The Weathered Door

Federal Blue Milk Paint Table

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I have been wanting to try milk paint for a while now, but did not want to order it online (because of shipping). I ended up finding a small store somewhat nearby that sells its, but they only had 4 left to choose from. A brown, two greens and a blue. I was hoping for a blue-green color, I decided on Federal Blue. Since I have never used it before I wanted to try it on a piece that I had spent under $5 on incase I did not like the way it turned out… but I had nothing, so this was the candidate. A large/oversized side table. (Sorry the before photos are not great, I was inside and using my phone… at least I have before pictures!)

 

 

It was not in great condition. There were scratches on the top and the legs were beat up. Since Milk Paint requires no sanding/prepping, I went right over the current finish on the table and hoped the dings and scratches would blend in and add to the character.

I mixed up a small amount to start with. I just used a large yogurt container we had and added warm water a little at a time untill I had the consistency I wanted.

I painted one coat over the whole table, then let it dry. The coat was not very thick, and I could still see some wood through, but that is because I wanted the paint thinner rather than thicker.

 

As milk paint dries it naturally flakes in spots. This is how it looked after an hour of drying.

 

I just used a clean tongue depressor (like the one I mixed the paint with) to lightly scrape off all of the flakes. Really only the top was flaking away, barely anything on the legs, and some on the cross bars between the legs. The top was 1/2 the way bare, so I lightly sanded and decided to add another coat on the whole piece.
Then weird stuff started happening. The place where the paint had not flaked before, started flaking in batches. The edges of the top, inside of the legs and the cross bar on the legs. I was not expecting that. For some reason when there were two layers of paint, there was tons of peeling. Maybe it was too thick?

 

After it was dried I took it outside again and got all of the flakes off, but the legs were bare in spots. Big spots. The top had little patches that flaked away, but nothing like before. I really did not know what to do. I could leave and see if someone would love it the way it is, or sand it down and try some more paint!
I chose option number 2. I did another coat, but it still did not turn out the way I wanted. Maybe I need to use a bonding agent to make sure the paint sticks. I want some chippiness… just not too much. I lightly sanded the top down to make it somewhat smooth, then I gave the whole piece a coat of wax. It makes the color more vibrant… but when it dries, the paint looks white-ish and dried out. Don’t know what happened there! I guess I can just laugh and learn from the whole experience 🙂
I still have more so I may try using it again on a different piece and see how it goes, but the next piece must have cost me $5 or less. I found a blog that talked about Safe Paint, by Old Fashioned Milk paint, and if you emailed the president of the company and mentioned the blog, you could get a free pint. Even though the post was 2 years old I tried emailing the lady, and they are sending me a free pint in the color Sea Green. Safe Paint is a milk paint formula meant for walls, but it can still be used on furniture. Maybe I’ll have more luck with that!
Here is the piece all finished. Really, I just gave up… and this is where it ended. It’s kinda cool and has started to grow on me!

 

Now let’s get close and personal!

 

 

 

 

 

Not gonna lie, it looks like something that is old and needs a new paint job. Chipping, peeling, distressed pieces are not my thing. I have always known that, but I thought I would try something new.  Milk paint is so unpredictable. I prefer cleanly painted items most of the time… but other people’s milk paint projects turn out great! Maybe on a rougher surface it would adhere better. The one thing I really love about the paint is the color. It’s so vibrant.
What do you think of milk paint? Have you tried it before? I would love to hear what others think of it or if there are any tips I should know about.
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Comments

  1. I like how this milk paint turned out. Not my interior style either but like the effect. Will give it a go too. 🙂

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  2. Your experience is perfectly normal. It does most of the chipping after the second coat. I much prefer the Safepaint. In fact, I love it! It is much easier to work with. Very predictable. It also has a beautiful shine after waxing. By the way, the Sea Green will be darker than you might expect. It looks more like the sea if you mix a little white in it (or a lot depending on your taste). Good luck.

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  6. Have you ever heard of Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint? I have a furniture consignment store in Seattle and we are thinking of carrying it soon. We've used it a few times and I know several people who have as well. It has amazing results! Can't wait to see if you try it!
    You can find our store on facebook and online: http://www.foundconsignment.com

    Reply

  9. Popped over from MMM tonight. Looking at your Federal Blue milk paint table….I'm in the middle of a similar experience. My first time using milk paint – also blue. It's acting really weird and is awfully bright blue. Holding my breath!

    Donna Allgaier-Lamberti / White Oak Studio Designs / SW Michigan
    Hand-Painted Vintage Furniture Transformations
    Blog: http://smallhouseunderabigsky.wordpress.com
    Facebook: donnaallgaierlamberti@facebook.com (To see a portfolio of painted pieces for sale)

    Reply

  11. The table turned out beautiful, love the federal blue, and it sure updated that table with the wonderful shape…The tutorial was very good and easy to follow, loved all your detailed pictures…I am a new follower of yours and will be back to see more…come on over for a visit…

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  12. This was such a helpful post! I know it didn't work out the way you wanted, but I think it's super cool. It was so nice to hear your process. If you like a non-peely finish that is still rustic, you should totally go with chalk paint. I think the peeling is the point of the milk paint. Thanks for giving me the courage to try it enhanced with a more idea of what to expect. I will be using milk paint on wooden boxes and frames. It's not really my look in large doses, but I like a little chipping here and there.

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  13. I have used milk paint quite a bit and never had the trouble you are having, but milk paint was made to be used on bare wood, so I always sand my pieces first which may be the solution, you might want to give it another try but sand the piece first.

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  14. Yes, I definitely learned that if I want it to stick better on a piece with a smoother finish it needs to be roughed up a bit! I still have half the package of milk paint left so I will eventually have another milk paint piece to share. Thanks for visiting!

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  15. I'm glad you found it helpful! The milk paint gave the table a really cool finish, it is just not a piece I would keep and use. Hopefully when I try the paint again it will not chip as much as this table. I want some chipping… just not too much 😉 Like you, I can handle it in small amounts, I just don't like everything distressed!

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  16. Let me chime in about the "chippiness" of your milk paint project. Milk paint wants a porous surface to adhere to- it was developed to be be used on bare wood or other porous surfaces, just like the package says. We have a product called Extra-Bond that you can mix into the first coat of milk paint that will help it adhere to most clean, sound surfaces. Many people are bypassing this step who want the "chippy look". The paint will chip and flake off somewhat unpredictably on a previously finished surface without the Extra-Bond, and sometimes does so even more with a second coat.
    We recently developed our SafePaint milk paint formula for walls, but have found it will stick to just about any surface, even metal- with no need for Extra-Bond. Hope that helps! ~Anne from the Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company

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