What is chalk paint?

Chalk paint – it's all in the name – a descriptive term for paint with chalk as an important ingredient.

Together with water, pigment and resins, chalk is a filler which when added to water, pigments and resins creates a proud structure which is great to use for decorative techniques such as sanding through, crackling and many other ageing techniques.

Just like other products, the quality of the ingredients makes all the difference; Autentico Vintage is simply the best paint for all decorative techniques. Comprised of a palette of more than 150 colours with outstanding coverage and adherence, Autentico Vintage has been the leader in “chalk paints” for many years.

Do I need to use primer?

As much as we love painting furniture, sometimes the furniture we want to paint was never meant to be painted! These pieces need to be primed with Autentico Stain Blocking Primer or Autentico Undercoat.

If the piece of furniture is of a dark wood, large knots or has a shiny/melamine surface, a primer is recommended.

If your project is on the larger scale for example walls and ceilings make sure you understand the surface you are tackling. If you have concerns about uneven suction or adherence, use Autentico Primer to prepare your project properly. For more detailed application advice please read our product sheets.

Are Autentico paints child safe?

Our Autentico Vintage, Velvet, Versante Matt and Versante Eggshell ranges are EN71-3 compliant which means our paints are safe to use on children furniture and other juvenile products.

Please take care when sealing your chosen paint. Wax is not a child safe product and therefore our furniture waxes are not EN71-3 compliant. However, Autentico Sealer is child safe and is EN71-3 compliant and it can be used with Autentico Vintage provided the piece has been primed prior to painting.

Please refer to the product sheets for more detailed application information.

What if I don’t like the colour I choose?

Whilst every care is taken to represent colours as accurately as possible on our website, it is not recommended that you choose colours from looking at a computer screen or monitor.

Computer screens do not accurately represent colours and should be used as a guide only.

Always choose colours from our hand painted colour charts, brush-outs, or order a tester pot to check the colour prior to placing a large order for paint as we do not refund or exchange tinted paint.

When swatching a colour out from a tester pot, make sure the paint is completely dry and you look at the painted area at different times of the day, as lighting will affect the shade of the colour.

What are your returns, shipping and exchange policies?

As all Autentico Paints are tinted to order, we do not accept returns or exchanges on our products unless there has been an error made on our part, e.g. wrong colour, range of paint or quantity.

What are your lead times? Do certain products take longer to arrive?

Colour charts will be posted within a couple of days.

Allow 2-5 working days for delivery. This will include time for the order to be processed here, tinted, packed and shipped.

Please bear in mind after the weekends and bank holidays delivery times may be more towards the end delivery time bracket.

Some postcodes may take a little longer to deliver to, as goods are shipped to a depot and then delivered by a local courier.

Should I Wax, Varnish, or Seal?

Versante Matt and Versante Eggshell have a built-in sealant which forms its own protective layer, so no need to add a sealer!

Autentico Vintage is a soft, porous paint which creates an open system perfect for decorative techniques. As it is an open system it needs closing with a wax or a varnish. Autentico Matt Varnish provides extra protection as it is stain resistant. Autentico Furniture Waxes, provide decorative protection for furniture.

Autentico Sealer is made for protecting walls and furniture painted in Autentico Venice and Velvet wall paint.

For more detailed application advice please read our product sheets.

Where can I buy from?

Autentico products are available through our website alliemaeliving.co.uk.

Do I need to prepare the furniture?

All our products have a fantastic adherence, however we recommend giving the furniture a slight sand to create a key with a grit sandpaper suitable for your project. After sanding, clean with Autentico Omniclean to remove any dirt and grease and ensure the surface is completely dry before painting.

If the furniture is a very dark, old wood or a shiny surface you may need to sand more to take the top coat off. Some projects and products prefer a base coat of Undercoat or Primer. We recommend applying a coat of Autentico Primer prior to painting with Autentico Eggshell.

Please refer to Autentico Primer product sheets for information to help you decide.

What if no one is in to receive my order?

Orders will not be left at your address if no-one is home, however you can leave a note when placing your order, so we can inform the courier.  The courier will follow the instructions we have given them on the label but may not follow instructions you have left on your front door for instance. This is due to security reasons.

A signature is required to receive parcels, but if you do miss your courier don’t worry as our courier should leave a card to say they have attempted delivery and you can contact them to rearrange or they will usually attempt again the next working day. Please contact us on alliemaeliving@gmail.com or call 07515851755

No liability will be accepted by Allie Mae Living or the courier if the delivery is removed or stolen if you have left instruction for it to be left without a signature.

What should I do if I haven’t used my paint for a while?

The first thing you do before applying the paint is to give the tin a good shake and stir. If you haven’t used the paint for a while, turn the tin upside down and leave for 20 minutes, then stir before using