Chippy Vs. Smooth Milk Paint — Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint (2024)

FAQs

How do you get the chippy paint look? ›

After the glue and paint layers have all dried, use a putty knife to scrape off the paint for a “chippy” appearance. Leave the areas you do not want to look chippy, alone. I felt that I scraped off too much paint. So I added more paint to the areas I wanted to look less distressed.

If you're wanting to add more chippiness to the piece, it's simple! Just take a sanding pad and lightly scuff sand the areas you want to chip & watch the paint chip away.

Milk paint will absorb into those and will not chip unless a "resist" is applied. Scrape the dry paint gently with a putty knife to loosen any paint that may chip and to force it a little. You can also hit the edges of the piece with a 100-80 grit sand paper to pull off some of the paint.

Even though you can quickly grab a brush and paint over chipped paint, you'll regret it in the long run. Nothing beats the benefits of proper prep so remove as much of the chipped paint as possible, make needed repairs, then sand and clean the wall before painting.

Oil Wax will dry to a smooth, hard satin finish that offers tons of protection, and only needs to be applied once; there is no need to reapply over time. Like all oils, Oil Wax should be used over porous finishes such as milk paint or unfinished wood, so is great for tabletops to furniture and everything in between.

Once you reach the point of oversaturation, simply wipe away the excess oil and let your DIY milk paint project begin the curing process — 7 to 15 days to be dry to the touch and 30 days for complete curing.

Milk Paint is durable enough to stand up to low or medium wear without top coat. If increased sheen or maximum durability for high use areas (cabinets, table tops) is required, GF recommends applying 2-3 coats of GF's High Performance or Enduro top coats after the Milk Paint is dry [1-2 hours].

Sometimes the piece is chippy, but I want to paint the whole piece to give it a more solid look… milk paint. Sometimes I have to piece together a white chippy piece or match two pieces together… milk paint. The answer is always milk paint for me when it comes to chippy pieces.

Tips on achieving a smooth milk paint finish

After your paint is dry, smooth out the finish with a fine grit sanding paper or block (we recommend 220 or higher). This will give your piece a smooth finish ready for hemp oil or one of our finishing waxes. Applying the top coat will add to the smooth feel of the finish.

Do you sand between coats of milk paint? ›

Let the paint dry 2 to 4 hours between each coat. Also, sand or buff between coats of applying milk paint using 320 to 400 grit sandpaper, scotch brite works great here. Note: sanding is not needed for adhesion, only for smoothness. Once you're done sanding, remove the dust with a rag or tack cloth.

Even if you use Bonding Agent in your Milk Paint, it may not stick to oily or greasy surfaces, so it's best to clean your piece with TSP or a degreaser prior to painting. This is a good step to take regardless of the paint you're using, as these oils and grease may seep through your paint and bleed up to the surface.

Moreover, foam brushes are a little more forgiving, making them a great choice for first-time milk painters. Brushing milk paint can leave pronounced stroke marks that are difficult to correct, but a foam brush will ensure more even coverage and fewer drips.

Unlike liquid latex and oil-based paints that come in cans, milk paint is typically sold as a powder in packets. Users mix the powder with water, which causes the lime to activate the casein. This makes milk paint somewhat less convenient and more expensive than pre-mixed commercial paint.