Person painting wood using paint brush and textured red paint
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Add Salt To Your Paint To Give Furniture A Beautiful Textured Upgrade
By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS
Rustic wood sign painted blue and red
Upcycling old furniture is a fun DIY project, and when added to paint, salt creates a crackled, textured look that can give your wooden pieces the perfect beach aesthetic.
Salt, plaster of Paris, tablespoon, and empty container on work surface
To achieve this effect, you’ll need Kosher salt or salt washes, plaster of Paris, a palm sander, flat white latex paint, and two colors of flat paint that pair well together.
Salt being poured onto tablespoon over container, next to plaster of Paris carton
Mix 1 tablespoon of salt with 1 cup of your base color paint and 3 tablespoons of plaster of Paris, creating a thick paint. For best textured results, gradually mix your paint.
Woman painting wood red using medium sized brush
Clean your furniture before painting to guarantee the salt paint adheres to the surface. Paint using thick layers, dab the brush, or use brush strokes to create more texture.
Wood being painted a bright blue using a medium sized brush
Once the first coat is dry, repeat the process with your second color, completely covering the first layer of paint. After it's dried, use a dry brush to apply a thin layer of latex paint.
Blue painted wood being sanded with palm sander
After the latex paint has dried, use 120-grit sandpaper over the entire area. Sand more in some places than others to reveal the underlying colors, then clean it with a wet cloth.