I was flipping through the October issue of Country Living magazine and they had this amazing feature on black decor. There were items featured all across the board from black soapstone cheese boards, stoneware, etc. to a matte black refrigerator (sexy!) and, of course, matte black furniture.
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I happen to already have a matte black piece of furniture I painted for myself and thought I would share with you how I obtained that look.
How To Paint Furniture Matte Black
- Choose your black paint color. I used Black Bean from Heirloom Traditions. It’s a beautiful deep black and will give you a super matte finish. Another favorite of mine is Lamp Black
from General Finishes Milk Paint, but even with a flat topcoat (I’ll get to that soon) it isn’t as matte of a look as the Heirloom Traditions option. - Prep your piece of furniture by washing it well with mild soapy water (Dawn works great) and give it a light sanding with a fine grit sandpaper (or a sanding sponge like these that I like to use) to give the paint something to grip. Note: I even do this when I am using my favorite chalk style paints because it’s always a good idea even though you CAN skip this step.
- Paint your piece with as many coats as it takes to cover. Typically with a dark color such as black, you won’t need more than two coats. You might even be able to get away with one coat depending on the piece of furniture you are painting and the look you are going for.
- Distress your piece (optional). My piece is distressed using a damp scotch brite sponge. Let your paint dry (it doesn’t take long – maybe 30 minutes to an hour depending upon your climate). Then using light pressure take a damp sponge or cloth and gently rub the areas where you want to remove the paint. It’s important to start with light pressure until you get a feel for how much paint will be removed. You can always apply more pressure if you want to remove more paint.
- Apply a matte topcoat. This is the key to getting that durable matte finish. Many chalk style paint brands will suggest finishing your paint with wax. If you follow my blog you know I swore off wax finishes a while back. (Read more about that here.) Never fear, though! I have found a topcoat that gives you that super matte wax-looking finish without the aforementioned issues. General Finishes Flat Out Flat topcoat is my go-to matte finish and that is what I used on this piece. Just apply like you would any polycrylic topcoat with a foam brush. You’ll need two to three coats, and wha-la! You have a beautiful matte black beauty to enjoy in your home!
Here Is How I Got That Heavy Distressed Look On Top
I wanted the top of my piece to have some contrast to the bottom, but I didn’t want to stain it, and the original cherry wood color is not the look I wanted. So I kind of made a “stain” out of the same paint I used for the base of the piece.
- Pour some of the paint into a separate container.
- In another container you’ll need some water.
- Dip your paint brush in the water, then in the paint. Apply the paint to the piece of furniture. It should go on much thinner than it did on the base of the piece. You can also take a dry paper towel or cloth and wipe back any paint where you feel there is too much. Continue dipping the brush in the water before dipping into the paint each time you load your brush.
- Let it dry and apply your matte topcoat.
This is really a play-around-until-it-looks-the-way-you-want-it technique. You know, kind of like when you ask your grandmother for her secret recipe for her famous coconut creme pie and her response is “Honey, I don’t have a recipe. I just combine the ingredients and mix it until it looks right.” Ha! Likewise, there is no specific “recipe” for this look. Just play around and have fun! You might be amazed at what you can do when you just let your inhibitions go and try it!
I would love for you to share pics with me of your new matte black piece if you create one!
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I am really glad to see that you like the Flat Out Flat top coat method, too!! I had talked to Julie about having found that, and it just fit my method of expertise better, but I felt kinda bad about “cheating” your authentic techniques like that. And I knew that you, the real expert, would never shortcut the waxing process. Lol. But I did feel that I was obtaining a similar look, while adding more durability and eliminating the need to reapply wax every year or two. I feel much better now about my methods, after finding you were also using General Finishes paints and Flat Out Flat. Funny how we both evolved our methods to basically the same place over time. Of course, I’m still nowhere as effective as you, though, because I don’t do anywhere nearly as much of it as you do! Thank you for sharing, April! Love you!!
Jennifer
Does the matte finish make it hard to dust and clean?
Hi Alison, no, in my opinion the matte finish is just as easy to clean as a glossier finish. Unlike flat paint vs eggshell or glossy paint, the matte topcoat is still able to be cleaned with a damp rag without leaving water marks behind. I don’t recommend using liquid polishes on painted furniture as it can break down the finish. Just use a soft rag dampened with water.
Hello! Just found your web/blog. LOVE IT. I was looking up how to paint black matte furniture and your’s came up first. I love this piece you did and in about an hour, I am going to purchase a used dresser very similar with similar hardware. I am just so excited about it. I looked at the links you provided for products and I cannot find the Black Bean paint anywhere! I even contacted Heirloom Traditions hoping they can help me. Do you know of any great alternatives besides the other one you listed? The photos of the General Finish Lamp Black – even with the Flat Out Flat overlay – is still too shiny. I love how your’s looks instead. Thanks so much for any feedback. I really appreciate it! Jennifer
Hi Jennifer, I’m so sorry I’m just now seeing your comment! I’m assuming you finished your project and I’m sure it turned out fantastic. I need to apparently update this blog since you were unable to find the Black Bean. I used to partner with Heirloom Traditions and have since parted ways with them. I now partner with Wise Owl Paint and they have a great black chalk style paint if you’re still looking for one. No matter which paint you choose, the topcoat will be what determines the sheen you end up with. Flat Out Flat from General Finishes still has the most matte sheen I’ve ever seen so that’s your best bet for a super matte finish. I would love to hear from you to know how your project turned out!
Hi, I’m interested in doing 2 solid wood end tables matte black and came across your page, the only question I have is; if I would want to do the “distressed ” parts let’s say turquoise or even a light yellow how would I go about doing that without messing up the black? Thanks!
Hi Leslie, do you mean you want to see some turquoise or yellow under the black when it is distressed? So the black would be the main color with just little pops of turquoise or yellow. If so, you would start with the turquoise or yellow. Then paint black over whichever color you choose. When you distress the black whatever is underneath will show. I hope that helps!