Comments on: Two Layer Milk Paint

By: El Dris

El Dris — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:50:21 +0000

TSP or Trisodium phosphate will help remove old milk paint, its still a tough job and wear gloves!

By: Pamela Richards

Pamela Richards — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:38:10 +0000

Thanks for the vaulable tips, Bob! I’m using milk paint for a portrait and I have been using techniques that involve glazes and a lot of layering. I’ve been layering Quark and oil with a beer glaze. . . some of the layers peeled, Doh! but I’m still experimenting.

I love the milk and borax idea! I think it will make all the difference in the world to my layering techniques. I’ve been looking for a totally clear binder, too. I had been thinking of experimenting with borax and milk.

Out of curiousity, do you think borax and milk would alternate well with a beer glaze?

Thanks so much!

By: Bob Strawn

Bob Strawn — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 14:39:27 +0000

The only solvent I know of for milk paint is meat tenderizer. This works OK for single layer milk paint. Not so great for two layer. Well done two layer is really tough stuff. I am not sure that meat tenderizer is a good thing to soak into wood however. I have not done any testing.

If you sand first, you should be able to bond on another layer of milk paint, or other paint. I base this on my front porch and steps. I put milk paint on my steps, and I have renewed it without problem.

Bob

By: Stig Taube

Stig Taube — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 08:44:34 +0000

Bob,

Do you know anything about refinnishing your milkpaint?
If it is not bare wood and so on?

Stig.

By: Bob Strawn

Bob Strawn — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 17:51:55 +0000

Properly done, milk paint is generally longer lasting and tougher than the material it is painted on. Preserving the material is probably more important than preserving the paint in this case.

Bob