Revamped Shelf with Pennies and Colorantic Chalk Paint

Preparation

This is the least interesting step, but undoubtedly the most important for a successful job. It is therefore very important to remove all traces of dirt very well. 

For this step, I sprayed the Cleaner and Varnish Remover on all surfaces and left it on for 30 minutes. When the time was up, I rinsed well twice using a cloth with hot water, in order to remove all the residue. 

As mentioned in several Colorantic blogs, chalk paint adheres very well to lightly sanded surfaces. However, for the surface that will accommodate the epoxy resin, it is preferable to sand vigorously.

***Since the shelf had an old water-based finish, it was not necessary to apply oil-based primer. A step not to be overlooked when making the transition from an old oil finish to the new chalk paint which is water-based. 

Painting

For this antique shelf, I opted for the brand new colour, Zen which I applied with the Snow White brush. This magnificent blue-green containing a slight touch of grey, goes wonderfully with brass-coloured coins. 

Since Colorantic chalk paint has excellent coverage, two coats was enough. This paint dries very quickly, so it only took about 30 minutes in between coats. 

Laying the Currency

I needed a lot of patience for this step. 

I glued the coins one by one with wood glue. I waited 24 hours before moving on to the next step, because I wanted the pennies to stick very well to the surface. After 24 hours the coins were well stuck, so I judged that it was now time to move on to the next step. 

I prepared the epoxy resin mixture which I divided into three parts since I had three shelves to cover. 

I started pouring the mixture little by little and after a few minutes air bubbles appeared on the surface, so I made them disappear using the heat of the blowtorch. Once this step was completed, I let the shelf dry for 12 hours in a dry, warm place.

The Final Stage of the Shelf

Firstly, I applied the wax Bee Natural on the entire painted surface. One section at a time, I applied the wax, making sure to buff well using the paper towels. It is very important to change paper towels at each section, because they become saturated with wax. The application of the Bee Natural wax makes it easier to apply dark wax and make corrections if necessary. 

The use of Antique Brown wax has aged the Zen colour to perfection. And to give its patina effect, I added some to crevices and corners of the shelf.

Epoxy resin does not require any protection since it is equivalent to 60 coats of varnish. 

This Zen antique style shelf harmonizes very well with decors containing touches of gilding by adding light, highlighting its brilliance and rich tones.

If you are still looking for ideas for your decor, check out the group  Tips and decorations of all kinds !