DALA RED Bringing Back History

Dala Red Bringing Back History.

Swedish furniture flipper Eva Ekestern is a real talent with historical pieces. For each and every piece she keeps the history of the piece in mind. Our brand new Swedish Collection from Homestead House Milk Paint was the perfect fit for her work, which is always a perfect example of what true craftsmanship really is all about.

According to Eva: “I love to use milk paint, especially on old pine furniture. It gives the piece an authentic look from the past. These 6 new colours are very close to my heart. Each and every colour has been carefully curated to give you an authentic Swedish feel to your paint project.”

When seeing some of the old paint jobs, Eva decided to choose Dala Red. The original paint reminded Eva of the copper pigments found in the Falun mines in the province of Dalarna in central Sweden.

It’s exactly those red pigments that are used for the charming red Swedish houses and barns that we all know. These pigments are what make Sweden look like Sweden and were the inspiration for the new Homestead House Swedish collection. Dala Red was definitely the perfect colour to give this piece a whole new life.

Before painting Eva reconstructed the missing trim work and cut new feet from scrap wood she had on hand from previous projects.

Below is a list of supplies you’ll need to complete a similar project to DALA RED Bringing Back History.

Fusion TSP Alternative + Wiping Cloths
Fusion Continuous Misting Spray Bottle
Homestead House Milk Paint “Dala Red”
Fusion Hemp Oil
Fusion Odourless Solvent (optional)
Mixing Cup + Stir Stick
Chip Brush to apply Hemp Oil
Chip Brush to apply Milk Paint

Prepping Antique Pieces

Good cleaning is always the first step. Fusion TSP is a perfect cleaning option when diluted with water in the Fusion Continuous Misting Spray Bottle. Simply spray your piece down and wipe away any dust or residue. If the piece was previously waxed or oiled use our Odourless Solvent to remove it.

Let your piece dry before moving on to the next step. In many cases the next step is painting but because this piece is an antique Eva had to keep a couple of things in mind when doing her prep work.

A Light Sanding.

When looking at Eva´s piece you can see some areas that look a bit more shiny or saturated than others. Leaving it as it is and just painting away with milk paint will result in inconsistencies. Inconsistencies can give a beautiful authentic look but if you prefer to avoid that we recommend giving the piece a light sanding. This way you will ensure that the wood will absorb the milk paint in a consistent way.

Older Paint Containing Lead

On antique pieces, the old paint residue can contain some lead. If this is the case, always wear a mask outside and sand outside. You can get a test from your hardware store to be sure. We recommend not to sand if your paint does contain lead.

Old furniture can have areas damaged by water, and be in bad condition. Many paints require reparation of the wood but Milk Paint actually does really well on damaged wood. Because Milk Paint soaks into the wood fibres it will adhere pretty well compared to other paints. It will in some cases even adhere better to the damaged wood than to wood fillers used to repair wood.

Mixing Homestead House Milk Paint

Simply mix equal parts of Dala Red milk paint powder and water. Stir it well.

Let it stand for a couple of minutes to make sure all the pigments are evenly dissolved. Give it a second stir.

Sealing Milk Paint With Hemp Oil

Eva decided to finish this piece in Hemp Oil.

Hemp Oil is an excellent choice for over milk paint. Here are just some of the benefits.

Soaks into porous woods and paints and protects the surface from the inside out.
Has no chemicals
Biodegradable
Made from 100% natural pressed hemp seeds
Food safe!

Check out this video on how to apply hemp oil over milk paint.