For a long time we thought there were really only two paint choices when it came to painting furniture – latex or chalk paint. Since we aren’t big chalk paint fans (read all about that here), we usually opted for latex paint. We assumed that mineral paint was similar to latex paint but with the price tag of chalk paint. Well, we were wrong. Mineral paint is completely different from both latex and chalk paint and has so many benefits we had to give it a try.
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What is mineral paint?
Mineral paint, as its name suggests, is a paint made using natural minerals from the earth for its color pigments. These minerals are mixed with a binder, such as acrylic resin, and a solvent. The resin is what gives mineral paint its best qualities – fantastic adhesion and superior durability. Two popular mineral paint brands are Fusion mineral paint and Cottage Paint Serenity.
Benefits of using mineral paint
What do fantastic adhesion and superior durability mean for painting furniture? It means you need very little prep and no top coat! I don’t think I can overemphasize how fantastic this is. It saves you at least two whole steps in the furniture painting process: priming and sealing. The furniture flipping business is all about time. Less time per piece means you can finish more pieces. Finishing more pieces, means you can make more money. Even if you’re not in the furniture flipping game, who doesn’t want to save time and effort? As parents to three very busy young kids, we always appreciate products that save us time!
Quality of finish
As good as these benefits sound, they are really only beneficial if the quality of finish is comparable to what you get with other types of paint using you’re best painting techniques. We decided to test out the quality of Cottage Paint’s Serenity.
Cottage Paint – Serenity
We knew we wanted to try Cottage Paint’s Serenity line on a beautiful french provincial buffet we picked up for a song from a gentleman downsizing to a smaller place.
Serenity by Cottage Paint comes in over 50 colors. Moreover, the colors can be mixed to give you almost infinite color choice. We chose Sea Turtle, a muted green-blue, for our buffet.
Serenity also comes in two finishes: Velour (3-5% sheen) and Silk (15-20% sheen). We chose the silk, for ever-so-slight gloss. The velour finish is quite matte and more similar in appearance to chalk paint.
Is mineral paint really no prep?
The buffet was in fantastic shape so the only prep we gave it was a light sanding on the bottom. The top was fully sanded using Stuart’s favorite palm sander since we planned to stain it and make the piece two toned.
According to the instructions, sanding is not necessary. However, we ALWAYS sand our pieces first. Sanding not only gives the surface some tooth for the paint to stick to (which is the part that’s not necessary for mineral paint) but it also helps you find any bumps or scratches that need fixing before you paint the piece.
So technically, for us , mineral paint is not no prep. But it is very minimal prep and you could probably get away with no prep at all if you aren’t as concerned with getting a perfectly smooth coat.
After sanding we made sure all the dust was gone using a damp rag followed by tack cloth.
Painting with mineral paint
Then it was time to paint! We used a regular paint brush to apply the Serenity paint. Cottage Paint, and other mineral paint companies, do sell special brushes but we wanted to see how it would perform under the same conditions we use for our usual latex paint applications. And maybe we’re a little too frugal to invest in new brushes if we haven’t yet tested the product!
We noticed immediately that the paint is a little thicker than latex but it flattens out beautiful, reducing most signs of brush strokes.
The coverage after one coat was excellent! There weren’t many of the shadowy spots that always drive me crazy showing through. After the second coat we were seriously impressed! The coverage was fantastic and we were satisfied it looked consistent and even all around.
Next we…wait, there was no next step! That was it, we were done. We actually had time to watch Netflix before turning in.
Serenity takes up to 30 days to fully cure but is dry to the touch within 2 hours. Once fully cured, Serenity is very durable.
A note about the buffet top
Unfortunately the buffet top did not turn out as we had hoped. No matter what we tried we couldn’t tame the natural red of the wood.
So instead we used a dry brush technique to apply the Serenity paint over the stained top to create a driftwood look. The final beachy feel is quite charming!
The mineral paint verdict
We were very impressed with Cottage Paint’s Serenity line and the benefits of mineral paint.
It’s true that mineral paints are quite a bit more expensive than latex paint, comparable to higher end chalk paint lines. However, when you consider you don’t need to apply primer or a top coat, the cost becomes significantly closer to that of latex paint.
If you are looking for a paint that is less work, easy to apply and gives a top quality, durable finish, we recommend you try Serenity by Cottage Paint. Our French provincial buffet turned out beautifully and it’s new owners are sure to appreciate its beauty and durability in the years to come.
