Milk paint is an age-old product that has recently resurfaced as a top choice for furniture painters and DIY’ers. Follow our 3 top tips for prepping milk paint to get the perfect mix every time!
RECREATING A SIMPLE DISTRESSED FINISH WITH MILK PAINT
You’re scrolling through Instagram and an image comes across your feed. The image is a beautiful, chippy vintage piece with tons of character that looks a hundred years old. You look over to a similar piece in your house wondering how the heck you can get your piece to look just like it, and then it hits you. MILK PAINT!
Milk paint is the only natural product on the market that can replicate a naturally aged finish. Being that milk paint is literally as old as time, its durability, finish and performance is one that can be sure to give you a finish you’ll love for years to come.
3 TOP TIPS FOR PREPPING MILK PAINT
So here are our 3 top tips for prepping milk paint that will help make your experience easy and stress-free and enjoyable! Before jumping into the project we first cleaned it thoroughly with TSP Alternative
1. Mix a big batch!
One thing you should always consider when using milk paint is mixing more than you will think you need. A few reasons for this are porous surfaces absorbing paint heavily, unexpected chipping and needing more coats for better coverage. Adding more water to a batch of milk paint lightens the colour.
One issue that seems to pop up occasionally is colour variation when separate batches are mixed. Mixing yourself one big batch eliminates colour variation and gives you more than enough product to work with. You may have some paint leftover, but you can always store it for a smaller project later in the week. As your paint begins to dry, you will be able to tell if you will have chipping or need further coats for coverage.
Since milk paint is usually mixed thin, you want to have a minimum of 2 coats for more opaque coverage. The first coat is slightly transparent, and may look scary! but trust the process. Your second coat will give you full coverage.
See this video for a comparison of 3 slight colour variations just by changing the amount of water used. Top tips for mixing milk paint.
2. Use a handheld blender!
There are several ways to mix your milk paint. Some of the most popular methods include shaking in a mason jar or using a whisk or a stir stick. One way to help break up pigment chunks and give you a creamy consistency is to use a handheld blender (aka frother…but don’t drink your milk paint!). This blender is battery powered and spins at a medium speed which means it won’t make a mess while you’re blending and it has enough power behind it to break up pigments.
All you have to do is mix up your BIG batch of milk paint with your 1:1 ratio and start blending. You will want to blend for 1-2 minutes, making sure to get the powder mixed up into a creamy consistency. You many notice a “head” start to form on the milk paint, at which point you should stop mixing.
3. No waiting!
One last top tip for prepping your milk paint is there is no waiting time! Many years ago the ingredients were courser and took a couple of minutes to dissolve. Now the ingredients are so finely ground they dissolve upon contact with the water! We use the finest high-quality ingredients in our Milk Paint and that means you can mix and go. You can put your leftovers covered in the fridge or just covered on the counter and it will last a few weeks!
During this time you can take care of some last-minute prep or cleaning. Once your milk paint has been mixed you can get started on painting. Dip your brush, swirl around your container just to get the pigments moving again, and you are ready to paint! You can finish your piece with any milk paint friendly finish, but one of our favourites to use is the Homestead House Furniture Wax. It’s as simple as applying and buffing with a lint-free cloth.
We lightly sanded this nightstand before applying the Homestead House furniture wax. Another tip is to add a small amount of wax or hemp oil before sanding to eliminate any dust. This is a great tip if you are painting indoors.
Applying Homestead House furniture wax is a pleasant experience! Our waxes are made from a 40-year-old family recipe. There are no harsh smells and our formula is creamy and buttery.
QUICK AND EASY MILK PAINT MAKEOVER
Now that your piece is finished, it’s time to find the perfect spot for it. A place where it can shine with all its character and glory! Recycling well made old furniture has 2 advantages. These pieces will last many years, and is a sustainable way to decorate your home.
This quick milk paint makeover looks just as we had envisioned, a little worn a little shabby and it adds that vintage vibe to the guest bedroom.
We styled it with some vintage finds, a candle and a cute little plant.
Adding some second-hand books to add to the vintage feel was a quick and inexpensive way to add character.
WHY USE MILK PAINT
Milk paint is a beautiful, natural and sustainable option for painting your home. It has many benefits over other conventional paints including being organic and gentle on the environment. It also comes in powder form which helps reduce waste. We hope this post has inspired you to check out the range of milk paints and give them a try! Let us know in the comments if you liked this post and be sure to follow us on social media for more inspiring content like this.