DIY Chippy Vintage Sled

I really enjoy traditional Christmas decorating. If you do as well, then I think you’ll love this DIY chippy vintage sled.

See that wonderful texture and chippy paint? Um, that isn’t old. I created it with paint and Saltwash Powder. I’m going to show you how you can recreate this look at home.

This post is sponsored by Saltwash. I’m a brand ambassador for the product, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. I’ve also included a few affiliate links in this post. You can read my full disclosure policy here, if you purchase via a link I may receive a portion of the sale.

A little Saltwash goes a long way and you can create this look with a small splash can. You can click on the side bar or here to get a special offer.

Okay, this is actually an old sled. You could probably make your own with some slats of wood if you don’t have an old sled.

I never really liked the paint job on this sled, though.

It looks like stencil project gone wrong. I definitely don’t think that was original.

I LOVED how chippy it was. I got out some Chalk Paint and some Saltwash and got to work.

This is a really easy project and perfect if it’s your first time using paint or the powder.

If you don’t already know, Saltwash is a paint additive, that contains real sea salt. When layered with paint it gives a sun and salt air soaked look. This look is perfect for our coastal home!

I decided I wanted a dark color under the red so I used Graphite Chalk Paint. It’s a soft black that wouldn’t take away from the traditional colors. If you want a bolder look you could add a bright blue or another color underneath. Two different reds would also be nice.

To start with I mix the Saltwash into the paint that I’m using as my base layer. This thickens the paint. You want the paint to have a frosting or cake batter constancy.

Then I take my brush and stipple it on top. I like using a chip brush.

They are cheap and cheerful and I just wash them out so I can use them again and again for Saltwash projects.

I covered all the areas with the stencil but I left some of the bare wood visible as I wanted to keep that chippy look.

It’s important to knock any really high peeks down while paint is drying. I left this to dry overnight but you can use a hairdryer to speed up the process. If you want to see a video on application, you can see one here.

The second coat of paint was Primer Red. This Chalk Paint and it has a vintage feel to it. I thought the Emperor’s Silk would just look too bright on our front steps. Primer Red was almost an exact match to the existing red on the sled.

I applied this paint with a Purdy Brush.

Once the paint is dry, I took some sandpaper and distressed.

You could also use a palm sander but I just sanded by hand. When sanding, it’s important to be haphazard and sand randomly. Sand a lot in some areas and not as much in other areas.

I cleaned all the sanding dust off and it was ready to go outside!

It’s recommended to leave Chalk Paint uncoated for exterior use. If you wax it, moisture can get under the wax and crack the finish, but with something like this I think it will look even better being distressed by nature.

I talked to my friend Nancy, who owns the Sea Rose Cottage, where I buy my Chalk Paint, and she recommends Hemp Oil to add a little sheen.

Here you can see the wonderful textured Saltwash helped create.