Chippy Paint Tips

Let's talk chippy paint including what to look for and how to care for it! I get lots of questions when it comes to original chippy paint. The number one questions I'm asked is always about lead. Questions like - "Are you worried about the lead paint?" which then leads to questions like "How do you care for the paint if it has lead in it?" These are two valid questions that are actually super easy to answer. Before I answer them, though, I want to share what I love to look for when shopping  for pieces with an original chippy paint finish.

This old cabinet is a perfect example of what I love to look for: old flaky, chippy paint. FLAKY?? EEK!!

This is just before we loaded it into our van. Paint flakes were everywhere. Once we got it home..I took and old DRY paint brush and brushed off the remaining loose paint - don't forget this step or you'll have old paint chips all over your home and floors!

 Next... this gorgeous coffee table that makes a statement! 

I waited all day at an auction in the rain to score this chippy table for just FIVE DOLLARS! It was wet and muddy, but I washed it up and let the sun dry it out. Can you believe it was so inexpensive? 

Also...

I love looking for cabinets with drawers. This little one was $1.00 at the end of a driveway yard sale. Yep... you heard me right! ONE DOLLAR.

It was covered in black paint so I stripped it using a citrus get stripper to reveal the old white paint underneath. I love how it turned out - shabby chic and vintage.

All this cabinet needed was cleaning! I like to use Murphys Oil Soap, Dawn and here is a little secret....sometimes Westleys Beach White (used for white walls)!

So... to answer the question about lead paint, you need to know the biggest fact: In order for lead paint to even be an issue, you would need to ACTUALLY INGEST the paint and quite a bit of it at that.

For a peace of mind and a final finishing step after cleaning, I like to use Minwax Polycrylic as a sealer.

 I truly hope this has helped you and inspired you to always be on the lookout for pieces with chipped paint! They make the prettiest pieces of furniture!