Milk Paint Info
Submitted byMark Sffiri

Milk paint is available through: Woodcraft, Garrett Wade, or the
Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co.
PO Box 222, Groton MA 01450, 978-448-6336, www.milkpaint.com
Milk paint has a shelf life- date of "use by" stamped on bottom- anywhere from 3 mos- 8 mos.
Each container of powder comes with full instructions.
Only mix up as much as you anticipate to use.
Don't get any on your skin, or breathe the dust when mixing.
It has lime in it. Wash it off.

Milk paint is its own primer.
It is the hardest paint available!
It is sandable!

First coat will always feel rough- like 100 grit sandpaper. So you sand it.
It will take about three coats on bare wood.
You can put finish over it like wax, lacquer, or spray acrylic or matte finish.
You can sand through the edges and expose the wood underneath. The paint reacts with the tannens in the wood and the edge will look very dark, especially mahogany. It is a nice contrast with a light color.
I've used dye on it and sand through and more dye and get some nice graded color.

You can mix acrylic or casein into it, but you start to lose some of the properties (sanding), but it extends the palette into brighter colors.

You can mix with water with a mixer, but you get bubbles. You have to let it sit a while for the lumps to dissolve (5 to 10 minutes). It starts to lump when using it after about 1/2 hour. You can't let it settle. You have to keep stirring it. You can also add some water. It's best to mix up a new batch rather than add new powder and water to paint that is starting to dry in the container.

Don't apply heat or put near a stove to speed drying- it will alligator or crack.
Empty yogurt plastic containers (plastic) are good for mixing in.

Don't try to go over an area that has started drying until it is fully dry. It is water base, so if it is dry, you could paint two or possibly three coats if it is dry, with humidity, one or two coats.
There is an additive, which helps with adhesion.
It is a really good idea to make drying stands for your work so that you can paint the whole part and not rest it to dry on a wet surface. Occasionally there is no option, so you have to paint on half at a time.