13 Best Chalk Paint Brands in 2024 (I tested them ALL!)

I did a side by side comparison of every brand of chalk paint on the market to find the best chalk paint out there in 2024.

After putting all of these paints to the test, I walked away with a few favorite brands that I can recommend to readers based on my experience with the paint.

In short, my favorite brands of chalk paint were Behr Chalk Decorative Paint, Waverly Chalk, Dixie Belle Mineral Paint and Melange Mineral Paint. There are a TON of different factors I considered to arrive at this “best chalk paint” label and I’m here to share all the nitty gritty details with you.

Click here to jump right to the reviews of each paint.

Here’s what you should know about the information in this post:

1. I’ve used every single one of the paints mentioned in this post (see them in action in the video!)
2. I compared them side by side to see how they each performed next to one another on the same piece of furniture.
3. I spent a small fortune on chalk paint, just so I could have new, fresh cans of paint to test.
4. There are no brands sponsoring this post, so my reviews are completely honest.
5. Amy Howard paint will not be included in this post (although it’s recommended as the “best overall chalk paint” in another website’s post) because it’s NOT actually chalk paint. It’s an all-in-one paint that dries to a matte finish. Instead, I will be comparing it to other “all-in-one” paint brands in an upcoming post. Mud Paint and Country Chic chalk paint can also be found in the “all-in-one” paint comparison post, not here.
6. This post won’t describe how to use chalk paint. Instead, you can find everything you need to know about how to chalk paint furniture in this post.

the Best Chalk Paint Test

In order to compare these paints in the most scientific way possible, I painted all 13 of them on the exact same surface, a wood headboard. I cleaned it with TSP substitute before painting and that’s all the prep work I did.

Because I was testing chalk paint, I purposely skipped the scuff sanding step that I always use when painting furniture. I wanted to see just how well each chalk paint adhered to the surface without sanding. (Here’s what I usually always do to prep furniture.)

I used the same type of Purdy brush for all of the paints and applied them all in one sitting to help with comparison of application across the paints.

The main flaw in my experiment is that I used different colors of paint. I did this primarily because I wanted to buy a new can of each type of paint, and some of the colors I found on clearance or as a mis-tint, which saved me quite a bit of money on this project.

I painted two coats of each paint onto the headboard and sanded in between the two coats with 220 grit sandpaper.

Adhesion Scratch Test

After the second coat had dried for 24 hours, I tested durability and adhesion with a scratch test. First, I used my fingernail to try to scratch off the paint. Then, I used a metal fork to try to scratch off the paint.

The results: In this scratch test, all of the paints performed very similarly. I was unable to scratch any of the paints off with my fingernail. Then, I could scratch all of the paints off with the metal fork in anywhere from 1-4 passes. In each review, you’ll see which paints held on the longest in the fork scratch test.

All in all, each of these chalk paints did as they should. They adhered very well to a cleaned, but non-sanded wood surface!

The Topcoat Test

I applied the two most common top coats for chalk paint to every one of these brands of paint. On one part, I used clear furniture wax (Annie Sloan), and on the other side I used clear, water-based acrylic topcoat (General Finishes Flat).

The results: Every brand of paint accepted both topcoats well and looked perfect under the finish. Because all of them performed the same, I did not include this as a factor to compare in the reviews below.

Either clear wax or a water-based topcoat will work beautifully as a top coat for all of these brands of chalk paint.

What is Chalk Paint?

Chalk paint is a water-based paint that is known for superior adhesion to many different surfaces. It produces a matte, chalky texture (due to the addition of calcium carbonate the paint) and gives a vintage look to a piece of furniture.

Chalk style paints are usually thicker (although not all brands follow this “rule”) and they are known for great coverage on furniture without the need for sanding or priming.

Chalk-style paint requires a top coat for the finish to be durable and to withstand any amount of moisture or cleaning. (Essentially, this is the characteristic that helped me to classify some of these paints into the “chalk paint” category.)

While chalkboard paint is similar to chalk paint, it’s not the same type of paint. You can read a full post on chalkboard paint here.

13 Chalk Paint Brand Reviews

In this next section, you’ll find a detailed review for every single brand of chalk paint. You can skip ahead to any review by clicking on the link in the box below.

The ORIGINAL CHALK PAINT Brand

There’s only one OG of chalk paint in the bunch – Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. In fact, the name “chalk paint” has been trademarked by this company. You won’t actually see the term “chalk paint” on the labels of any of these other chalk paint copycats!

