Paint prep. Mix one part water to one part paint, in a wide-mouthed jar.
For thousands of years, woodworkers have been painting furniture. During that time, they have used many different types of paints. In fact, in historic terms what you will find at the paint store is limited: oil or latex. Modern paints also have a very limited appearance. They are dull, to put it another way. Old paints looked a lot nicer.
You won’t find it at the paint store if you want a more beautiful painted surface for your latest masterpiece. Although its a bit extreme, you could make your own paint. This means mixing a bunch of hard-to-find ingredients. Some ingredients in historical paints can be poisonous or even illegal.
You have the option of milk paint, which is safe and easy to use. Woodworkers have used milk paint since antiquity. It remains a desirable finish today for the same reason it was favored by the ancients, and every generation of woodworkers in between. Milk paint is quick to apply, easy and forgiving. It results in a rich, lustrous and complex finish that improves with time. Yet it can be applied in an afternoon.
Milk paint doesnt chip like regular paints and it doesnt produce the boring, uniform color of modern products. It has subtle shading differences that make it look more like centuries-old paints.
As a piece of furniture finished in milk paint is used, the paint polishes where it is in contact with hands or body and takes on different levels of sheen. Although this is subtle, it creates a complex and vibrant finish. Because of the way this wear plays with light, a milk-paint finish actually gets better as it ages.
Milk paint is nothing more than a mixture of lime, casein, clays and any one of a variety of earth pigments. In the past, woodworkers mixed their own milk paints using a simple formula that had been handed down from one generation to another. It is much easier to purchase it today; I get mine at the Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company, milkpaint.com
The paint arrives in powder form and is mixed with water. Although it has an earthy scent, it is not unpleasant. There are no toxic fumes, and it can be washed down the kitchen sink. The manufacturer warns that lime can cause skin irritation and burns. In 30 years of use I have never experienced any of these problems. The finish is, to my knowledge, perfectly safe.
It is easy to use milk paint. It is however very different to modern oil and latex paints. These differences can make it difficult to achieve the best results. Most of these differences stem from the fact that milk paint is water based. Oil and latex paints are much thicker than milk paint and sit as a skin on the surface of wood. There is limited penetration into the wood. When struck or scratched these paints will chip.
It has a much lower body than milk paint. It is much thinner and is applied in much thinner coats. Water-based milk paint also soaks into wood. Thats why antique collectors have always dreaded stripping this stuff. The good news is that milk paint does not chip. It will wear in normal use.
Mixing
To mix milk paint, just add water. The manufacturer recommends one part water to one part paint. It is easy to mix it. I use a clear, wide-mouth plastic or a glass jar. A wide mouth makes it easier to dip the brush. Salsa and peanut butter jars are perfect. In a pinch, I will use a small coffee can with a plastic lid for mixing milk paint. Because the mixture includes water, avoid a cardboard paint pot. The water may soak through and the cardboard may fall apart before you are done.
You can mix the paint with a stirrer driven by an electric drill. But, I pretend that I’m a bartender serving James Bond a martini. It doesnt take long to mix the paint. It takes about a minute to shake the paint. You will get a paint that is thick and fluffy, similar to whipped cream. This foam will make you unhappy. I let freshly mixed milk paint sit for about an hour. This allows the foam to settle back down into a liquid.
Because milk paint is water based, the solids will not suspend like they do in oil and latex. They will settle quickly. I always keep a stirring stick in the jar. Before I begin painting, I stir and stir frequently throughout the process.
Depending on the surface you want, you can either strain your milk paint or use it freshly mixed. Strained milk paint results in a slightly smoother finish. It is more rough to the touch if it has not been strained. It is more matte, like an exceedingly fine sand paint. I usually do not strain, but when I do I pass the mixed paint through an old pair of panty hose. You can also buy a strainer at a paint-supply store.
The foil bag contains a new Old Fashioned Milk paint packet. Once you open that packet the powder will slowly absorb moisture from the air. It loses some of the ability to bond as it absorbs moisture from the air. Milk paint has a shelf-life. One-ounce bags are what I use. It is usually a very small amount of powder that I have left over. I don’t feel guilty about tossing it. The unused product will last a lot longer if you close the bag tightly and store it in a dry environment. I am a very frugal person, but keeping an open paint bag in my possession is a waste of money. I feel much safer opening a fresh bag.
