Whether you are a beginner or a long-time user of Fusion Mineral Paint, then you KNOW this paint lasts forever. With its exceptional coverage, you will get many more projects out of your pint of paint than with other furniture paints on the market and that is what makes buying Fusion quite the bargain! To see how our formula performs after a long period in storage, we put our formula to the ‘shelf life test’ using one of Fusion’s Original Paint colours Algonquin in a jar that was produced over 7 years ago.

Here is a before look at the piece:

Below is a list of supplies you’ll need to complete a similar project. 

• Fusion TSP Alternative + Wiping Cloths
• Fusion Mineral Paint “Algonquin”
• Fusion Tough Coat in “Matte”
• Electric Sander and Sanding Pads/Paper
• Stir stick + Container
• 2-inch Fusion Synthetic Bristle Brush
• Staalmester Flat One Brush

What prep is needed before painting?

For this piece, we wanted to go for a paint-washed look. When it comes to a paint wash, your prep is absolutely what will make or break your finish. Always start with a good deep cleaning. We used Fusion TSP Alternative in a mister to lightly coat the surface. Microfiber washcloths are perfect for gathering up all the dust and residue.

Even though you are washing with paint, the original substrate will come through. You will see every scratch, gouge or ding, so make sure to correct what you want prior to applying your wash. For this piece, we needed to make some repairs to the veneer, so we used a paintable wood filler to patch the veneer. 

Once the filler is dry, you will want to take the extra time to sand smooth your piece. While it’s unnecessary to sand your piece to bare wood, we recommend it to get an even finish. Using an orbital sander with pads will help to take down the finish. 

After you wipe away your sanding dust, it’s time to prepare your paint wash. For this piece, we did 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of Fusion Mineral Paint “Algonquin.” Mix it well and add more paint if you want a thicker, more opaque wash. 

Paint Washing with Fusion

You’ll notice that this piece had a lot of yellow and orange tones. We wanted to neutralize those warm colors which is why we picked Algonquin. It’s an earthy taupe that definitely still has a lot of warmth but leans more toward brown and grey.  We used our Staalmeester Synthetic Flat Brush to add layers of paint wash. We like building the cover just to make sure we get the tone and coverage we want. Simply swipe and come behind with a cloth to wipe up excess liquid.

The colour will still be slightly sheer, but our first coat sets the foundation for our paint. Once you build to the coverage you like, wait 24 hours before applying your top coat. We found the perfect choice for our paint wash was Fusion Tough Coat in Matte. It gives us a durable water-resistant finish while letting us keep some of that raw texture. Use a synthetic brush to lightly apply 3 coats. 

Our third and final coat gave us the coverage we were looking for. We could see some chipping and crazing in some spots which is exactly what we were looking for. At this point, you want to smooth out the finish with a sanding pad and apply more pressure over the ornate details to bring them out with distressing. 

Paintwash for a Natural Look

One of the best things about a paint wash is how much it focuses on the wood in a neutral, modern way. It took our project piece from orange and outdated to cozy, weathered and modern. 

Finding a complimenting hardware isn’t a difficult task but for something like this where the wood is the star of the show, vintage hardware with a gold leaf is the perfect way to marry these two golden hues together. 

While it’s not recommended to water down Fusion Mineral Paint for regular paint application due to separation and adhesion issues, you may wonder if it’s safe to use Fusion in a paint wash. Since we are adding this as a stain where it is both penetrating and creating a light film, it is definitely ok to use, especially if you are building layers.

Fusion Mineral Paint Shelf Life

One question you may have on using older jars of paint is whether or not it performs the same. The answer is YES! As long as the paint wasn’t subjected to extreme temperatures or constant freezing, and sealed properly after every use, the shelf life is YEARS for your Fusion Paints. The performance will be excellent as long as you keep your jars clean and in an insulated and controlled temp environment. 

We hope you enjoyed this paint wash tutorial and learned about the lengthy shelf life of Fusion! We can’t wait to see the paint washes you create!