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Whenever I test chalk paint, I always need to compare it to Annie Sloan. Even though this brand of paint was, and always will be, the original, with plenty of positive attributes, there are some downsides to it as well.

Annie Sloan paint is very thick and also dries very quickly. This makes it difficult to brush on without your brush quickly dragging (and creating more texture/brush strokes).

When using Annie Sloan, I always have a spray bottle filled with water nearby. It can be sprayed on the paint to keep it “open” (wet) for longer. This makes it much easier to brush on and it will dry to a smoother finish.

Cost	Colors	Retailers
$1.36 per ounce ($45 per liter)	42 colors	specialty retailers

The verdict: Personally, I wouldn’t recommend this paint if you are just getting started on your furniture painting journey. It requires some extra tinkering (like using a spray bottle), to get a nice finish. Plus, it can be difficult to apply straight out of the can.

Chalk Paints for Color Choice

There are two brands of chalk paint that offer the largest selection of color choice: Behr Chalk Paint and Krylon Chalky Paint. Magnolia Home chalk paint also has a large selection of colors as well.

All three brands are sold at big box home improvement stores (Behr at Home Depot, Krylon at Lowes, Magnolia at Ace Hardware and Lowes) and can be tinted to almost any of the 1000s of color swatches at each store.

Behr Chalk Decorative Paint

Behr Chalk Decorative Paint is one of the least expensive brands of chalk paint, but this low price tag doesn’t affect its capabilities.

It’s easy to apply with a slightly thinner consistency than some other brands. It dries to a smooth finish with minimal brush strokes. (Here’s my full review of Behr Chalk Paint when I used it on a side table.)

Cost	Colors	Retailers
$0.62 per ounce ($19.98 per quart)	any color swatch!	The Home Depot

The verdict: Behr chalk paint is one of the best chalk paints I tested. The easy application with minimal brush strokes makes it perform well, but it’s also one of the least expensive paints as well!

Plus, it can be tinted to any color swatch, so the possibilities for your next furniture project are endless.

Krylon Chalky Paint

Krylon chalk paint is another of the least expensive brands of chalk paint, but it still offers the features you’d expect in a chalk style paint.

Although this paint is very thick, it still brushes on very easily with minimal dragging. It dries to a slightly chalky texture but doesn’t show very many brush strokes.

Cost	Colors	Retailers
$0.78 per ounce ($24.98 per quart)	any color swatch!	Lowes

The verdict: Honestly, I was surprised by this paint when I first used it. After dipping my brush in and feeling how thick the paint was, I assumed it was going to be difficult to apply. However, this paint applied easily and dried nicely with only slight brush strokes.

If you’re looking for a chalk paint that has a slight amount of texture in your favorite custom color, Krylon Chalky Paint would be my recommendation.

Magnolia Chalk Style Paint

Magnolia Chalk Style Paint is manufactured by Kilz and comes in a larger number of paint colors. It is available at Ace Hardware, where you can have it tinted to over 150 colors.

It is a thicker paint and not as easy to apply as some other brands. You may feel your brush dragging through the paint when applying it. However, once it dries you won’t see or feel very many of those brush strokes.

Cost	Colors	Retailers
$1.50 per ounce ($39.99 per quart)	150+ colors	Ace Hardware, Lowes

The verdict: While Magnolia Home chalk paint does come in a wide range of colors, I prefer the application of Behr or Krylon over Magnolia chalk paint. Both brands are cheaper than Magnolia, and I found them to apply and finish better than Magnolia.

Behr Chalk Paint versus Krylon Chalk Paint versus Magnolia Chalk Paint

Between the three paints, I like Behr chalk paint the best. Its thinner consistency makes it very easy to apply but it still covers well. The finish is slightly chalky (as you would expect from a chalk paint) but dries to a smooth finish with almost no brush strokes (which is personally what I prefer).

Most Inexpensive Chalk Paint Brands

There were a few budget-friendly brands that still delivered beautiful results expected from a chalk paint. Behr, Krylon, Waverly and Recolor were the inexpensive chalk paints that performed the best in my test.

Recolor Premium Chalk Finish Recycled Paint

Recolor chalk paint shocked me, in the best of ways. It was the easiest, smoothest paint to apply, but still covered very well and dried to a chalky finish.

It’s available online at Amazon or The Home Depot, but if you have a Habitat for Humanity Restore nearby, you can pick it up in store, and possibly for much cheaper. My local Restore sold each quart for $17.99, and had a buy one get one free sale.

