I’m always on the hunt for fine furniture on the cheap. As a matter of fact, I’ve been on the hunt for a few cane back dining chairs for a few years now. They are all of a sudden a hot and popular item (and a bit pricey too). So when I spotted a set of six sitting outside of a local thrift store I knew I found my next project. Let me show you the best way to paint cane back chairs with chalk paint.
Let me first say that I looked high and low for affordable cane back dining chairs. I found a handful of them, but since I needed six they still ended up being more than I wanted to pay. I did, however, round up a handful of them if you can’t find any thrifted options.

Back to the cane chair makeover; I spotted these cane back dining chairs sitting outside a local thrift store. They were apparently “taking up too much room on the store floor.”
This was music to my ears. 🙂
Needless to say I was obliged to help them make more space on the store floor for only $50.
It took two trips to get all six of these cane back dining chairs home. These chairs were in mint condition, just not my style. Nothing a little paint and fabric can’t fix!
Disclosure; this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay. This disclosure statement refers to the rest of the Amazon links in this post. See more on my disclosure page.
Materials for the cane back chair makeover
- Cane back chairs
- Primer
- Paint
- Paint Sprayer
- Lint free cloths
- Cleaner or degreaser
- Sealer
- Paint brush
The best way to paint cane to get in all those little grooves is to use a spray paint or a paint sprayer. I’ve shared all about how to use chalk paint in a paint sprayer in a recent post.
How to paint cane back chairs
- Remove the seat cushions.
- Clean the surface with a lint free cloth ensuring that there is no lint or debris in between the cane.
- Prepare the paint and primer (dilute with water if needed) for the paint sprayer.
- Use a paint sprayer to spray at least one coat of primer.
- Use a paint sprayer to apply at least two coats of paint.
- Apply a top coat or sealer if necessary.

Above are the six cane back chairs sitting outside the thrift store waiting for me 😉




Like I said in the directions, I used a paint sprayer to apply the chalk paint. You can see directions on how to use chalk paint in a paint sprayer on another post.
If you are looking to purchase a paint sprayer, I’ve got a post about the three best paint sprayers for furniture here.







I DID NOT use the sealer in the paint sprayer. I’ve explained more about why I did this in the post about how to use chalk paint in a paint sprayer.
As far as what sealer to use, you can refer to my post about how to seal painted or unpainted furniture for a high traffic finish. I’ve shared one of the best sealers for chalk paint and really any paint when you don’t want to use the typical chalk paint wax.
I’m so happy with how they turned out. My husband was very skeptical when I brought these chairs home, but he’s super pleased with them now!
As I’ve always said, don’t ever underestimate the power of paint!









How to Paint Cane Furniture

Learn the best way to paint cane back dining room chairs. I've shared a simple tutorial on how to paint cane furniture with a few tips about what materials and tools to use. Painting cane furniture does not need to be difficult and with a few easy steps even beginner furniture painters can do it!
Materials
- Cane back chairs
- Primer
- Paint
- Lint free cloths
- Cleaner or degreaser
- Paint brush
Tools
- Paint Sprayer
Instructions
- Remove the seat cushions
- Clean the surface with a lint free cloth ensuring that there is no lint or debris in between the cane.
- Dilute the primer and paint according to your paint sprayer if needed.
- Use a paint sprayer to spray at least one coat of primer.
- After the primer is dry, use a paint sprayer to apply the first coat of paint. Let it dry.
- Apply second coat of paint with a paint sprayer and let it dry.
- Apply a top coat or sealer if necessary.
- Replace the seat cushions
Notes
If you want to know how to dilute your paint in a paint sprayer, I've got a full post about it.
As far as what sealer to use, you can refer to my post about how to seal painted or unpainted furniture for a high traffic finish. I’ve shared one of the best sealers for chalk paint and really any paint when you don’t want to use the typical chalk paint wax.
I hope I’ve given you the confidence you need to paint cane furniture.

SHOP THE POST!
Lindsey**
Karli
Sunday 17th of July 2022
I’m looking in to painting some cane chairs I just got and I saw something that said you should absolutely not paint the backside of cane because it will get brittle and break. Have you noticed that on your chairs or have they held up well?
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Monday 18th of July 2022
The paint on the backside of the cane has held up great! We sit in them everyday with no problem. I think the key is not applying the paint on thick, hence spraying it on with a very fine mist. Hope this helps!
Jackie
Monday 21st of February 2022
These chairs turned out so cute! I love the color. I am working on updating our kitchen here in Paradise, CA and would love to paint our chairs. We are having our kitchen cabinets painted next week so maybe after that! Thanks so much for sharing!!!
Shelly
Thursday 30th of September 2021
Why did you have to use primer if you were using chaulk paint?
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Friday 1st of October 2021
Hey Shelly, Primer is used for so much more than just allowing the paint to stick. I used it to seal the old tannins in on the old chairs so they wouldn't seep through the white chalk paint over time. You can see a full explanation of why I primer is important here. https://repurposeandupcycle.com/do-you-need-to-prime-furniture-before-painting/
Wednesday 11th of August 2021
Those look like incredible valuable chairs before the paint.
Anna
Monday 16th of November 2020
What treatment did you apply to the rectangular table in this post?
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Monday 16th of November 2020
I actually purchased the rectangular table and didn't do anything to it! Here is the affiliate link to it; https://rstyle.me/+udjxkvTkIKkcLnuoskXEyg You can get a similar finish by using Lime Wax. I shared a similar project here; https://repurposeandupcycle.com/lime-washed-coffee-table-makeover-with-liming-wax-8/ I hope this helps.