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Home / Latest Posts / Life / Home / How to Paint a Piano with Chalkpaint

How to Paint a Piano with Chalkpaint

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By: Leigh Anne WilkesPosted: 9/23/14Updated: 10/03/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure policy here.

how to paint a piano with chalkpaint

This summer I needed a project.  I am a project person.  I decided that it was time to redecorate my living room.  I have never really liked my living room.  It always felt too dark and heavy.  As a result I never spent much time in there except for holidays.  I decided it was time to lighten up my life!

The whole new living room reveal will come later but today I am excited to share the transformation my piano underwent.

Our piano is old.  I’m not exactly how old it is but when we bought our first home back in 1986 it was in the house.  We paid the owners who were moving into a retirement home a few hundred dollars for it.  It has been a great piano for our family.  All of our children learned to play the piano on it and many a Christmas carol has been sung around the piano.

photo (7)

But it was just too big and dark for my new lightened up decor.  Since there are no kids at home any more, I rarely play and the only time it seems to get used is Christmas Eve I thought about getting rid of it.  I had a small revolt from a few of my children,  one in particular who considers it his piano since he is the only one that still plays the piano.  So I decided to keep it but something had to change.

I decided that painting it was the solution.  That same child who revolted against me selling the piano also wasn’t too happy about me painting it either but oh well!  I have to admit it did seem a little “sacriligious” to paint the piano but I decided to do it anyway.

Deciding on the color was the hardest part.  After a little research I knew I wanted to use chalkpaint.  I love the fact that there is no prep work with chalkpaint.  No sanding, no priming all you do is paint with the chalkpaint!

I used Annie Sloan Chalkpaint which can be bought at two different places here in Portland that I know of.  I purchased my paint at The Purple Pear  in SE Portland. The owner was very helpful and she even gave me samples of different colors to take home.  She also sells the paint online.  There is also another shop in Hillsboro that sells Annie Sloan Chalkpaint that I have purchased from before also called B Designs Home Decor and the owner is great too!

I ended up chosing Provence diluted 4 to 1 with  Old White.

provence chalk paint

The process was easy.  I removed the front of the piano first.  This was the only part of the piano I took apart.  It came off easily by releasing some levers.

How to Paint a piano with chalkpaint

I also taped around the foot pedals and the keys.

How to Paint a piano with chalkpaint

And then I just started painting.  I did paint the piano bench first because I decided if I hated it I could just buy a new piano bench!  I decided I loved it and then I just went for it!!  I was a little nervous putting that first brush full of paint on the actual piano.

How to Paint a piano with chalkpaint

Here it is with the first coat.  I ended up putting 3 coats on since the piano was so dark.  After the third coat I lightly distressed the edges and then put a couple of coats of the Annie Sloan clear wax on it. There are lots of YouTube videos out there on how to apply the wax.

How to Paint a piano with chalkpaint

And here is the finished project.  Isn’t she pretty!!

brittany-lauren-photography-caitlin-wilson-31

I have to say I am totally in love.

brittany-lauren-photography-caitlin-wilson-32

It is so pretty now,  I’m inspired to sit down and play!  Someone asked me if painting it changed the tune of the piano.  My reply was that unfortunately it was still as out of tune as it was before.  Need to get a piano tuner over here!

brittany-lauren-photography-caitlin-wilson-28

leighanneblog-3170_0001-300x300 (1)

Hi – I’m Leigh Anne! I have been a homebased mom for 30 years since my first baby boy was born! I love working with women and helping to inspire them to achieve their goals and dreams while still maintaining motherhood and family as their number one priority. I blog about everything I enjoy – creating treats and meals in my kitchen, spending time in my garden, entertaining and party planning, reading, self improvement and tips and ideas on style and fashion.

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  1. T Martin says

    Posted on 7/29 at 7:49 am

    Hi Leigh
    I feel I’m in exactly the same situation you are with the piano. My in laws “gifted” it to us when my first son was born. It was apparently my farther in laws grandfather’s and has a huge memory for him. I on the other hand have been wanting to get rid of it for awhile now but it is a touchy subject for my hubby and his family. I don’t even think I’ll be “allowed” to paint it..sigh… but I’m gonna show your post to them and show them the awesome final product in hopes to convince….
    Did you end up paint other furniture in your living room to brighten up the over all space? If left up to me I’d paint and transform evey dark, wooden piece handed down to us by other family members…I just never imagined these wood be sour subjects…but…we’ll see…
    Thanks for sharing

    Reply
  2. NANCY OLSON says

    Posted on 3/1 at 4:34 am

    I have been fretting about this for years. Now, I’m going to do it! I really wanted one of those beautiful pieces of art covering the whole thing, but, alas, I have no talent! I can and I will paint the whole thing. Now, I have to choose the color!

    Reply
  3. Noel Bannon says

    Posted on 11/9 at 12:53 am

    Very helpful and gives me the confidence to follow up on my intention to paint my piano.

    Reply
  4. Mary Beth says

    Posted on 10/30 at 5:24 pm

    Leigh Anne!!! I learned to play on that piano!!! It’s the reason I play the piano. I just Inherited a piano and it is old and dark and doesn’t go with the aesthetic of the place. I was having the same “is this sacrilegious” feeling as the boys! I searched painting a piano in google and your post was the first one I saw. How perfect. It’s like you were speaking to me! I’m going to paint it this week! Thank you for the post. I miss you guys, hope all is well!!!

    Reply
    • Leigh Anne says

      Posted on 10/30 at 8:30 pm

      This made my day Mary Beth! I love that our old piano is part of your memories too. We were just talking about you the other day when someone asked how our old red car got the name the Pizza Car – because you thought it looked like a car you delivered pizza in!!

      Such fun memories – We are all well!!

      Reply
  5. April Conaway says

    Posted on 11/11 at 10:56 am

    This is gorgeous! Is the color in the pictures pretty true to the color in person? Also, how long did the painting take?

    Reply
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