I paid $17.99 for two quarts of this paint which ended up costing $0.28 an ounce!

Cost	Colors	Retailers
$0.78 per ounce ($24.98 per quart) Possibly cheaper at the Restore – ($17.99 per quart)	20 colors	Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Amazon, Home Depot

The verdict: With the sale price I paid, this was the cheapest of all of the brands of chalk paint AND was one of my favorite paints. It shows very minimal brush strokes, but still has a chalky texture. It applies beautifully but is still durable and stood up to the fingernail scratch test.

However, the small amount of color choices makes it feel limiting for most projects.

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly chalk paint that is very easy to use and will give beautiful, consistent results, Recolor chalk paint is a great choice (as long as you like one of the 20 colors).

Rust-oleum Chalked Paint

Rust-oleum chalk paint is one of the easiest to find brands of chalk paint. Its price is lower than most other brands, however I don’t think the quality matches other chalk paints.

When applying this paint, you’ll notice your brush dragging, which makes it more difficult to apply in clean strokes. Plus, it definitely shows brush strokes once it dries. The finish is slicker than a chalk paint, which makes it difficult to distress or sand.

Cost	Colors	Retailers
$0.75 per ounce ($24.00 per quart – less at Menards)	7 premixed colors tintable to 27 colors	Menards, Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware, Walmart

The verdict: While I love the Rustoleum brand for many other types of paint, I do not recommend their chalky paint sold in cans. There are other brands at comparable price points that apply and finish much better than this paint!

Speciality Chalk Paint Brands

I honestly had a hard time picking the best paint in the “specialty paint” category. Dixie Belle, Melange, and Jolie are all gorgeous paints that apply and finish beautifully. (Full reviews below.)

The specialty chalk paint I personally wouldn’t recommend is Retique It. You can read more about this in the review below, but it did not apply nearly as beautifully as the other specialty brands at comparable price points.

Dixie Belle Chalk Finish Paint

Dixie Belle chalk paint is manufactured by a small paint company in the United States. The paint is very thick, yet it applies very smoothly and easily without brush dragging. Due to the thickness, you may only need two coats for full coverage.

Besides the ease of application, it also had one of the most durable finishes in the scratch test and finishes with a slightly chalky texture but with minimal brush strokes.

Cost	Colors	Retailers
$1.97 per ounce ($31.45 for a pint)	64 colors	Amazon, independent retailers

The verdict: Dixie Belle is a beautiful brand of chalk paint that finishes as you would expect from a chalk paint but is also extremely easy to apply.

I would recommend this chalk paint to any level of furniture painter, but especially if you’re just getting started on painting furniture. It will make your job easy and deliver beautiful results.

Melange Mineral Paint

Melange Artisan Mineral Paint is made by a small business located in the US that specializes in manufacturing paint for furniture and cabinets. With almost 100 color swatches to choose from, this independent paint company doesn’t slack on color choice or quality.

This paint is thinner in texture to most chalk paints but it applied beautifully and still covered surprisingly well in two coats.

Cost	Colors	Retailers
$1.44 per ounce (plus shipping) ($22.99 for a pint)	95 colors	manufacturers website, independent retailers

The verdict: Although this paint dried with a smoother, less chalky feel, it was easy to apply AND gave a beautiful finish, which makes it one of my favorite chalk-style paints in this test.

The application and finish felt more luxurious than most of the other paints. Plus, with almost 100 different color options, you’ll get the best of both worlds: choice of color and a beautiful jar of paint.

Jolie Matte Finish Paint

Jolie paint company is another US and Australia based small business specializing specifically in matte chalk paint.

It’s very easy to apply with a thinner consistency to most other paints. However, Jolie paint covered well in just two coats. All in all, it behaved just as you would expect a chalk paint to behave: excellent adhesion, chalky texture and easy to sand.

Although it’s only available in 42 pre-tinted colors, the company does make a color mixing color deck that can be used to create hundreds of custom colors.

Cost	Colors	Retailers
$1.87 per ounce ($29.95 for a pint)	42 colors	Amazon, independent retailers

The verdict: One of the benefits to Jolie paint is that it combines a matte, chalky texture with a smooth finish that doesn’t show brush strokes.

If you’re looking for a chalk paint that’s similar to Annie Sloan without the thickness and dragging of your brush during application, this paint is a fairly close (but superior) match.

Comparison: Melange vs. Jolie vs. Dixie Belle

All three of these chalk paint felt similar in their application. They all brushed on very easily with a smooth brush stroke. Dixie Belle has the thickest consistency, then Jolie, and finally Melange.

