Which Chalk Paint is Best?: Chalk Paint Comparisons

I get this question all the time. So today, we are going to tackle some chalk paints, as well as top coats, and compare them. My goal for this blog isn’t to declare a “winner.” I simply want to share my opinion and observation as I test these premium and bargain brands. The goal is to let you decide which chalk paint is best for you!

I’ll be comparing 5 different brands: Waverly, Rustoleum, Annie Sloan, Jolie, and Dixie Belle.

Because I decided to get similar colors to compare, I’ll be breaking this blog down into a “battle of the colors.” And then I’ll move on to the top coats and review those as well. I’ll list out pros and cons as I see them for each paint and topcoat.

And to make things fair, I’ll be using the same Zibra Palm Pro brush for every paint application. If you want links on any of these paints, scroll to the bottom to see the list. Alright! Let’s get into it!

The Battle of the Grays: Waverly Chalk in Elephant vs. Dixie Belle in Hurricane Gray

First is the battle of the grays. I’ve used both of these paint colors before and really like them both. The Waverly Elephant is an acrylic based paint, but it has a matte finish, so it still gives you that chalky look.

I love the Dixie Belle Hurricane Gray. I used it on my son’s bunkbed, so I know that it performs well!

Here are some quick pros and cons in my opinion.

Waverly Chalk - Elephant

Pros:

Acrylic-based paint that gives a matte finish like chalk paint
Goes on smooth

Cons:

Looks really streaky after 1st coat, but don’t let that freak you out!

Dixie Belle - Hurricane Gray

Pros:

Rich gray color
Goes on smooth
Performs well

Cons:

No obvious cons

Notes after final coats:

Here are some observations after getting two coats on. The Elephant ended up looking much smoother after the second coat. The first coat was very streaky, so I was a bit worried at first. They both had good coverage, so really which gray chalk paint is best comes down to which color you like better. The Elephant was a little darker than Hurricane Gray. I’d also say that Hurricane Gray was slightly smoother if that’s the look you’re going for.

The Battle of the Blacks: Waverly Chalk in Ink vs. Jolie Noir

Next up is the battle of the blacks. Some thoughts before listing out the pros and cons is that I was really impressed by the pigment of the Waverly Ink. I can see why they named it ink! If you’re looking for a true black, this is a great option. Just be careful because it will stain anything it touches (including my hands)!

Jolie Noir is a tried a true paint in my home. I know it performs well and is durable because I’ve used it on nightstands and my son’s desk. It does on pretty blue but dries down to a beautiful matte black.

Waverly Chalk - Ink

Pros:

Impressed by the ink color! Very pigmented
Great coverage: may only need a single coat
Goes on smooth

Cons:

Be careful not to get it on anything else because it will stain
Can’t mix colors with it because it’s so pigmented
Not as matte as I’d like it

Jolie - Noir

Pros:

Performs well
Goes on smooth
Can color mix to add undertones

Cons:

Not as much coverage, so you may need multiple coats

Notes after final coats:

The blacks are looking great after a second coat. The Waverly is definitely a deeper and more true black while the Jolie has a more matted finish. This also comes down to preference.

The Battle of the Whites: Rustoleum Chalk in Linen White vs. Jolie in Palace White

Now for the battle of the whites. Just a note here, if you’re going to paint with white or light-colored paints, it’s a good idea to put a coat of primer on first. For the sake of time, I went straight onto the wood.

This is the first time I’m trying Rustoleum paint. My first impression is that it has a strong odor like Waverly which isn’t my favorite. It’s also a pretty thick paint. I did think that it had great coverage on the first coat. There were definitely some brush strokes apparent on the first coat as well, but that leveled out on the next two coats.

As for the Jolie Palace White, I’ve used this paint in my home before. I love how smoothly it goes on, and after multiple coats, it had great coverage. This is common in light colors…multiple coats are inevitable. I also love that it had more of a matte finish than the Rustoleum.

Check out the list of pros and cons below for a quick cheat sheet comparison.

Rustoleum Chalk - Linen White

Pros:

Smoother than the Waverly
Goes on thick
Adheres well

Cons:

Very strong odor
Performs more like latex paint than a chalk paint
Not as matte as I’d like it to be

Jolie - Palace White

Pros:

Smoother
More of the matte appearance of chalk paint

Cons:

No cons that stand out

Notes after final coats:

There isn’t a big difference between these two after 3 coats.

