrush to get into small areas. Pay extra attention to high-touch areas like around the handles of doors and drawers and the backs of chairs and their armrests. If painting kitchen cabinets, pay special attention to areas around the stove, garbage bin, sink and dishwasher as they will have an excess accumulation of grease. In bathrooms, be mindful of overspray from hair products and surfaces that may have come into contact with moisturizers, cleansers or makeup.

*If the piece has been polished with silicone sprays or waxed, you will need to use mineral spirits or odourless solvent to dissolve the surface and scrape away the residue. The only exception is if the piece was waxed with Annie Sloan® wax, has had ample time to cure and you are re-applying Annie Sloan® paint.

Strategic marketing aside, sanding is not always necessary but is often recommended for optimal adhesion. A light scuff-sand with a fine to medium grit sanding block will remove any finish, texture or residues that could potentially act as a resist, causing your paint to lift. It will also provide a “toothy” surface, offering maximum adhesion for the paint – especially on extremely smooth surfaces like laminate. That being said, it is not necessary to completely remove the existing finish to paint over it unless it is chipping, peeling or otherwise unstable.

Some woods like oak, mahogany and pine are notorious for “bleeding”. To prevent the tannins from showing through your light-colour paint, it is best to apply a true shellac based primer (not synthetic shellac) before painting. Slick and high-gloss surfaces like plastic and laminate will paint better if coated with a high-adhesion primer first.

For best results, wait at least 12 hours after priming before applying paint.

Porous paints like Milk Paint by Fusion™ and Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® must be sealed. You can use wax, oil, a water-based top coat or lacquer. It is worth noting that if there is a possibility of repainting the piece, waxes and oils will have to be removed with mineral spirits or odourless solvent prior to painting (unless you are using Annie Sloan® products exclusively).

For high-use pieces and surfaces requiring frequent cleaning that have been painted with Fusion™ Mineral Paint, we recommend applying a topcoat for added durability and washability.

For best results, wait until the paint is thoroughly dry before applying a top coat. We recommend at least 24 hours after last coat.

Ideally, the longer you can wait between coats, the better the results will be. Every additional coat will require a little longer time to dry and impede previous coats from drying further. There are plenty of external factors such as humidity and room temperature that also can affect how long products take to dry. In ideal circumstances, we recommend a minimum of:

• 12 hours after priming
• 4 hours between coats of paint
• 24 hours before applying a top coat

*It should be noted that dry time is not the same as cure time.

Don’t panic! It happens to the best of us. You can smooth undesirable texture with a fine-grit sandpaper by lightly sanding the surface. If you’re using Fusion™ Mineral Paint and the paint has had more than a few hours to dry, try doing a “wet sand” to remove brush strokes. A damp sanding sponge will rehydrate the paint and allow for easier removal of the offensive marks. We don’t recommend “spot sanding” your final coat of paint as this can burnish the surface and cause an uneven finish. Either sand the whole surface, or not at all unless you plan an applying another coat of paint or top coat.

To minimize the appearance of strokes with Fusion™ Mineral Paint, try the following tips:

• Use the appropriate brush for the product. A soft synthetic bristle brush is best for Fusion™ Mineral Paint. Natural bristle brushes are more robust and are great for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®. Milk Paint will spread well with almost any brush.
• Roll flat surfaces with a micro-felt roller. Microfibre rollers are often too fluffy, absorbing far too much product and leaving an orange-peel texture behind. Sponge rollers tend to slide and can compress, leaving streaks and bubbles.
• Less is more. Make sure you’re applying the least amount of paint as possible and that you aren’t overworking the paint by painting over areas you’ve already covered, or working in a disjointed fashion. Always paint in full sections, from edge to edge, and resist the urge to touch up areas until the paint is fully dry.
• Use a slightly damp brush and rinse it clean frequently while painting, making sure to wring out all of the excess water before dipping it back into the paint.
• Scoop up any pools immediately with your brush and wipe away any drips using your finger.

If you’re still struggling to apply Fusion™ Mineral Paint smoothly, try adding extender to your paint. This product will increase the paint’s dry time, thus giving you more time to apply it. Bear in mind that this will increase the wait time between coats and overall dry time.

For paint brushes: Rinse it thoroughly with warm water and oil-free dish soap or brush cleaner until the water runs clear. Place your brush upright in a dish of water, submerging the bristles ¾ of the way, and let it soak overnight, washing again the next day with soap and water before hanging it to dry.  

For brushes used with oil products: Soak with mineral spirits or odourless solvent, then clean with hot water and brush soap. Rinse well and hang to dry.

*To avoid paint drying in your brush during your project, always keep a dish of water next to you and put your brush in it if you’re not painting.
*Use cheap brushes and rollers to apply products like BIN as they will not likely be reusable.
*Don’t ball up or otherwise contain cloths, sponges or brushes used to apply oil-based products until they are dry.

Painted surfaces can tolerate light use 48-72 hours after last coat, but we would recommend refraining from placing heavy objects on the surface until the full cure time has elapsed.

Water-based products: minimum 21 days (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® and wax, Fusion™ Mineral Paint and Tough Coat™)

Oil-based products: minimum 10 days (Fusion™ Stain & Finishing Oil) 

Natural products: average 20-30 days (bees wax, hemp oil, tung oil) 

Pieces finished with natural oils or wax will require reapplication with time. One should refrain from using cleaning products other than a dry duster on these surfaces. If a topcoat has been applied, feel free to clean with a mild oil-free cleanser. If you used Fusion Mineral Paint and have not applied a topcoat, use only a damp cloth to clean. Never use furniture polishes or oil-based cleansers on painted surfaces.