Hello there!

We’re starting something new today… a series for you all about different brands of furniture paint. Many of you know I’ve been a General Finishes fan for years, and that hasn’t changed. But there are so many other fantastic brands out there, I wanted to give them a test and do it with you!

I worked with Dixie Belle to bring you this video, they sent me free product to create this review. All opinions are honest and my own. Some affiliate links are included in this post, to see my full disclosure policy, click here.

Be sure to check out the other reviews if you missed any of them: Rustoleum Furniture Paint Review, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, Fusion Mineral Paint Review, Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint , General Finishes Milk Paint 

I know not all of you have access to one particular brand of paint. Or some of you are determined to use chalk paint on all.the.things (even when I tell you not to). So this is a paint adventure. Here’s the rubric I’ll be using as we search for the best paint for furniture.

ABC’s of Dixie Belle Furniture Paint

A – APPLICATION

What is the recommended application of each type of paint – and are there any tips or tricks to give a better finish.

For Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint, the trick is to start with a damp synthetic brush. The dampness helps spread the paint evenly (without brush strokes) and the synthetic brush really gives a smooth finish. Dixie Belle has created their own line of brushes that are specially designed to work well with their paint.

B – BEFORE YOU START (PREP)

What prep is required before you start painting? Lot’s of paints are boasting “no prep” these days, so I want to see how that actually works. And yes, while I love a good scuff sanding to get the piece ready to paint, perhaps it’s not always necessary.

Dixie Belle has their own special cleaner called White Lightning. They say you don’t have to sand for the paint to stick, but you do need to clean well. I used White Lighting in the video (below).

C – CONSISTENCY

What is the consistency of the paint itself? Is it thin and runny or thick and smooth? This matters and affects how you choose to apply the paint.

Dixie Belle Paint is thick, very smooth but thick.

C – COVERAGE

How does the paint cover? Do you need multiple thin coats, one thick coat, etc. This is a BIG deal in the painting world. As much fun as painting is, as a refinisher, we really want as much coverage per coat as possible. This makes the refinishing process quicker!

I’ve gotta tell you, I’d heard Dixie Belle Paint had great coverage, but I didn’t believe it until I tried it. One coat coverage for most of the med-dark colors is the truth, and it’s fantastic! The paint is not so thick as to be hard to work with, but thick enough that the coverage is impressive.

C – COLORS

The availability of colors matters to us creatives. We want unlimited colors to choose from, am I right?

There are 60 beautiful colors in the Dixie Belle paint line. Something for everyone, and if there isn’t quite what you like, you can mix them to make it your own. The colors are really stunning though, with lots of variety.

D – DURABILITY

Durability of a product is one of the most important factors to me, especially when I’m refinishing furniture for clients or to sell – you want your work to last and stand the test of time! I’m going to be honest, and say this is a harder element to test. Durability happens over time and with some use. We can look at durability quickly and see that the paint isn’t chipping, flaking or lifting, but much more than that and we need to take the time to test it.

At first glance Dixie Belle paint seemed to stick and stay well. No funny business occurred as the paint dried. I want to test this paint on a few pieces in my home – I’ll let you know how they hold up.

Wasn’t that fun?? I hope you enjoyed it!

I will be using Dixie Belle products again in the future, it gets a thumbs up from me. It seems like a great product I want to work with more often.

Be sure to check out the other reviews if you missed any of them: Rustoleum Furniture Paint Review, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, Fusion Mineral Paint Review, Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint , General Finishes Milk Paint 

Until next time,
Jenni