Best chalk spray paint: Beautiful chalky matte finishes minus the hassle

Do-it-yourselfers love using chalk spray paint to upcycle used furniture: its chalky matte finish is sublime and embellishes the most intricate of pieces! 

Frames, dining chairs, end tables, trays, lamps, and accent pieces can all come to life with a fresh coat of chalk spray paint in neutrals, pastels, or deep colors.

By using chalk spray paint, you can easily give your thrift shop finds the designer look you’ve been dreaming of! 

To help you select the right product for your next project, read through our list of the best chalk spray paint below!

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What to know before you use chalk spray paint

If you ask any avid DIYer, they’ll tell you that the most important part of any homemade painting project is, well, the paint. 

Generally speaking, furniture-painting ventures require crucial steps like priming and sanding. However, chalk spray paint has switched things up by providing crafters with a practical, easy solution without all the time-consuming prep work.

If you’re looking for a super slick, smooth finish, you might want to sand your piece beforehand. On the other hand, if something a little more organic and natural is what you’re after, all you need to do is wash down your item, dry it, and spray away!

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Another advantage of chalk spray paint is that it covers even the smallest nooks and crannies, which is usually more challenging with your standard paintbrush. You’ll also get the job done within a shorter amount of time!

Chalk spray paint is also a great suggestion if you appreciate stylish vintage aesthetics or aim to adorn worn-out pieces with floral-motif stencils and geometric patterns.

You’ll also be happy to know that chalk spray paint is easy to clean up since many brands are water-based; washing paint brushes and rollers will become a thing of the past! 

And let’s not forget the epic waiting game we’re all familiar with after painting a piece of furniture. With chalk spray paint, you’ll be able to apply a second coating within 20 minutes of your first — a convenient perk for busy crafters and weekend warriors.

Best chalk spray paint

Check out our top picks for the best chalk spray paint below to get cracking on your next upcycling project!

1. Rust-Oleum Chalked Spray Paint 

Pros:

• Oil-based for durability 
• Dries quickly 
• Provides an ultra-matte finish

This oil-based chalk spray paint covers surfaces including wood, metal, ceramic, and canvas and is perfect for almost any indoor DIY and upcycling projects you can think of!

Its soft colors and velvety matte finish are perfect for any furniture refurbishing project, guaranteeing superior coverage and easy application. 

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This chalk spray paint offers a color palette of over 10 trendy shades that dry to the touch in just 20 minutes!

Excellent adhesion and minimal prepping can all be expected while guaranteeing an elegant, ultra-matte smooth finish. 

2. Krylon Chalky Finish 

Pros:

• Quick-drying formula 
• Sandable to achieve distressed aesthetic
• Superior durability

Another trusted brand is Krylon, which like the previous product, has also created a spray paint version of its chalk paint.

Besides a smooth, ultra-matte finish, this chalk spray paint offers excellent adhesion and longevity without requiring prepping before application.

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However, if you want a sleeker, more clean-cut outcome, this paint will respond just as well to sanding and priming.

Like most chalk spray paints, this product is regarded for its quick drying time (20-25 minutes) and can be used on wood, metal, plastic, laminate, wicker, ceramic, and glass. 

We also love this chalk spray paint for its wide range of colors: 14 to be exact! This is especially good news if you’re cooking up colorful renovation ideas for your home décor.

3. Pinty Plus Chalk Finish 

Pros:

• Environmentally friendly formula 
• Covers in a single coat 
• Fast drying

The bonus feature in this Pinty Plus set is a spray wax and polishing cloth that will protect your paintwork when working with any surface, including expanded polystyrene. 

Pinty Plus’ chalk spray paint is composed of a water-based, environmentally friendly formula and is available in an assortment of unique colors such as Yellow Mustard, Mint Green, and Blue Indigo.  

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This product is commonly sought-after by DIYers who tend to work on a diversity of heavy-duty surfaces such as wood, melamine, iron, plastic, and even glass. 

However, it may be more difficult to find depending on where you’re based. Click below to check price and availability!

4. Kilz Chalk Spray Paint 

Pros:

• Paint and primer in a single product 
• Complete coverage for multiple types of surfaces 
• Coordinating sealing wax available to protect your work

Kilz Chalk Spray Paint offers a practical solution: the combination of paint and primer in a single spray can.

