If you're a new to milk paint or painting furniture, we recommend you start with a smaller project, like an end table.
We're very excited that this week, Heather is taking us through an end table transformation using Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint!
Heather also shares a few tips on furniture prep from her own heavy bag of painting and refinishing tricks!
The Before
The piece's finish was just like our "before" pictures --- uneven, a little grainy, and in serious distress.
It had good details and good bones, and that's all that matters!
Supplies List
Thankfully with a little knowledge and the right products, Heather had no trouble bringing this project back to life!
Supplies list: Windex (optional); primer (optional; we used Kilz), 220 grit sandpaper, Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint (Shutter Grey and Linen), Miss Mustard Seed's clear wax, and one end table you've taken really bad "before" photos of with your phone : )
The Process
These first three steps are completely optional - we want to mention that Miss Mustard Seed's instructions do not mention or require them. Heather has been painting for over 17 years and this is part of the process she uses & she recommends these steps to help with paint adhesion for her projects.
1. Do a light sand all over
2. Lightly spray with Windex (Why you ask? Windex has ammonia in it, so it opens the pores of the wood & allows the products to stick better)
2. Lightly spray with Windex (Why you ask? Windex has ammonia in it, so it opens the pores of the wood & allows the products to stick better)
3. Put on a light coat of primer (Heather used Kilz)
This should take you 10 minutes, tops. Again the first three steps are optional, but we recommend it and Heather feels more is more, especially if you're going to use the piece of furniture!
4. In this project, Heather knew she was going to leave the top white, so she left it alone for now, and mixed the Miss Mustard Seed Shutter Grey milk paint. She painted over the rest of the end table with one coat of paint. Now mix the Linen milk paint and paint the top (she did two coats for the top to get a more opaque look).
Lucketts Painting Tip: Because milk paint is mixed with water, we've found it best to almost use a dry brush painting technique where the paint is mainly adhered to the bristles. Do not use a loaded brush with paint dripping off.
5. Let the piece dry fully (about an hour) and give it a light sanding with 220 grit sandpaper all over to bring out the details
6. Apply Miss Mustard Seed's clear furniture wax all over
You're done! Thanks for following along with this tutorial, and thanks to Heather for writing it up and sharing with us! After a new look and a few days at the shop, this piece ssssssold!
|
| Milk Paint End Table - SOLD |
You can purchase the Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint products used for this project through our online store, Shop Lucketts.
You can follow Heather and all of her antics on her Boots & Burlap Facebook page.
Table looks wonderful! If doing this outside or in a garage, what should the temperature be?
ReplyDeletethank you,
Kim
Kim - this one was done in a garage (it was about 35 degrees) and a small heater was running...so maybe 40? The colder it is, the longer the paint takes to dry; the hotter it is, the faster it dries. Ideal temp would probably be a 65 degree day outside, but you can paint at any temperature.
DeleteLooks great!! Is there a big difference between this and let's say the Annie Sloan chalk paint? I haven't heard of the milk paint before.
ReplyDeleteThe main difference is MMS milk paint has no VOC's so you can paint inside with no fumes. One paint is milk based, the other is chalk based, and of course the MMS milk paint is a powder you have to mix with water to get the paint, where AS comes premixed in a can. Both finishes are a close match in the end in my eyes.
DeleteIt turned out great! I have a hard time guaging how much water to add to the paint. It gets clumpy and too watery. You mentioned not to have it dripping paint off the brush (which happens to me). Did you paint two coats of MMS and than sand?
ReplyDeleteShe painted one coat for primer. But for the actual paint, the grey is 1 coat and the white was two coats ---- lighter colors usually require more coats if you want an opaque look as they don't have much pigment in them.
DeleteHello! I want to do my light oak cupboards in the kitchen....I should sand first then primer coat & I want to paint two colors so I'd put a base color on after the primer & then the top coat...or could I have the primer coat colored & then put the top coat on & distress.?
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you want to tint the primer and have it act like it's one of your colors? I wouldn't do that because the primer has a flat base.
DeleteI would do a primer (not tinted), then apply the first color & let dry, then apply the second color.
I would love to paint a few pieces that I have had forever, with this milk paint. But I have never heard of it until now. It looks so good. Is it really as easy as it looks and sounds?
ReplyDeletePam, I'll be totally honest, if you're really a first timer & hesitant, I would start with something small (and end table, a frame) until you get the hang of it. Because you have to mix it yourself, it's not as easy to work with for a first timer as something premixed -- like a chalk paint (I'm not at all saying milk paint is difficult, but some first timers get hung up on the how to mix & consistency part).
DeleteI have a small "school house' desk that I am working on.
ReplyDeletehttp://lobsterpeach.blogspot.com/2013/01/project-procrastination-update.html
Could I milk paint the legs and "wax" the top? My son wants to be able to see all the "cool" markings on the desk top.
If it were mine...I would use a shutter gray paint on the legs (or a light color), And use the hemp oil on top! It won't change or darken the markings on top like wax would...Using a medium to light color on the legs will not take your eyes away from the coolness of the top!... :)
DeleteIt turned out great! table looks awesome.furniture company UK
ReplyDelete