Rustoleum Chalked Spray

Rustolem have put their chalked into a spray can! Say what now... Yes in a spray can! I tried the spray can on both a larger project and a smaller project. The smaller project was this simple old pine frame. 

The spray itself seems thinner than most sprays i have used previously. So I feel like it took 3 light coats to get a really nice coverage. I prefer to spray lighter coats to avoid runs & build up to a nicer finish. 

The colour itself is almost exact to the lid of spray can. The finish is a nice matte chalky look. It has a slightly different feel to their chalk paint in the 1L tins. In saying that though this was a very quick and easy project to do. It was simple & took no time at all. I gave the frame a very basic light sand and sprayed 3 coats. It dries to the touch in 20 mins and you need to recoat it within the hour. 

Positives; very easy to use, nice smooth finish, colours are very pretty & delivers that nice matte chalky look. Makes for a quick simple upcycle project. The only negative I have is that I personally would not use it on a large piece. I sprayed a bedside and it was a bit tedious. I find the 1L tins much nicer and easy for a larger project as they have great coverage & are more suited to that type of thing. All in all I do think these spray cans are a great DIY option. 

#rustoleum #chalked 

Staalmeester Brushes

This week I have put quite a few new products to the test. First up were these Staalmeester brushes from Fusion Mineral Paint. Owning a paint store means that we come across new types of brushes constantly. I always like to give them a go myself first because I honestly wouldn't stock something I don't believe to be a good product. I was a little skeptical at how these would stack up but to be honest I am quietly impressed! 

Staalmeester have been making brushes for 70 years! That is a lot of brushes and a lot of time to perfect a product. The brushes have a staalmeester synthetic bristle blend. I used the round 2010-22 brush. I found it comfortable to hold. It is an unusual shape but once you start to paint it is very easy to work with.  It does hold a lot of paint if you're not careful. Be mindful to not overload your brush. 

Another great test of a brush is to see how it washes up. I used this brush with chalk paint and Fusion Mineral Paint, both times it came up like new. The bristles held their shape & the brush in general looks clean and there is no leftover paint residues. It has come out soft and clean. On a side note i always use a brush soap to clean my brushes. I find this keeps them in brilliant condition. 

Positives: Easy to use, glides paint on to the surface nicely, bristles are soft, easy to handle, bristles are dense & seems to take to all types of paint. I don't find anything particularly negative or missing from this brush. I think it is a great brush and has a lot of potential. I think it would be a brilliant brush to add to your collection & it does come in a number of sizes and shapes such as flat, oval & round. 

#staalmeester #graftonpaintandcolour