Amy Howard at Home Paint Review: My New Favorite Chalk Paint!

I’m sharing my honest review and opinions about Amy Howard at Home One-Step Paint and why I’m loving this DIY friendly chalk paint for beginners! Read on to answer the most common questions about this popular project paint to find out if it’s the right option for you!

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy for more details.

I recently wrapped up our dining room makeover for the Better Homes and Gardens One Room Challenge and one of my favorite projects for the space was this antique dresser turned buffet makeover.

Isn’t she gorgeous?!

I promise to share the full tutorial for this makeover with you soon, but I was so excited to stumble across Amy Howard at Home Paint, that I just had to share my experience with you!

Amy howard chalk Based paint colors

Unlike most other brands of chalk paint, Amy Howard chalk paint isn’t limited to the colors you might see on the brochure or website.

In fact, you can find this line of chalk paint at your local Ace Hardware store in a variety of tintable bases from light, to medium and dark. I was so thrilled to find out that I can easily color match my favorite shade of Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black paint into the Amy Howard paint formula.

I’ve used Annie Sloan chalk paint several times over the years for various furniture makeovers, and while the paint itself is very similar, I was always disappointed to be limited to their own paint color line. It limits the creativity a lot.

where to buy amy howard one step paint

I love that this chalk paint is available at so many different retailers. Depending on your location and need, you could easily scoop up the perfect shade of chalk paint same day. Unlike other brands where you have to find a specific stockist that carries the paint, Amy Howard is also easily available online.

Aside from ordering directly from the Amy Howard online store, you can also find it at the following locations:

• Lowes
• Amazon
• Ace Hardware

You can also use their handy online tool to find a local retailer near you.

how do you apply amy howard chalk paint?

Like most other chalk paints on the market, you can easily apply Amy Howard One Step Paint with a regular paint brush. Although they sell specialty chalk paint brushes, you actually don’t need anything fancy or expensive. A simple angled brush will get the job done nicely.

I have a full tutorial here on how to paint with chalk paint, so if you’re a beginner I highly recommend you check it out.

While I didn’t test it out on this particular project, just based on my experience I do think that Amy Howard Paint could also be applied using a paint sprayer for faster coverage.

Amy Howard chalk paint has a very latex like consistency, making it ideal for paint sprayer use that wouldn’t require diluting with water. Its thin texture also means that you’re less likely to experience any clogging within your sprayer.

If you’re at all considering investing in a paint sprayer, then I highly recommend this Wagner model. It’s fairly inexpensive, but provides a high quality finish and is perfect for beginners and DIYers.

Should you seal amy howard paint?

In short, yes you should probably always seal your painted furniture, but that also depends on the amount of durability and finish style you want your project to have.

Amy Howard at Home offers a variety of finishes and sealers for your chalk paint project, ranging from specialty glazes to colored waxes.

I personally always opt for a wax sealer as a top coat on all of my chalk painted furniture. It’s fast, easy, and provides the perfect matte finish to really enhance the paint color. Not to mention it gives it the most velvety touch if you’re not really into that dry chalky look.

Amy Howard does offer its own line of paint sealers, and one in fact is a matte paint sealer. In my opinion though, the inexpensive minwax brand does just as good of a job protecting a freshly painted chalk finish.

how does amy howard at home compare to annie sloan?

I started out my furniture makeover adventures solely using Annie Sloan chalk paint. Mainly because I wanted to use “the best” brand out there at the time. I also tested out the big box retail brands of chalk paint like Behr and Valspar. Then, I finally graduated into making my own version of chalk paint. Which I only recommend for experienced DIYers (it can get messy and finicky depending on your application method).

Here’s how Amy Howard at Home chalk paint stacks up against Annie Sloan:

	Annie Sloan	Amy Howard at Home
Easy paint application	x	x
Custom colors available		x
No sanding required	x	x
Paint thinning may be required	x
Available on Amazon		x
Shows visible paint lines	x
One coat coverage	x
Cost	$$$	$$

One of the main drawbacks I discovered with Annie Sloan chalk paint were the paint drags in the finish. Annie Sloan is known for being very thick and requiring only one coat for full coverage. But this can also result in an uneven drippy look if you don’t work fast enough to apply your paint.

The verdict?

Hands down I will go with Amy Howard at Home paint for my next furniture flip project. I found that it was much easier to apply. It provided a beautiful paint finish. I also loved the fact that I could easily customize the color at my local Ace Hardware store.

Not to mention, it was just slightly less expensive than its famous counterpart.

Have you ever painted with chalk paint before? I’d love to know if you’ve tried this brand or if you have any questions about it at all. Just drop me a comment below. I read and respond to every single one!

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Pinterest