Posh Chalk Patinas: Six Things You Should Know

Posh Chalk Patinas, highly pigmented, bursting with colour and just perfect for finishing off upcycled furniture and craft projects alike. If you’ve never used a gilding wax or anything similar before, they can be a little daunting, but don’t worry, Posh Chalk Patinas really are super simple to use, read through our handy six-point guide and you’ll be patina-ing in no time at all!

All Posh Chalk Patinas are created equally…but not the same

There are currently two types of Posh Chalk Patinas, there are the original oil-based patinas which are available in a more traditional, colour palette such as Black, Copper & Pale Gold. These oil-based patinas were actually based on a product used to restore old churches, they have a hard wax-like consistency and last forever as you really do need the smallest amount.

Turning our attention to the new upstart, the Aqua Patinas! The Aqua Patinas, unlike their oil-based cousins, are much more viscous, water-based and come in a striking boho range of colours including Violet, Blue Fhthalo and Red Medium Cadmium. They are, however, just as highly pigmented and really spruce up projects from upcycled furniture to wall art. The benefit of a water-based patina is that they are a little more forgiving – if you don’t like the result you’re getting then you can paint right over them and start again. This is not really an option with the oil-based patinas.

Patience is a virtue

This is very true of all sorts of creative projects really, all too often we can get carried away wanting to push on with a project when really we should be letting the paint settle and the WoodUbend adhere. This goes for the Posh Chalk Patinas too – much like the innovative heat bendable decorative wooden mouldings – the Patinas can be used on just about any surface, but they must be left to cure.

If you’ve used the Patinas on a porous surface you can expect a curing time of four days up to a week, depending on the humidity; the more humid it is, the longer it will take the Patinas to cure. If you’ve used the Patinas on a non-porous surface such as metal or glass, then the curing time is likely to increase.

It makes sense if you think about it, if you’ve used the Patinas on a porous surface some of it can get absorbed by the surface itself – giving a rich deep finish. If the Patinas have been used on a non-porous surface, the curing process is going to take a little longer as there is no absorption happening.

There is some good news for those of you who are a little impatient though, the water-based Aqua Patinas take less time to cure than the oil-based patinas!

A good litmus test to check if your Patinas have cured is to just feel it, if it’s still a little tacky or some of the colour comes off on your hand then it’s not quite ready just yet.

Get hands-on

Or don’t, it’s entirely your choice. The Posh Chalk Patinas are incredibly versatile and be applied in lots of different ways. Use a small brush, a cloth or if you prefer to be a little tactile during your craft projects, simply use your fingers.

Finger painting isn’t just for children!

Many people chose to apply the Patinas using their fingers as it gives a greater level of control and you get a much better feel (if you excuse the pun) for the surface. Equally, there’s nothing stopping you from getting into all the tight little crevices with a small paintbrush and then spreading the Patina out with your fingers.

In short, whatever you feel comfortable with, go right ahead and do it – experiment with different methods and see which works best for you. If you do choose to use your hands, both the oil-based and water-based Patinas will wash right off with a little warm water and soap, or even a baby wipe.

Have a supply of baby wipes handy

Baby wipes are immensely useful when it comes to getting the most out of your Posh Chalk Patinas. As both the Aqua Patinas and the original oil-based Patinas are so highly pigmented ‘less is more‘ is more often than not the mantra you will need to consider when using them.

A popular method of getting some real depth out of the Patinas seems like it starts off a little counterproductive; use more than what you need. Stick with it here, put a little more Patina on than what is actually required, then, come in with a baby wipe to take back the excess. This means that the patina will have worked its way into all the contours and grooves of your upcycled furniture or craft project, once the Patina has been wiped back the raised surfaces will really stand out.

Wiping back in this method really gives you that vintage depth which these Patinas are perfect for creating. To really make your projects pop, buff with a dry cloth after wiping back to really emphasise that depth. So, use a little more, wipe it back and create astonishing depth in seconds…just don’t forget to let it cure!

Enhance your WoodUbend mouldings

These are where Posh Chalk Patinas really come into their own, picking out all the intricate details of your favourite WoodUbend mouldings. Using a small brush, or as we’ve discussed, your fingers to work the patinas into the details of the mouldings and wipe back. This will instantly elevate your moulding and add some real depth and character.

Let loose the hounds of creativity, use your imagination; sure the Black and Dark Brown Patinas are the obvious choice for an aged look, but think outside the box (or Patina jar). Experiment with the boho colours of the Aqua Patinas and see what head-turning, scroll stopping, avant garde creations you can make. The beauty of using the water-based Aqua Patinas is that you can effectively reset by painting right over it and going again.

As all Posh chalk products can be used to pre-paint your WoodUbend decorative wood mouldings, why not have a few statement mouldings painted with the Aqua Patinas. Done correctly, this could really add that extra wow factor to your projects. In short, have some fun, and see what you can come up with.

Mix and match

It’s never a particularly good idea to mix oil-based and water-based products together, so keep the oil-based Patinas away from the Aqua Patinas. However, there’s nothing stopping you from mixing like for like products together. Again, this all boils down to creativity, all Posh Chalk Products have been designed to be flexible – allowing the creative to be…creative. The Posh Chalk Patinas are no exception to this rule.

A number of Dixie Belle waxes are water-based which means they will play just fine with the Aqua Patinas, but what’s more, if you start off with a water-based layer and finish up with an oil-based layer (never the other way around) you can really begin to build up some depth.

The takeaway from these last few points is don’t be afraid to get creative, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of experimentation. Posh Chalk including the Patinas are so easy to use, they’re just asking for you to play around with them.