Milk Paint India

Everyone is talking about 100% natural milk paint

Everyone is finding old bits of furniture and bringing them back to life and there is a new product in town. Milk paint is the 100% natural cousin to chalk paint that is muscling in on the furniture painting scene. Technically not at all new, the process behind milk paint has been used for thousands of years. Nowadays it is the richly pigmented competitor currently taking over for furniture, walls, cabinets, and more. It is environmentally friendly, non-toxic and you can mix and match colours to create your own shade.

Find out what milk paint is, how to use milk paint, and where to find products in India.

What makes it so special

If you’ve ever been on the home makeover section of Pinterest or seen late night repeats of reno shows from the last few years, you have come across milk paint. A simple combination of lime, skim milk (or casein, a protein in milk), and pigment, it has been around for thousands of years but is currently seeing a resurgence in popularity. It is:

• Enviromentally safe, non-toxic and biodegradable
• A richly coloured matt finish
• Customisable – colours can be blended, and the finish can be solid colour, stain, or made to chip or crackle
• Fast drying, solvent free, and low odour
• Indefinite shelf life as powder in sealed bag

How to apply milk paint – application tips

Though the idea of buying paint in powder form may be intimidating, there’s no need for nerves. Just follow these simple tips for the perfect application.

1. Work out the look you want before you get to mixing – If you want full opaque colour, you will need to add less water. For more of a wash effect, more water will need to added.
2. The trick to a great finish is all in a proper mixing – For first timers, test a small amount of powder to see how it responds to water and to get a feel for it. Mixing can be done with a small whisk, a milk frother, or even a blender. For an opaque finish you are going for the consistency of cream, or thinner for a wash. Do not whisk into a froth. Do not bung all the water in at once – you don’t want to go too far before you’ve begun.
3. Don’t panic if lumps form – Lumps forming is totally normal! After mixing, leave the paint for a few minutes for the casein and lime to do their work and dissolve. Any remaining small lumps will brush out as you apply the paint (or they can be sanded out with a fine sandpaper afterwards).
4. Bonding agents and finishing oils are up to you – Do you want the chipped, antiqued look for your final milk paint furniture finish or a clean and full finish? A bonding agent will work to keep the paint attached to the substrate. Without the bonding agent the paint will age and give an antique look.

When it comes to application, how much or how little paint you use is up to you and the look you want. If you want the wood grain to shine through, a single coat of wash is the way to go. For solid colours, one to two coats will achieve the look you want. And now you’re ready to go!

3 milk paint products available in India

The popularity of milk paint and chalk paint is leading to a proliferation of businesses with products in India. Below we have listed some of the top milk paint brands and the products they produce.

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint

Manufactured by Homestead House, Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint is the creation of “Miss Mustard Seed” a DIY/home decor blogger and author who wanted her own line of paints in all her favourite colours. And her favourite colours are great. With the quality production of Canadian brand Homestead House behind her, this is a classy product with a beautiful range of 24 shades including Apron Strings (a light pink), Eulalie’s Sky (a vibrant aqua), Marzipan, and of course, Mustard Seed. Miss Mustard Seed also produces waxes, finishes, oils, and sealers.

Real Milk Paint

Products from The Real Milk Paint Co. are made in the USA. Their minimal black-and-white pots create an idea of their simple but clever approach. So is the instruction: Just add water. You can try that and choose one of the 50 color shades like Dijon, Spearmint and Granny Smith Green. As a real milk paint, this one is of course environmentally safe and too.

FolkArt Milk Paint

FolkArt Milk Paint is from Plaid, an American-based crafting and do-it-yourself manufacturer. Their paints aim to capture ‘farmhouse chic’, perfect for updating vintage furniture items or for bringing that elegance to new wood. The paint is versatile and beautiful, with a velvety appearance, and comes in 33 colours like Churned Butter, Pink Dogwood, Blue Belle, Absinthe, Pirate Black, and Sweet Lilac. They also come premixed, meaning you don’t have to mess around with powders.