With the spike in the popularity fo chalk paint over the last few years, more and more people have taken a like to the unique texture and look of chalk paint. This has resulted in even more people using chalk paint on various surfaces both inside and outside of their home as well as an increase in the number of questions that we see asked buy the community.
One of the more common questions that we have noticed being asked time and time again is if chalk paint comes off with water or not. Although this question may seem like a simple yes or no answer, it is actually quiet complex with a number of variables being involved that will change depending on your specific situation.
Due to this, we have decided to publish this article going over if chalk paint will come off with water or not to try and help as many of our readers as possible. We will be going over intentionally trying to remove chalk paint with water as well as the effects of rain water being able to remove chalk paint on outside surfaces too.
Does Chalk Paint Come Off With Water?
Low quality chalk paint formulas, chalk paint applied to unsuitable surfaces, and chalk paint on outdoor surfaces that have not been seals can all come off in water over time. Although water can remove chalk paint due to a single one of these causes, they do compound with each other causing the chalk paint to be removed even quicker if two or all three are present.
For example, if you use a low quality chalk paint formula the water will usually remove it over time, especially rain water in color weather. If you have used a low quality chalk paint formula, applied the chalk paint to an unsuitable surface, and not sealed the chalk paint on a surface that is outdoors, the rain water will be able to quickly remove it.
Thankfully, these are actually much easier to avoid than most people initially think so you can often totally avoid the problems with water being able to remove chalk paint. The best part is, you are able to take steps to protect your chalk paint on its surface if you have already applied it too by using a chalk paint wax to seal it to the surface.
Why Can Chalk Paint Come Off With Water?
Chalk paint can come off with water easily when compared to other paint types due to its unique formula that gives it the look and feel that chalk paint has. This formula is considerably weaker than something like a full gloss paint and tends to perform considerably worse with water allowing the chalk paint to be removed.
So many people opt to go with the cheapest chalk paint formula on the market when they decided to start using chalk paint in an attempt to save money and keep their costs low. As with most things, the cheapest option is usually not the best and a decent chalk paint is usually only $5 to $10 more than the cheaper one and should always be chosen instead.
Not only do the slightly more expensive chalk paint formulas offer better protection against water, the also offer a number of advantages. The most prevalent one if you are going to be using your chalk paint outdoors is that they have better protection against UV light to prevent any color fade from occurring.
How To Prevent Your Chalk Paint Coming Off With Rain Water!
The quickest and easiest way to prevent your chalk paint from coming off due to rain water is to apply a layer of chalk paint wax once your chalk paint has dried after its initial application. The wax essentially seals the chalk paint to the surface and adds a protective layer for it against water.
Please keep in mind that the applying these wax products to your chalk paint does slightly change the texture and look of them though. The low impact wax products on the market don’t change these core characteristics of your wax paint much though.
At the time of writing, these wax products are the better option for protecting your chalk paint against rain water though. There are a number of other sealants on the market right now that can technically work but in our experience, they really arnt as effective as the simple wax products on the market.
How To Remove Chalk Paint!
If you are intentionally trying to remove your chalk paint from a surface then you are able to remove it using water if needed but it will often take a large amount of time and effort. Adding in a small amount of a decent paint remover will drastically reduce the time and effort required for your to remove your chalk paint making the job much easier.
Most people will remove their chalk paint from a surface once it starts to peel, flake, or fade and then reapply it to their outdoor surfaces. Depending on your exact situation, this can be as often as every few years to once per decade due to the decent chalk paint formulas that we recommend to our readers usually offering outstanding performance.
Keep in mind, if you do use a lower quality chalk paint formula then the chances of you have ink to totally re-do the paint job right away or replace it within a year or two are much higher than if you went with a decent chalk paint formula. On the flip side of this though, these cheaper, low equality chalk paint formulas do tend to be much easier to remove with just water so they remove the need for paint remover.
Conclusion
That brings our article going over if chalk paint comes off with water or not to an end. We hope that we have been help you better understand how to protect your chalk paint from rain water and ensure that it does not wash off quickly or help you intentionally remove your chalk paint if that is your intention.
