Preparations

Like most finishes, milk paint re­quires that surfaces be prepared properly. However, because this paint gets absorbed so fully into the wood, surfaces need to be completely free of waxes, any oth­er finish, and stain. Starting with 80 or 100 grit sandpaper, progressively work your way all of the way down to 220 grit. Lightly mist the panel with water to raise the grain and then cut the raised grain down with another light sanding, using 220 grit sandpaper. According to Loree Wallace of Homestead House Paint Company (homesteadhouse.ca), Canada’s leading producer of milk paint, there are certain special effects such as crackled or distressed finishes, which require these preparation rules to be broken.

Fortunately for us, manufacturers have made milk paint very simple to mix. Unlike our forefathers who had to gather all of the ingredients themselves, all we need do is simply add water to the pow­dered paint and mix thoroughly. Best results are achieved by vigorously mix­ing the paint using a high-speed mixer for 10 minutes, followed by allowing things to settle for another 10 minutes, then thoroughly mixing a second time. The paint will thicken considerable dur­ing this three-step mixing process. If it’s too thick, add water and mix again. Conversely, if too thin, add more paint powder.

Application

Apply the finish in three steps, using a brush designed for water-based finishes. Your first coat will usually look quite faded and inconsistent, with pronounced leading and trailing brush marks. This is normal and is largely caused by the speed with which this finish dries, so don’t be discouraged. According to Wallace, many finishers prefer this effect and will often stop at this point and apply the protective topcoating. If you wish to apply a second coat of milk paint, wait until the first one has thoroughly dried to the touch then lightly sand the finish using Scotch Brite pads or 220 grit sandpaper and dry brush or vacuum off the powdered residue. Regardless of the num­ber of coats of milk paint you apply, always work from wetted areas to dry ones and try to be consistent with the amount of finish laid down with each stroke. Because milk paint is a water-based finish, it will readily bleed into adjacent areas. To avoid this problem, try to paint components wherever possible prior to assembly. Where this is impractical, be especially vigi­lant and start first in transition areas, using only a very lightly wetted brush. Always pause to stir frequently, as the heavy pig­ments and natural fillers rapidly sink to the bottom.

Apply the protective topcoat of your choice. Hemp oil and also gel urethane (see ‘Red Oak Finish‘, Jun/Jul ’09, Issue #60) are highly used. Some finishers prefer beeswax, either on top of, or in lieu of the top coatings already mentioned.

Special Effects – Crackled Finish

To achieve crackled finishes, Wallace recommends the wood be stained first using a lighter shade of paint. Again, the stain is nothing more than thinned milk paint. Apply hemp oil or crackle medium, either of which will seal the first coat and prepare the surface for the next paint layer. Lightly distress-sand the dried finish, then go ahead and mix up a thick batch of paint, of a somewhat lighter shade than desired. Apply the paint quite thickly, noting that it will have somewhat dry, mud­dy sections that crackle. Pick away any obvious clumps that appear likely to fall off, then apply your final topcoating, which will both darken and stabilize the finish.

Once you’ve tried your hand at this tradi­tional finish, you’ll be amazed how easy it is to apply and wonder why you hadn’t al­ready tried it. Besides, what could be more Canadian than milk, eh?