Before paint was sold commercially, people finished their furniture with a concoction that dates back to ancient Egypt. The most common recipe contained milk protein, quicklime and earth pigments. The compound, called milk paint, produced nontoxic paints with rich, durable colors.
These days, several brands of milk paint can be found on craft store shelves, and mixtures are quickly prepared by merely following the directions on the packages. To make the process even easier, and to sufficiently remove any lumps, an electric blender may be used to mix the paint. To easily and successfully paint non-porous surfaces, there are a number of products (such as Extra-Bond), that may be added.
On unfinished wood, the first coat of milk paint acts as a primer and should always be applied in the direction of the grain. Sufficient drying time should be allowed between coats. Although milk paint has a faint milky odor when wet, it is odor-free when dry.
After the last coat is dry, the finish may be "antiqued" by distressing it with sandpaper or by the addition of a crackle medium. Since milk paint produces a dead flat finish, a layer of clear varnish will provide any desired shine, and will also protect the piece.
Prepared milk paint may be stored in the refrigerator, and when stored in a glass jar, unused, pigmented powder will last for years.
Resources Old Fashioned Milk Paint, Milk Paint Primer, Extra-Bond, Clear Coat, Antique Crackle
Old Fashioned Milk Paint (16 colors, packaged as a powder); Milk PaintPrimer (helpful on close-grained, less-pourous hardwoods);
Extra-Bond (a concentrated acrylic. Can be mixed with first coat of Milk Paint to promote adhesion to surfaces other than bare wood);
Clear Coat (a water-borne acrylic finish used as a top-coat over Milk Paint, dries to a clear satin finish, and helps prevent water spotting); Antique Crackle; Behlen's P.D.E. Milk Paint Stripper.
Old Fashioned Milk Paint
Groton, MA
US
Phone: 978-448-6336
Email:
questions@milkpaint.com
URL:
www.milkpaint.com
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