Mixed milk paint, too, has a very short shelf life. Simply put, it spoils. It is a good idea to use it only on the day it is mixed. If you are not able to complete the finish in one day, you can stretch the mixed paints working life by keeping it in the refrigerator. It will eventually go bad after two days.
Old and new. Milk paint is fast and easy to use, and it can age beautifully, which results in subtle variations in color.
Surface Preparation
Plastic Wood is used to fill small holes and blemishes in my projects. This material can take paint. The water used to mix the milk paint will soften latex fillers, which may cause the milk paint to wrinkle. Milk paint is very thin in body. It won’t fill small holes like latex or oil paint. You have to take care of any voids before you begin. They will appear when you’re done if they are not addressed.
While I wait for the milk paint to set, I move on to the next stage of my project preparation. The wood grain will be raised by the water-based paint. Apply milk paint directly to freshly sanded surfaces. You will need to sand again in between coats.
I would rather not have to do this extra sanding. So, I raise the grain before I apply the first coat. I spray the wood that I am painting with water.
I use a plastic spray bottle, the type available at any hardware store. The trick here is to moisten the surface thoroughly, but not as if you were washing a car. If the water puddles or runs, you are being too liberal.
You need to do it quickly. If you dont want to wait for the wood to dry, speed up the process with a hair dryer.
There is another advantage to wetting the surface first. Milk paint will not bond if glue is left on the surface or if it gets smeared. These spots can be easily seen on a damp surface. Scraping is a good way to remove the glue. I use a scraper or a chisel to remove the glue. Once the wood is uniformly wet and all the glue is removed, allow the wood to dry. On a warm day or in a heated shop this happens very quickly. If you are in a hurry, you can speed things up with a hair dryer. Do not put your project out in the sun; that may cause parts to warp or split.
Glue alert. In addition to raising the grain, the water also highlights areas from which glue needs to be removed before painting.
Finish-sanding the wood is a good idea. Dust it off with a soft, clean cloth. A tack rag can also be used.
Milk paint is very drying and can be difficult to clean up if it gets splattered or spilled on. I protect my workbench by putting down a layer of builders paper or by cutting open a large cardboard box. To protect my clothes, I wear an apron. I dont bother with gloves. The paint washes off my hands easily.
when the paint is dry and do not leave a blemish.
The surface determines how wide you should use your brush. For a piece of furniture with a lot of small, shaped parts, such as a Windsor chair, I like a 5 cm brush. On wider surfaces, such as a chest or tabletop, I use up to a 10 cm brush.
Manufacturers recommend using a foam brush. They probably work. I have tried them, but never liked them. Maybe I’m just an old-fashioned guy. A brush should have bristles.
First Coat
As this will make the paint application more straightforward, the manufacturer suggests that you moisten the surface before you apply paint. While I do wet the wood to raise the grain before finish-sanding, I skip this recommended step. It is easier to apply the first coat on a damp surface. My experience is that the water used to moisten wood makes the first coat thin so a third coat is often necessary for full coverage. So, I would end up doing more work in the long run.
Apply a thin coat. Apply a small amount of paint and pull it with the brush to a thin, uniform coat.
Milk paint is almost water-thin, so it draws in wood almost as fast as it touches it. It is not as easy to draw than oil or latex paint. The action for applying the first coat is more like daubing. Do not apply so much that the milk paint puddles. This is far too much paint. Use less paint and pull it with the brush to work it into a thin film. It is important to spread it evenly and make sure it absorbs uniformly. In this way too, milk paint is different. It has to be worked vigorously with the brush.
I emphasize this point for an important reason. Next, read the following sentences. Then, go back and review them. The majority of problems with milk paint can be attributed to trying to apply it like oil or latex paints. Even after many coats, milk paint can puddle and cause a blotchy finish. It is important to work the paint. Milk paint is not only easy to use but it’s also a completely different product to what you are used to. Remember to stir the paint every so often when you apply it.
Because milk paint soaks into the wood, it is difficult to use it to cut in the process of drawing a fine line of paint with a brush. It is not impossible to pick out areas or parts in a different color, but you do have to be careful. It is much easier to paint parts in a different color than they are before they are joined. This is not feasible with many furniture pieces, but it can be a useful trick if you have the ability to use it.
Let the first coat dry completely. Evaporation is what makes milk paint dry. The temperature and humidity of the shop will affect how dry or warm it is. The paint takes a lot longer to dry on a rainy summer day than in a heated shop in the winter. This means that when painting a large piece, where you began painting has often dried thoroughly long before you are done. When this happens you can apply a second coat in as little as an hour. Areas that are not fully dry are very easy to see. They are much darker than the dry areas. So, there is little doubt as to when you can move on.
