THRIFTY FINDS - IKEA HACK! UPCYCLED PHOTO FRAMES WITH 'DIY' CHALK PAINT

In our house we are big Ikea fans. Great products and a great price. We had these frames from our first home (so they've been around a while!) We purchased them, as we purchased most of our house items in Oak. Oak was versatile, we liked the look.

Fast forward several years...

A couple of the frames a scratched, some bits have pealed. Basically they look tired, don't match our new home, are dated, I'm tired of how they look (which is tired too) and I'm no longer their greatest fan. Long story short...I don't like them.

So my choices. 1. Buy new frames. 2. Upcycle my current frames.

Wasn't really a choice... was it ;)


Lets talk Chalk Paint. I LOVE Chalk Paint.
I must admit i haven't really tried and tested masses of brands and options. At present I'm favouring the Bi-Carb/Paint option though as I'm new to this. It works for me, i like the look/texture and how it paints. It also means i don't have to spend a fortune on a paint colour that i may not stick with. Win! Win!

Here is the Bi-carbonate of soda/paint mix i used.


Bad blogger - i forgot to take a picture of how our frame started. Here's a link to the original frame at Ikea in Oak. I LOVE the new look, i painted five frames in total and they now have a new lease of life, i love the chippy-ness created by the sander, i also loved the fact that i had control over the amount (or lack of) oak showing through. They have much more of a unique look which i prefer over the original 'lacquered' look. I have re-instated some of our favourite wedding photos just in time for our fifth wedding anniversary this month.


WHAT WAS USED
Oak Ikea Frame (these were 8x10)
White Paint (i used Cuprinol as i had it to hand)
Bi-Carbonate of Soda
Paint brush
Mini Sander
Cloth (removing excess dust)
Clear Paint Sealer



WHAT YOU DO
> Remove the outside frame. Pop your glass somewhere safe
> Mix Bi-Carbonate of Soda and paint to create your chalk paint
> Paint your frame with your chalk paint mix. I gave mine three coats.
> Wait till your frame is dry
> Sand your frame to create a desired 'weathered' look. I ran the sander over the entire frame to remove any stubborn chalky bits, it made a smoother finish.
> Remove any excess dust and spray with clear paint sealer (i used to two coats)
> Wait till the sealer is dry and put your frame back together