Tutorials

Instructions for Blackberry House Paints

Remember, all paints are not created equal. These instructions are for use with our brand, Blackberry House Paint.

We believe there are 6 steps to a successful paint project. When using our paint, we recommend that you go through this 6 step process to see the full benefits of our paint at every stage.

SPECIAL NOTE: Remember to take a before and after picture of your project. Feel free to post it to our page!

1. Clean your project with a commercial degreaser product such as Krud Kutter or Zep. We suggest cleaning with the scrub side of a sponge (Scotch Brite, for example) to get all the residue off your project. You want to start with a clean surface. If you are working on a laminate piece, we recommend that you clean it with a deglosser for best results. Be sure to wipe the cleaner off with a clean wet rag. You want all cleaning residue to be removed from your project piece, otherwise, you risk a less than perfect paint job. Let it dry completely before painting. (Note for painting over oil based pieces: Do not clean any oil based project with degreaser or it will cause the surface to become gummy, and extremely hard to remove. A little dish soap in water and a scotch brite pad and the best choice for cleaning oil based surfaces.)

2. Paint your project. Saturate your brush and paint with straight, thorough strokes. You will get the best coverage on your project when you paint with the side of your brush rather than the tip. Layer your paint in thin coats for the best results. Try not to use a heavy hand. The smoother and more even your strokes, the better your project will turn out.
If your project requires more than one coat, let the first coat dry completely before applying the second coat. It dries fast, so it won’t take long. Applying wet paint to wet paint only pushes your paint around, it doesn’t add more paint, and in most cases will actually pick up your first layer.
(TIP: When your brush is not in use, put it in a zip lock bag and seal it to keep the paint moist. Do not put in refrigerator.)

3. Sand your piece lightly with a sanding sponge. IMPORTANT: Upon initial application,  this paint is VERY easy to sand and does not require much elbow grease. (It will dry within a few minutes and cure to a permanent state in just a few days.) When used with a good quality brush, our paint dries free of brush strokes. Because of this, a light swipe across the whole piece will smooth it out effectively. This will help you obtain a professional finish on your end project.

4. Distress your piece. This is much easier than you’re probably used to. If you want to try wet distressing, wet your sanding sponge and ring it out until you have no dripping water. You want it damp, but not soaking. Proceed with distressing. If you prefer to dry sand, use whatever method you are familiar with. When you wet sand, you’ll need to wash out your sanding block when it gets full of paint to achieve the best results. Again, this paint does NOT require a heavy hand and if you sand too hard or too much in one spot you may remove the paint entirely. Always distress within an hour or so after painting. Our paint is virtually indestructible after only a couple of days and will become much harder to distress, so you’ll want to do this the day you paint it.

5. Wipe your piece down with a damp rag. You‘ll want to wipe your piece to get the residue off created by sanding and distressing. Be sure your rag is damp, not soaked.

6. Age and Seal your piece (optional). This paint can be sealed with our wax, polyacrylic clear coats, glaze, or stain. Most applications are brush on, wipe off, but be sure to follow the instructions for the product you are using. Many people prefer to add a little color to their piece for an aged effect – this can be achieved with tinted top coat products such as wax. (Fun fact: You can add any of our paints to our natural wax to create the wax color of your choice, and you can add our paint to our clear coat to create any stain color your want!)

If you want to use your project piece immediately, you will need to seal it for best results. If you prefer not to seal/wax your piece, this paint will cure to a very hard finish after 5-7 days and will not need a topcoat.

Clean your brushes and hands immediately after use. We suggest using our Furniture & Brush Cleaner for this, but you can also use other available cleaning products. Be sure not to use any cleaners with moisturizers in it.

Our paint is heavily pigmented and has strong adhesion properties, and may be hard to remove if left very long after your project is finished. You may need to use a soft Scotch Brite type sponge and soap to remove. Dish soap on a soft abrasive sponge works well also.