The Battle of the Blues: Waverly Chalk in Pool vs. Annie Sloan in Duck Egg Blue

Lastly is the battle of the blues. I’m comparing Waverly Pool to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Duck Egg Blue. I have to admit I’m a little biased with this one because Duck Egg Blue is one of my favorite paint colors, but I’m still going to give you objective observations!

The Waverly paint was chunky as expected. I really liked the color as it went on, but as it dried down it got a lot brighter. I wasn’t a fan, but that’s just a personal preference. Otherwise, there were no issues. It went on smoothly and had great coverage.

The Annie Sloan Duck Egg Blue was much smoother when applied. And the coverage is great with just a single coat. And as you know, I have a lot of love for this paint color.

Waverly Chalk - Pool

Pros:

Went on smooth

Cons:

Dried much brighter than when applied
The paint is thick and chunky; I suggest watering it down (I do this with all paints, but this needs a little more help)
Not great coverage

Annie Sloan - Duck Egg Blue

Pros:

Very smooth when applied
Great coverage, better than Waverly
Best single coat application aside from the Waverly Ink (black)

Cons:

Can’t think of anything ;)

Notes after final coats:

There is definitely a big difference in the appearance of these two blues. The color comes down to your preference. But I want to note that the Waverly did not have much coverage after two coats. I was a little bummed about that.

Top Coat Reviews

For the top coats, I'm gonna be testing out a lot of different things on these paints. So try to keep up. I am gonna be using this Dixie bell brush. Anytime I use in a synthetic brush.

Waverly Matte Varnish

I used the Waverly Matte Varnish on the Waverly Elephant Gray, the Waverly Ink, and the Waverly Pool. My first impressions were not great with the gray and black because this varnish was lifting the paint as I was applying it.

It resulted in the grey becoming very streaky and uneven. Even though it lifted the black, I think the paint saved itself because of how pigmented it is. I will say though, that I think the Waverly Matte Varnish is a little too shiny for my preference.

This varnish did perform much better on the Waverly Pool, so I’d suggest staying away from darker colors if you plan on using the Waverly Matte Varnish.

Dixie Belle Clear Coat

This topcoat is tried and true. However, a note before I jump into these observations is that this topcoat goes on even smoother when applied with a damp brush, so I made sure to get the brush a little wet before applying.

In this experiment, I used it on both grays, both blacks, the Jolie Palace White, and on the Annie Sloan Duck Egg Blue.

This topcoat does go on with a milky white appearance, but it dries down clear and smooth. I love this topcoat and have experience with how durable it is.

Sidenote: As I applied this topcoat to the grays and blacks, it did not lift the paint at all. This showed me that the Waverly Matte Varnish was the issue and not the paints.

Waverly Wax

I used the Waverly Wax on the Waverly Ink and the Waverly Pool. This wax is very runny, so I used a lint-free cloth to apply it. I did see some little white fuzzies as I put it on, but I had to buff it off with a clear section of my cloth. I also tried applying with a shop towel as well. That seems to work a little better.

The wax was pulling the paint too, but it didn’t seem to negatively affect the overall finish of the paint. I would just be careful with dark colors as well.

Jolie Finishing Wax

I used this finishing wax to seal the Jolie Noir. They do have varnish as well, but I don’t have that on hand, so I’ll have to try that in a future project.

To keep things fair, I applied this wax the same way I did the Waverly wax using a lint-free cloth and buffed it out with a clear part of the towel. I also used the shop towels and both worked out really well. No complaints here.

Rustoleum Matte Clear

I used the Rustoleum Matte Clear topcoat on top of the Rustoleum paint. I applied it with the Dixie Belle brush, and I really liked the way this went on. It wasn’t as thick as the Waverly varnish. It actually reminded me a lot of the Dixie Belle Clear Coat.

I was very impressed with it!

Annie Sloan Wax

I used the Annie Sloan Wax on the Annie Sloan Duck Egg Blue. I really loved the way it went on because it deepened the blue, and I thought it looked beautiful.

So Which Chalk Paint is Best?

Here’s the thing. Most of the time, the best paint comes down to your own preference. Just because a paint is a little shinier than another doesn’t mean it’s better or worse. I love a good matte finish, but you may prefer a glossy look.

So which chalk paint is best? It’s up to YOU!

I’ve laid out some observations and some pros and cons, so I hope it helps you make the right decision for you and your project.

If you’d like some extra help with the breakdown of chalk paints, I’ve created a Chalk Paint Comparison Guide that you can download! And remember, you can always watch this experience in action over on my YouTube channel.