If you’re hoping to sand your piece to distress or to sand before applying a top coat, Dixie Belle and Jolie both sand slightly better than Melange.

Melange has almost double the amount of premixed colors to choose from, which helps to avoid mixing custom colors.

If you have an independent stockist of any of these brands of paint nearby, I would just purchase the one that is closest, because they are all gorgeous chalk paints!

Retique It! Renaissance Chalk Paint

Retique It! chalk paint is easily available on Amazon at a middle of the road to high end price point. It applies fairly easily, but also has a stronger odor compared to most other brands of paint.

Once it dries, brush strokes will be visible and can be felt but it doesn’t have a very chalky texture overall and feels more slick to the tough.

Cost	Colors	Retailers
$1.56 per ounce ($25 for a pint)	56 colors	Amazon

The verdict: Although Retique It! paint has a similar price tag to other specialty chalk paints, the application and finish of this paint just didn’t compare to the others tested.

Plus, the strong odor was quite noticeable in comparison to most of the other brands (Rustoleum also had a strong odor).

Chalk Paints for Small Projects

Waverly Chalk Paint

Waverly Inspirations Chalk Paint was one of the best all-around chalk paints tested. It behaves just as you would expect from a chalk paint with great adhesion and a slightly chalky feel once it dries.

It outperforms some other brands in its ability to level as it dries. This creates less visible brush strokes that can’t be felt when running your hand across the paint.

Waverly chalk paint is sold at Walmart. They use to stock the 8 oz. bottles of every color in the store, but they now only sell it online at Walmart.com. In fall of 2023, I visited my local store and they still had quite a few colors left in stock, so it might be worth checking inventory online to see if a color is still in stock

Cost	Colors	Retailers
$0.91 per ounce	28 colors	Walmart (discontinued in store, online only)

The verdict: Waverly Chalk Paint is one of the best chalk paints I tested. It’s easy to apply with minimal brush strokes and costs less than 2/3 of the other brands of paint.

If you are happy with one of their 28 colors and are able to wait for it to be shipped, I would highly recommend this type of chalk paint for both smaller projects and pieces of furniture as well.

Up Premium Chalk Paint

This chalk paint is sold at Michaels craft stores and is made from recycled paint content. Unfortunately, the color choices are limited, but if you find a color you like from the 5 pre-tinted colors, it’s a nice paint at a reasonable price point.

Cost	Colors	Retailers
$1.09 per ounce ($16.99 for a pint, but less with a coupon!)	5 colors	Michaels

The verdict: Up Chalk Paint is a great choice for a small project, as long as you like one of the few colors it’s available in. It applies well and finishes to a chalky texture with some brush strokes.

Folkart Home Decor Chalk Paint

Folkart chalk paint is sold in smaller, 8 oz containers, in many craft stores including Michaels, Joann, and Walmart. A few colors are also sold in 16 oz. jars. The convenience of this paint is that it is easy to pick up on the day you need it with some choice in color.

Although this paint is easy to find, the benefits stop there. All in all, this paint is very difficult to apply, does not cover well, and finishes to a very rough texture with the most brush strokes of any brand.

Cost	Colors	Retailers
$0.86 per ounce	34 colors	Michaels, Joann, Walmart, Amazon

The verdict: I can not recommend this chalk paint after using it in my test. I am considering that perhaps I just got a bad jar of paint. I plan to repurchase it and will update my review based on the results.

Spray Chalk Paints

There are four main brands that make a spray version of chalk paint: Behr, Krylon, Magnolia, and Rustoleum. I’m working on a side by side comparison of those brands of spray chalk paint and will link it here once I’m finished!

The Final Verdict

All in all, I was very pleased with most of these brands of paint. I was expecting that some of the paints might not even adhere to the non-sanded furniture, but they all did! (Maybe, just maybe, I don’t actually need to scuff sand when painting with chalk paint?? Although I’m not sure if I can change my ways!)

Considering ALL the factors I tested, which chalk paint will I reach for if I want to use it on a future project?

Behr Decorative Chalk Paint!

This paint won because of the low price point and endless choice of colors. Plus, it’s easy to apply and finishes to a beautiful, almost smooth finish (which I personally prefer).

Looking for some chalk paint inspiration? Here’s a collection of 30 beautiful chalk painted furniture pieces.

Thanks so much for reading this LONG post! If you have any experience with any of these brands of paint, please let me know in the comments below.