Frenchic paint, all it's cracked up to be?

[forrestgreen]

I've been mulling over investing and am on their fan forum.
I'm looking for what works and what doesn't but it seems negative comments are removed quickly.
Has anyone used it?

It’s fab, I love it. I’ve done our old laminate wardrobes in both bedrooms and the bedside tables/drawers to match.
Fab for updating old furniture.
The alfresco is the one I used. Smudge and stormy.

Good god I hope its decent. I'm painting my entire kitchen units with it tomorrow! I'll let you know how I get on...

I’ve painted our fugly over-bed cabinet thing... you know the ones that are a bedside table that go to the ceiling and across the top of the bed? Anyway. It’s good! Took about 4 coats but it was a v dark plastic type fake wood. Looks 1000% better, did zero prep and haven’t sealed it. It’s been a few months and it wipes down fine, I thought I’d have to touch it up by now given ive been too lazy to seal it 😄
I do have their sealant as I painted a mirror too, was amazed how quickly it dried!

Ooh lovely @MaMaD1990 what colour did you go for?

PS this is what I used, no idea about the different types, I just bought the first white one I saw haha.

I've just gone with whitey white to brighten everything up - it's not our forever kitchen so if I do screw it up at least it won't be forever!!

NC fail ;)

Lovely stuff, remember to sugar soap and very lightly sand (first piece I’d did I managed to sand some big grooves into it 🙈) and leave 2 hours between coats

And the first coat will look shit!

Absolutely not!!! It's an awful company with absolutely terrible bully boy morals! I painted my front door with it and tbf, it looks ok but honestly, the owner is a really horrible person who threatens people who disagree with her with solicitors letters. They bribe people to leave good reviews on trust pilot and reports anyone who leaves less than a 5 star review as a liar. Join #notthebestpaintinthewod discussion group on facebook for some real reviews. It's shocking!

I've done a fair bit in it. Fireplace, internal doors, stair case, outside pots, outside wooden archway, render on a wall outside.

Mostly it's been great. I find it a bit to mat and chalky on the internal doors. Funnily enough, the fireplace in same range of paint but different colour seems to have a different finish. The staircase is the only thing I've painted in the lazy range and it's worn badly. But I should have used a coating over it.

I've got some to do the front door-an ancient uPVC monstrosity. I'm planning on replacing that and windows in next couple of years so I'm hoping the paint will cheer it up until then.

So yes, it's great. But not quite as hard wearing as made out. If it's something you are going to touch a lot like a door or banister, coat it in finishing coat or something.

I'll joking that group.

I've some very orange pine stairs to obliterate. And I'd like to change the colour of my front door.

• I'll be joining

Autentico chalk paint is much better quality. Have a look at their website.

I used Zinser primer and then you can use any paint over it, so you can choose from a wider range of colours. The weirdness of a Facebook group where any remotely negative comments were deleted put me off.

I've used the trim paint for some woodwork, went on pretty well and was nice to have to do no priming first. Also done a wooden door and the plastic cat flap in it successfully. Expected it to be fine on the door but it's stuck fine onto the cat flap too, did it a couple of years ago and no scratches (though does seem to attract muddy footprints more than the white plastic)

Have also done some laminate furniture, with less success - lots of chipping and scratches. That said, I didn't sand it first so it could've been just down to that but it came off so easily I was dubious that just keying the laminate would've made it much better. I've redone it in zinsser and the difference is noticeable, much more durable.

I've used it essentially as a base/coat primer for laminate. I used Alfresco paint on my brown laminate window frames. Lightly keyed/sanded first. Two coats of the Frenchic (light sand between the two) but then two coats of regular Dulux Eggshell to finish. I really don't like the finish of chalk paint. I've done the same with furniture restoration, used it as a base coat but then used a standard eggshell or satinwood for my colour (again Dulux or Little Greene, much more colour choice)

My main wants were to do
Very orange banisters, I wanted to sand back the banisters and stain/wax to match the dark floor and have white spindles (in frenchic..)
And to do my wooden front door inside and out

What else could I use then

If you are painting on interior wood, which sounds like your bannisters and floor are then you can use any standard interior wood paint with a stain-blocking primer underneath? So you could look at Dulux/Valspar/Farrow and Ball/Little Green etc wood paints. I would recommend a satin finish as this will last better than an eggshell (satinwood has slightly more sheen).

The key is in the preparation, so keying/sanding the wood first, stain block primer, another light sand, first coat of chosen coloured paint, leave to dry, second VERY light sand with fine grit. Second coat of chosen coloured paint.

Agree with astrom above.

For external woodwork, I’d sand the original paint to allow the next coat to “grip” the surface, then paint in any external gloss paint you like.

Ostrom- not all chalk paint is equal. I thought I didn’t like it either but the Autentico is a chalk paint that I really like.

That said, I’m not keen on the vintage range which is a traditional chalk paint that needs sealing with wax or varnish. But the Autentico Versante is an all in one chalk paint that comes in both a Matt and an eggshell finish. It has built in UV filter, is water resistent so fine for bathrooms and kitchens as well as outdoors and they do a fab range of colours. Completely changed my opinion of chalk paint - lovely paint to use.

I've done a piece of furniture in the 'lazy' range and a piece using the 'al fresco' range. Al Fresco is harder wearing the Lazy finish marks easily.

It's very easy to paint with, and the results are quick. I like what I have achieved.

I'm not sure I'd paint something that is high traffic/overly used with it (kitchen cupboards etc) though.

Thanks everyone. Much appreciated

@Sallydally91 - thanks, I’ve not heard of Authentico, I will check it out. I’ve just been trying a few different things, I was going to try Annie Sloan but it didn’t have the colour I wanted (and was quite afraid to mix) which is why I ended up mixing the Frenchic as a base and then going over with a standard satinwood paint.