Again, I must emphasize and warn you. When dry, the first coat will look like something the cat dragged in. You will not be able to recognize the product and ruin all your hard work. The first coat of milk paint is splotchy and uneven. It also looks like chalk. It is not the time to be timid. Be brave. Have faith.
Dont panic. The first coat will look a splotchy and uneven.
First, rinse out your brush with running water and store it in a jar of water. Remember milk paint dries fast. The paint will dry quickly if you don’t keep it wet. This mistake could result in a huge loss of money.
Now you need to choose the type of finish that you prefer. Rub down the first coat to create a smooth finish. Scotch-Brite pads are fine. You can use #0000 steel wool, but it leaves a lot of black metal filings. No matter what fine abrasive you use, the excess milk paint will create a lot of dust. You have to clean up. A tack rag is a good option, but it’s probably too much. It is only dry dust; you can brush it away with a clean, dry brush. If the piece is small enough, you can blow the dust away or even turn the piece upside down and tap it to let gravity do the job.
Smooth. If you want a smooth surface on your piece, after the first coat dries rub it down with #0000 steel wool, or a green Scotch-Brite pad.
Second Coat
Remove excess water from the brush before you begin the second coat. I do this by wiping it over the paper layer on the bench. You could also use a paper towel.
The first coat of milk paint seals the wood.
This makes it a lot easier to apply the second coat. Even though it is water thin, you can draw the second coat in a manner similar to oil and latex paints. Do not attempt to spread it. You still need to work the paint to spread it evenly and thinly. It is possible to make the paint blotchy by applying it in a thin layer. Avoid puddles or runs. The second coat will not absorb as quickly as the first, so it will take less time to finish the job.
Like the first coat, the second coat of milk paint will give you fits of panic. While the coverage is now more uniform, the paint again dries dead flat. It’s flatter than any other paint you’ve ever seen. It has no luster or highlight. You can still see brush overlaps and areas that you touched up. Again, have courage.
You can also rub the second coat if you desire a smoother surface. Scotch-Brite pads can be used to smoothen the surface. You can also rub the area with a very fine Scotch-Brite pad.
A third coat is not usually necessary. You can apply one if you wish, but follow these instructions.
Second coat. Second coat. The first coat seals wood. Spread it thinly and evenly to prevent blotching.
Overcoat
The paint needs to be sealed with a topcoat. This final surface has several purposes. The topcoat gives the finish a richer, deeper and darker color. It will also add luster. It also protects the paint. The paint can also water spot in raw milk paint, which is difficult to remove.
Over the years, I have tried several different topcoats. I have finally settled on natural (untinted) wiping varnish.
I pour the wiping varnish into a wide-mouthed jar or a coffee can. I apply it with another of those cheap natural-bristle brushes. When doing this, be liberal. Be sure to wet all the painted surfaces. You should be aware that any milk paint thin or overlapped areas will remain visible for several minutes as you apply varnish. This can cause anxiety. These problems, which first appear as blemishes, will eventually blend into one uniform color.
Topcoat. A liberal application of untinted wiping varnish will give the paint a rich, rich appearance and protect it.
Let the wet varnish stand for about 10 minutes. Then, wipe off as much as you can with a soft, absorbent rag. Be careful with the rag. It could ignite a fire. Behind my shop I have an incinerator for getting rid of shavings and scraps. There are oil-soaked rags that I also use. If you dont have an incinerator, spread your rags on the pavement to dry.
Let this thin coat of varnish dry. Depending on the conditions, this could take as little as a couple hours. You may need to wait until the next morning. A single coat of wiping varnish can dry to a pleasant matte finish. Apply a second coat if you desire more sheen. The second coat will usually take longer to dry. Once its hard, I often apply a coat of Butchers wax.
I think of milk paint as being like a human face. Although a young face may be beautiful and perfect, it lacks character. The interesting features we think of as character take time to develop in a human face. This is the case with milk paint. It is a finish that improves with age. This finish continues to improve and become more complex. Use your newly finished piece of furniture as you normally would. Enjoy how the finish develops with time. Like love, the best part of milk paint is growing older together.
A chairmaker since 1971, Michael Dunbar is the founder of The Windsor Institute in Hampton, N.H. (thewindsorinstitute.com).
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