What do you think of mineral paint? If you’ve tried it, how does it compare to other paints you’ve used for furniture? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
Would you choose a mineral paint over a chalk paint for bathroom cabinets?
Hi Jill! Great question! I would choose a mineral paint myself. Either would work fine as long as you use a top coat. Good luck!
What would you use as a top coat for a bathroom vanity? With the mineral paint?
Hi Kim,
The only top coat we use for bathroom vanities to protect from water damage is an epoxy resin. Thanks for asking!
Where do you buy mineral paint? It doesn’t look like something I can get at Lowe’s or Home Depot. I just got an old sewing table I’d like to paint, and this looks like the perfect paint for me to try.
Following for same info
My walls and ceiling are plywood stained a dark olive green. What paint do you recommend that would lighten the green and still retain the plywood texture. Latex is too thick.
Do you still use latex paint on some projects? Are there some pieces that are better suited for mineral paint vs. latex paint? Now that I’ve ruled out chalk paint for my upcoming project, I can’t decide between the other two!
Hi Liane, thanks for the question! Yes!! We still use latex sometimes especially if I can get an amazing deal on mistints at the paint store! You can use either type of paint on any piece with great results so long as you prep first. Good luck!
When you use a latex, is there a brand you prefer and finish?
Also what do you topcoat or seal it with on furniture?
Hi Theresa, we’ve used many brands and find they all perform pretty well if we take the time to do the right prep work. We’ve been happy with Behr and Benjamin Moore lately. Good luck!
Would you please elaborate when you said some pieces do better with mineral paint? How do you distinguish? I’m really needing a paint I can have mixed for a specific color.
Hi Theresa, hmmm, I really think you CAN use mineral paint on all types of furniture! You don’t need to top coat if the piece isn’t likely to be in contact with people or things very often. Hope this helps!
Hi, I’m looking to paint some laminated furniture, would mineral paint work on this? And would I need a top coat with a rowdy toddler running around? If so, presumably latex would be the cheaper option.
Also what would you recommend for kitchen cabinets regarding latex Vs mineral, topcoat Vs none? Especially above the stove where there’s a lot of steam.
Hi Stacey, we do recommend mineral paint for almost all painting projects! You can definitely paint Ikea furniture and get a lasting finish if you prep right first. Clean, scuff sand, prime, paint and top coat if in a high traffic area. Same goes for kitchen cabinets but you have to be extra careful with the cleaning to make sure all oils are removed before priming/painting. There is a disagreement among experts on whether you need to top coat painted kitchen cabinets. You should be okay without if you use mineral paint or a high quality latex like Benjamin Moore’s Advanced. If you don’t go with a top coat, it’s also super easy to do touch ups if necessary. Good luck!
Hi Sherry, you can find Cottage Paint retailers on their website: https://cottagepaint.com/where-to-buy/ and Fusion retailers on their website: fusionmineralpaint.com/where-to-buy/. Good luck!
How do you clean your brushes when using mineral paint? Is this soap and water clean up or mineral spirits?
Hi Carol, mineral paint is water based so you can use soap and water! Thanks for asking!
I’m wondering about the stain you used for the top of this beautiful dresser. The dry brush technique looks amazing but I’m doing an entry way table with a stained top and I don’t know much about how to pick stain colors.
Hello, we didn’t stain the top – it was the natural wood colour with the paint colour dry brushed on top. Good luck with your table!
Ohhh….that makes sense! I see now! Thank you so much for clarifying that you didn’t stain the table top. It is so kind of you to respond.
Thank you!
Love your articles. Thanks. Can you please comment on fumes from mineral vs chalk paint. I’d like to paint my dresser inside if possible.
Hi Pat, definitely check with the particular brand you are considering but Fusion and Cottage Paint are very safe for use indoors. Happy painting!
Just wondering if you tried using a green dye stain to neutralize the red tone in the wood?
Hi Cleo, we’ve never tried a green dye stain. If you’ve tried it and had success, please let us know!
We’re buying a number of unfinished pieces of furniture (parawood, aka ruberwood) and applying a light colored Fusion mineral paint. I’m from the old stain it then polyurethane it school, so this is my first mineral paint rodeo. Most of these pieces will require durability (coffee table, sofa end table, dining table, etc.) and I do not want to re-do the finish due to food / water rings, etc. Do you recommend the Minwax Polycrylic or the Fusion Mineral Paint Tough Coat Wipe-On poly for the most durable, longest lasting finish on top of the mineral paint … which is most durable/longest lasting?