This chalk spray paint is recommended for small projects, indoors or outdoors, and is most effective on wood, metal, plastic, cast stone, and wicker surfaces.  

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Although the drying time for this product can go up to an hour, the upside is that it’s easy to clean off and results in a sublime matte finish once fully dried.

Kilz’s clear or dark sealing wax is also worth looking into to preserve your piece and ensure it lasts longer!

5. Behr Chalk Decorative Spray Paint 

Pros:

• Easy application 
• Smooth coverage 
• Available in six colors plus clear for protecting your project

Behr’s chalk spray paint will give your furniture the look of aged antiques and a beautiful modern-meets-vintage flair.

This product requires a two-step paint and wax process. Results are fantastic and work especially well on wood, cast stone, and metal.

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Without demanding high-maintenance prepping, this chalk spray paint results in sleek matte finishes and offers optimal coverage over new or previously painted surfaces.

When using this product on glossy surfaces, we recommend sanding for the best results. This chalk spray paint comes in six classic colors, which are affordable.

Chalk spray paint vs standard chalk paint

What are you going to paint?

If you’re wondering whether you should choose chalk spray paint or regular chalk paint for your next project, we advise reviewing a few aspects beforehand:

• What type of surfaces will you be painting?
• Is the surface flat? Smooth? Does it feature intricate carvings?
• Are pieces straight or curvy? Will you be required to paint from difficult angles? 
• Will you be painting a large or small item? 
• Will you be working indoors or outdoors?  

Ease of application

Nowadays, most chalk spray paint and standard chalk paint don’t require arduous prep work, which makes both options convenient. 

Nevertheless, applying spray paint is undoubtedly more practical than traditional painting, especially because it’s completely tool-free!

Note that despite chalk spray paint being very effective in terms of adhesion and durability, we do advise washing down your furniture with soapy water before applying paint to ensure the best outcomes.

Coverage 

Even though standard chalk paint may provide better coverage per brushstroke, painting intricate carvings and details is a little more challenging with this method.

This form of chalk paint will inevitably leave more streaks and brushstroke marks and, possibly, residual paintbrush bristles on your piece once dried. 

Chalk spray paint provides impressive coverage without streaks and is especially effective when covering designs, patterns, and motifs on chair backs and crevices.

This form of painting also prevents the buildup of excess product and uneven patches. 

Finish

Both forms of chalk paint result in a velvety matte finish. But, the spray version will dry with a more semi-gloss appearance vs totally opaque. Of the two, the one with the most matte finish would be standard chalk paint.

Drying time

Chalk spray paint is the champion in this area! Projects painted with chalk spray paint take half the time to dry in comparison to traditional chalk paint. This is also a huge advantage if you’re shorter on time or are restricted to painting indoors.

A quicker drying time will allow you to speed up work — especially if a second coat of paint is required. Remember: no matter what form of chalk paint you use, waiting for the first coat of paint to dry is crucial before applying a second layer. 

Distressing

This technique is quite popular among amateur decorators and is achieved by rubbing sandpaper on your piece to achieve a worn-out, vintage, rustic vibe.

In this case, both forms of chalk paint sand away nicely and are equally effective in achieving this shabby-chic look. 

Clean-up

Traditional chalk paint will require working with paintbrushes that you will — surprise, surprise — have to wash. Most chalk paint is water-based, and therefore, brushes can be cleaned easily. However, this is an additional step spray painting doesn’t demand!

Cost

Both types of paint are similar in price, although standard chalk paint is slightly more expensive. You’ll also have to purchase additional tools, such as paintbrushes, rollers, etc. which requires extra spending.

When using this type of paint, at least two coats are recommended to obtain a polished finish. Therefore, be sure to consider the dimension of your object beforehand to evaluate if the amount of paint you need can be covered by your budget.

What to choose?

Since chalk spray paint dries quickly and delivers equal (or better) results than regular chalk paint, this product is undeniably more convenient and time-saving for all project sizes!

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That’s it for our guide to chalk spray paint! Any advice for other intrepid crafters? Let everyone know in the comments below!