Saltwash Versus Sea Salt

After using plain sea salt on my zinc pots (READ POST HERE), I decided to take the challenge to tables.


It would be the Saltwash Versus Sea Salt competition.

Which product would win the gold?

By the way, I was NOT compensated for using the products named in any way.

Saltwash purchased HERE.   Two Lovely Flowers on Etsy.

Cerulean Seas Sea Salt Fine Crystals purchased at Fresh Market for $1.99 plus tax.

My two victims - two similar candlestick tables.

Both needed a bit of tightening and cleaning before the challenge began.

To be able to start on a level playing field, I painted each with Waverly Chalk paint in Truffle.

One coat for each.

Dried great in less than 20 minutes.

In separate plastic cups, I mixed Saltwash with Americana Decor Chalky Finish paint in Escape and the same with plain sea salt.

I only mixed a little because a little goes a long way.

I used the directions from watching Saltwash videos.

At this point I was not a happy camper.

It was a hot and humid day.

Not good for painting outside.

This is the table with Saltwash.

I named her Prissy.

This is the table with plain sea salt.

I named her Scruffy.

I had a very difficult time getting this dry enough for the next step.

The Saltwash must have a drying agent in it - it dried a little better than the sea salt.

I used Americana Decor Chalky Finish paint in Lace for the top coat.

Here's a full view of Prissy.

Here's her top.

Texture - check

Sea washed color - check

Full view of Scruffy.

Here's her top.

Texture - check

Sea washed look - check

However neither table would dry.

It did not help I left them for a quick Olympics watch and it sprinkled rain on them.

I threw both of them in the dining room for a few days.


The paint finally cured - it no longer peeled right off.

Here's Scruffy after sanding and a coat of satin varnish.

It was quite easy to get the layers of paint to show.

Her base is definitely textured and ancient-looking.

Prissy (Miss Saltwash) was harder to sand.

I was not using the electric sander - just a sanding sponge.

Here's her top - it was difficult to get down to the brown layer of paint.

Her base is textured and has an old look.

So which table wins the gold and which the silver?

I have to award Prissy (Miss Saltwash) the gold - she dried and sanded to a smooth distressed finish.

Scruffy (Miss Sea Salt) wins the silver - if you love a lot of texture and depth this is the choice for you.

I will use the rest of the canister of Saltwash on other furniture projects, but for smalls like my zinc pots, I will stick to plain old sea salt.

I still think the finishes learned in the Farragoz course are superior to these. 

And, NO, I am not compensated to say that.


See y'all!

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