Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Mar 31, 2008 08:07pm | #1

   You can mix the milk paint powder with enough water that it would look like a wash or stain, but it's not necessary.  By itself it is essentially a flat finish, and often a little grainy.  But it can be lightly sanded and topped with a coat of an oil/varnish mix that will intensify the color and provide a hint of sheen.  For more sheen you would have to use a wiping varnish over the milk paint.  But, if you want to do that, you might as well just use a black enamel.  Check out the websites for the manufacturers.  Twocommon ones are Old Fashioned Milk Paint at http://www.milkpaint.com and Real Milk Paint at http://www.realmilkpaint.com

   Actual milk paint comes only in powder form.  If it is a liquid in a can, its not actually milk paint but an acyrlic or latex paint with milk paint colors.  It's sometimes hard to tell that when you read the labels. 

2. 
   AdamCherubini | Mar 31, 2008 08:14pm | #2

   Very reasonable. Poplar paints well as you know. And its grain is tight. But the milk paint will never really fill the grain. So its not like a stain in that the color will be opaque. But it is like a stain in that the texture of the wood will be apparent. With black, I'm not sure if there are loads of advantages to using milk paint over rustoleum for example. I think the biggest advantage may be that the milk paint is water based and dries fast so workshop dust isn't a problem, clean up isn't a problem etc.

   With other colors, I think the pigment looks different. The pigment itself is not as finely ground as commercial paints. So green milk paint really looks different than green latex for example.

   Adam

3. 
   saschafer | Mar 31, 2008 08:14pm | #3

   You're talking about the drawer cabinet and/or the drawer fronts, right? As a finish, milk paint would certainly be suitable. It's very opaque, easy to apply, and wears well. However, I suspect that the look isn't what you'd really want for a computer desk. It has a rather dull matte finish, and the brush strokes tend to be visible. A sprayed lacquer finish is probably more in tune with electronic hardware.

   Poplar is fine for the interior parts (drawer sides and backs), but is really too soft for the exposed cabinet and drawer fronts. It will likely receive lots of dents and dings that will go through the finish and expose the light color of the wood. I would use soft maple instead. (Hard maple or birch would be even better, but they are usually significantly more expensive.) I would also first dye it black (to reduce the likelihood of a ding exposing the white wood) and then overcoat the dye with paint/lacquer. It might be a good idea to include a sealer coat of shellac between the dye and the topcoats, too.

   -Steve

    

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Mar 31, 2008 08:18pm | #4

   I just assumed it was a Shaker reproduction computer desk. 

1. 
   saschafer | Mar 31, 2008 08:25pm | #5

   My memory must be failing me (old age), as I can't even remember whether the Shakers favored Macs or PCs.

   -Steve

    

4. 
   Gretchen | Mar 31, 2008 10:04pm | #6

   Everyone has given you good descriptions of milk paint. It will wear like iron. I don't think it could be chipped if you wanted to!!   It is also a bit of a rough feeling paint, and benefits from a topcoat of a clear coat so you can wipe things up/off of it. Also, you will never be able to totally get rid of the color should you ever want to strip and make it natural wood. Might not be likely, but just an "in case".

   Gretchen