How to Paint Fabric Upholstery with Chalk Paint

Co-authored by Tanglewood Sue and Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

Have a piece of old upholstery furniture that you know would be super cute if it only was a different color? Well, you’re in luck because we’ve got just the trick to help you paint fabric furniture to make it look brand new! Painting cotton, polyester, wool, or acrylic fabric with chalk paint is a super simple DIY project that requires only a few supplies and a little bit of work. In this article, we’ll take you through the process step-by-step, so you can become a fabric chalk painting pro.

Things You Should Know

Clean the fabric and tape over any parts of the furniture you do not want to be painted. Dilute your chalk paint so that it is 2:1 water to paint.
Spray water on your upholstery until it is damp. Then, paint the fabric using a wide bristle brush. Alternate spritzing and painting to keep the fabric wet.
Wait a few hours for the paint to dry, then buff it with sandpaper and apply another coat.
Apply a wax top coat to finish your project. Allow the furniture to dry completely (which generally takes at least 24 hours) before use.

1

Clean your piece of furniture thoroughly.

Use a vacuum to remove any dirt and dust before you start painting. Not only will this help your furniture piece feel cleaner, but it’ll also let the paint glide onto the fabric easily. Take off any cushions or pillows, and use a narrow vacuum nozzle to get in all the nooks and crannies.^{[1]
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- You can also use furniture cleaner to remove grease and oils from the upholstery.

2

Tape over the parts of furniture you don’t want painted.

Section off the fabric from the wood using painter’s tape. Lots of old upholstery furniture pieces have beautiful wood legs or armrests. If you’re not looking to paint these with the same chalk paint, put tape along the edges of wood that touch the fabric. This way, when you paint, there’s a buffer space between the fabric and wood (or other unpainted sections).^{[2]
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- If you do get paint on the wood, no worries! Simply use a damp rag to wipe it off while it’s wet.^{[3]
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- Consider staining the wood on your furniture piece to complete its updated look.

3

Dilute your chalk paint.

Mix 1 part chalk paint with 2 parts water. Pour your paint and water into a container, and use a paint stirrer stick to mix it well. Make sure there are no lumps in your paint mixture, as this could make your paint job uneven.^{[4]
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- Diluting the paint helps it easily glide onto and soak into the fabric.

4

Spray water on the fabric until it’s damp.

Wet the upholstery, so the paint goes on and adheres to the piece easily. Fill a spray bottle with water and spritz the area you’ll be painting first. Saturate the fabric with water until it’s damp to the touch.^{[5]
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5

Paint the fabric with a wide bristle brush.

Use a soft and full paintbrush to gently cover a large surface area. When painting fabric, start at the back and work your way to the front. Push the paint into the fabric with broad brush strokes to cover all threads of the fabric evenly.^{[6]
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- Paint a very thin coat rather than a thick one.
- Don’t worry if you’re using more paint than normal. Painting fabric requires a bit more paint than painting wood, walls, or other flat surfaces because the paint soaks into the fabric.

6

Follow a spray, paint, spray pattern.

Spritz the furniture with water, paint the sprayed section, and repeat. Sticking to this pattern throughout the painting process will help the fabric stay damp as you paint. If you get water on a section you’ve already painted, no worries! Everything will dry evenly once the entire piece of furniture is painted.^{[8]
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- If you’re painting something smaller like a seat cushion, you can probably get away with spraying the whole cushion with water once.

7

Buff the fabric with sandpaper in between coats.

Rub fine-grit sandpaper over the fabric to soften it up. Many older upholstery pieces are made with velvet. When you paint over this fabric, it can stiffen and lose its softness and movement. Buffing out the fabric with sandpaper can quickly solve this problem. Wait for the paint to dry, and then use circular motions and gentle pressure to sand out the fabric. Keep buffing the fabric with sandpaper until it’s soft to the touch.^{[9]
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- Sanding may take off some of the paint, and that’s okay because you can always add a second coat.
- Colored dust may come up as you do this, so keep a clean cloth, paper towel, or vacuum nearby to wipe it away.^{[10]
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- Repeat this sanding process between each coat you do. If you paint two coats, sand twice. If you paint three coats, sand three times.^{[11]
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8

Let the paint dry for a few hours before applying another coat.

Add another coat if you see the old color or pattern through the paint. Follow the same painting strokes as before, working back and forth and then in circular motions. Focus on the areas that are the most streaky or see-through during this coat.^{[12]
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- Again, apply a thin coat of paint rather than a thick one.
- Try leaving your furniture piece out in the sun to dry faster.^{[13]
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9

Apply a wax top coat once the furniture is dry for a leather look.

Give your furniture piece a leather look by buffing on some wax. Wax helps seal in the fabric’s new color. However, the buffing process could mess up your paint job if it’s not dry. So, once the paint is dry, dip a clean cloth into a chalk paint finishing wax and apply the wax to the fabric in circular motions.^{[14]
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- Buff the fabric with a colored wax for an aged, antique leather look.^{[15]
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- Now, this step is optional as it leaves behind a leather-like texture. If you want to keep the fabric soft, skip this step entirely.^{[16]
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10

Leave the painted furniture to dry for at least 24 hours.

Let the painted fabric dry completely before using the furniture. Generally, you want to wait at least 24 hours for the paint to dry. During this time, don't sit on your updated furniture piece to avoid getting any paint on your clothes. But once it’s all dry, peel off the masking tape, and lounge out!