Refinishing furniture is a rewarding DIY project that breathes new life into old pieces and allows you to showcase your creativity. One captivating Milk Paint’s Crackle and Craze, which creates an aged appearance that adds character and charm to any furniture item. In this blog post, we’ll take you through the step-by-step process of refinishing a dresser using Homestead House Milk Paint in Ochre, combined with a natural wood top finished with Tough Coat. Get ready to embark on a journey of transformation and creativity with this distressed & worn dresser with Ochre!

Materials You’ll Need:

1. Homestead House Milk Paint in Ochre
2. TSP Alternative
3. Staalmeester Paint Brush
4. Tough coat

Preparing your Furniture for Milk Paint

Since we wanted to create a distressed and worn look for this dresser, prep was minimal! Just a quick cleaning with TPS Alternative! We completely left the old finish on this dresser, as we wanted to achieve a worn and lived-in look.

Mixing the Milk Paint

Typically you would mix Milk Paint with a 1:1 ratio with water. However, to create more of a crackled, worn texture, you’ll want to mix your Milk Paint a little bit thicker. Therefore, we used slightly more milk paint powder than water.

Milk Paint’s Crackle and Craze

When adding milk paint over a degraded old finish, such as varnish, lacquer, or shellac, a magical transformation can occur. The unique properties of milk paint allow it to craze and crackle, producing a stunning finish that mimics the natural aging process. This effect is something newer paint on the market simply can’t achieve without the use of additional mediums or elaborate techniques. The result is a truly authentic, aged, and worn appearance that not only revitalizes your furniture but also preserves the rich history hidden within its layers, making each piece a work of art with a story to tell.

Painting Furniture with Milk Paint

Using your favourite Staalmeester brush, paint your first coat of Ochre. One of the pros of Milk Paint is its quick drying time, you’ll quickly be able to see where your milk paint is going to adhere and where it is going to chip. This allows you to achieve the desired amount of distressing. We painted two coats of Ochre on this dresser.

Topcoat over Milk Paint

Once we were happy with our coverage, it was time to apply a top coat. We chose Tough Coat to seal in the chips and stop any further crackling. We loved it just the way it was!

Finishing a Natural Wood Top

For a stunning contrast, consider leaving the dresser’s top in its natural wood state. Sand the top to remove any existing finish and create a smooth surface. Apply hemp oil using a clean cloth to nourish and protect the wood. Hemp oil provides a beautiful, natural sheen that enhances the wood’s grain and colour.

Step Back & Appreciate Your Distressed & Worn Dresser with Ochre

Step back and admire your handiwork! You’ve successfully transformed an old dresser into a distressed & lived-in masterpiece with a unique and captivating character.