Milk paint has been around for a very long time. In fact it was the first type of paint to be used on furniture in the early 1800's. Ancient people in Southern Africa thousands of years ago used red ocher mixed with bovid milk (milk paint) as a body paint. The San people of South Africa used it for rock paintings.
Today the Himba in Namibia still uses a red ocher milk paint to decorate the body. Like chalk paint it has become fashionable to use milk paint, especially when distressing furniture. It comes in a powder form and must first be mixed with water before it can be used. Depending on
whether it is new wood or previously finished wood, preparation will be needed
on old paint and varnished surfaces. A bonding agent must be applied to the
first coat to ensure proper adhesion. If you’re not going for a
distressed look or you are happy with the current colour of the surface that
you will see when distressing then skip this step.
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| Rock painting - taken from ancient-origins.net |
The mixture for
stain is made by mixing three parts of water to one part of Milk Paint powder
(any color powder can be used). Stir the mixture well. A thin watery mixture is
required and it is applied in even strokes in the direction of the grain. It
dries quickly and the next coat can then be applied. The surface can now be
painted with the desired top coat.
Milk Paint is mixed as follows:
One part Milk
Paint is added to one part water. Add more water if the paint is too thick or more
powder if too thin. Stir thoroughly until all the powder is dissolved. Apply
the paint evenly and allow 20 to 30 minutes between coats for the paint to dry.
At least three coats are required.
When you are
satisfied with the coverage, it can be finished by sanding with a fine grit
sandpaper. Now apply antique wax or a matt liquid sealer to seal the paint.
Tip:
Make your own Milk
Paint.
Here is what you
will need:
- ½ Cup of lemon juice or 1 oz of hydrated lime (get from hardware stores)
- 1 quart skimmed milk
- Sieve
- Dry color pigment or matt acrylic paint of the desired colour.
To prepare the
paint the following steps should be followed:
- Mix the lemon juice with the skimmed milk and leave overnight at room temperature to induce curdling
- Pour it through a sieve to separate the liquid from the solids
- Add 4 tablespoons of dry color pigment or 4 tablespoons of acrylic paint very slowly to the curd. Stir until the pigment has dispersed throughout the mixture and the desired color is obtained.
Milk paint must be
used immediately and just enough must be mixed for use over a short period.
When more paint is needed, mix again.
Tip:
Use chalk paint
and milk paint for distressing on smaller projects but avoid on bigger projects
and hard working surfaces. Do not skip wood preparation on previously finished
surfaces. Where sanding does not seem to be required, sand only lightly and
seal with a water based sealer before painting.
As an alternative,
use ordinary ultra matt acrylic paint (the type used for
painting ceilings)
to get the same matt finish. It must be sealed.
