Our Hopeful Home: How I Painted A Vintage Farmhouse Scale

Today I'm sharing how I painted my vintage farmhouse scale.

Chatillon scale galvanized container faux greenery No. 3 script

A number of years ago I really wanted a vintage farmhouse scale. I wanted it so badly that I bought one online for probably more than I should have (mainly due to shipping charges). To top it all off, the scale was painted beige and red. Red is NOT one of my favorite colors.

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To me, farmhouse style is usually typified by more neutral colors. Since I don't exactly love red, I've never really used the scale as part of my decor like I once envisioned I would. So I took matters into my own hands and transformed that vintage farmhouse scale into a rustic, neutral-toned one that I now love and look forward to using as part of my everyday decor.

Overall I think it has a nice, vintage-y, farmhouse look. And it should, since based on my research I believe it was made in the 1930-1940's. I've seen two of the same scales on Etsy, one for $82.00 (red like mine) and one for $104.95 (green instead of red). Don't worry, I didn't pay anywhere near that much.

I scuffed up the surface so that the new paint might adhere better.

Again, I loved the patina -- I just didn't like the red. So it was time for a DIY transformation.

Supplies For Painting A Vintage Farmhouse Scale

* * NOTE: These are the things I used based upon the color I wanted my scale to be and how my particular scale was made. They're just a suggestion. You will most likely have to substitute out different materials based on your own scale and preferred paint color choice, etc.* *

1.Vintage farmhouse scale

2. Waverly Chalk Matte Finish Acrylic Paint in Ivory
(or whatever color you choose)

3. paint brush(es) * * (I used two brushes -- one small sized hog bristle brush and one really small watercolor paint brush. I recommend this All Purpose Kids' Paint Brush Set. The variety will really give you flexibility for your small DIY painting projects.) * *

5. Sharpie markers (my color: brown) OR Sharpie paint markers, depending on your preference

6. Chalk Ink Wet Wipe Marker Marker (I used one in the color Whipped Cream.)

7. Rustoleum Spray Paint + Primer in Espresso

How I Painted A Vintage Farmhouse Scale

First, after covering up everything but the red weighing platform with a shopping bag, I spray-painted the platform with my Rustoleum Spray Paint + Primer in Espresso with two coats. .

Rustoleum Painters Touch 2x Spray Paint Can Espresso

Here's the platform after two coats of brown spray paint.

Waverly Inspirations Chalk Matte Finish No Prep Acrylic Paint Plaid Ivory

I used Waverly Chalk Matte Finish No Prep Paint in Ivory to cover the Espresso brown, with the hope that I could then distress the ivory paint and reveal the underlying brown. Unfortunately, all I got after giving it a light sanding was a cream weighing platform with red accents! Aargh. So back to the drawing board I went.

I debated using my Plaid FolkArt Layering Block to create the illusion of distressing, but ended up going with the easiest (and yes, perhaps laziest) possible choice: I used a brown Sharpie to fill in the areas I had sanded to change them from red to brown.

Chatillon scale chicken wire cloche faux greenery mantel decor

Chatillon scale wooden farmhouse bead garland

I thought the brown Sharpie was a pretty decent solution to covering the original red paint color bleeding through my distressing. The scale face, however, was still ringed with a deep red color. To cover over that I used a few coats of my Chalk Ink marker.

In this photo, up close, I can see that it could use some more coats. I think the marker was a bit too watery. I plan to go back and use a thin watercolor paint brush and use the Waverly chalk paint I used for the weighing platform to add a few more coats to better camouflage that red ring.

I still have that red "arrow", but without taking off the glass face of the scale there's no way I can paint it. And there doesn't seem to be any way to take the glass off. Believe me, I tried! Those old scales were made to withstand a lot and I simply can not get that face off -- without breaking the glass, that is!

faux green topiaries olive branches ironstone tureens Chatillon scale

I've enjoyed creating vignettes with my "new" scale. Faux greenery and ironstone are always nice additions to my farmhouse mantel decor.

Chatillon farmhouse scale wooden farmhouse bead garland jute-wrapped carrots

It was also fun to add a little touch of Easter to the vignette.

vintage Easter rabbit painting farmhouse scale orange jute carrots

farmhouse scale with patina and orange carrots

These orange, jute-covered carrots from Dollar Tree are just darling, and I've been able to use them in so many different ways.

It was all about that vintage vibe. I think I did the scale a service of sorts, especially since the transformation means I will be using it way more than I would have otherwise. I am very happy with the result!

And if you don't want to deal with painting an older scale, you can always just buy a ready made neutral colored farmhouse style scale!

Well, that's it for today, friends!

I hope you enjoyed reading about

How I Painted A Vintage Farmhouse Scale

and that I've inspired you in some way.

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