My question is, have you discovered, invented, developed, learned, found or otherwise acquired a bit of knowledge that you would rather share than see fade away?
If so, I suspect that a lot of us might like to know.
Here is my secret to start the ball rolling,
Here is a method for producing a durable, weather resistant, and lovely milk paint. The secret is chemistry. Anionic and Cationic layers will cross link and draw to each other.
Since wood is acid, first you start with the base level. Take 2% or powdered milk and dissolve as much borax into it as it will hold. This will make a great first layer. borax is a very strong anti fungal, insect preventing, antioxidant layer. It is used in the industry for all three reasons. In low levels it is also good for plants, so a bit of leakage is not likely to cause environmental issues. If you want to be serious about preservation, soak the wood. If you want a rustic white wash, add some builders or agricultural lime instead of some of the borax. If you want a quality white coverage, add titanium dioxide.
Let this almost dry. Then put on the second coat. This coat is acidic.
Add frozen apple juice to more 2% or powdered milk. As you add it, first the milk will curdle, as you add more apple juice concentrate, the milk will uncurdle. When it is fully uncurldled then you have added enough apple juice.
Take serious heed of this warning, Apple juice while being near harmless externally is a very very strong acid. In particular it is very good at breaking down skin. Many plastic gloves will not last long if you are using apple juice.
Seriously concentrated apple juice is varies at about PH 2.3 It can be much stronger. Even diluted it can be quite caustic to skin if it is ignored.
If you want a nice green color, add some copper sulfate. This will start out blue but will turn into verdigris and be totally light stable. Copper sulfate is also acidic, so it goes in this layer. It also protects strongly from insect damage and is often used agriculturally. Be careful with the copper sulfate, later it will be fine, but while mixing and applying it is not a good chemical to expose your nose, lungs, eyes, mouth and skin to. It is also good at this point to mix in some oil. BLO is good, but can grow mildew. Tung is superb. Safflower will give the clearest color, but you need the right type of Safflower oil. High Linoleic Acid Safflower oil is a superb drying oil and is used in quality oil paints. Most cooking safflower oil is the other type. Adding oil will help bond in the borax, and also help preserve and give a good feel to the wood. oil will also alter the manner that the casein (the protein in milk that makes it a great paint) cross links and will make the casein more flexible and resilient. Don’t worry that the oil does not mix, stir it well and rub it in. I use heavy duty chemical resistant gloves and a lab apron. I rub in the coating with a square ripped from an old towel. I throw away the old towel after doing this layer, and wash all my equipment immediately after I am done. It is easy then but if you wait, it can be very hard to clean up. The towel may have to be replaced part way through your work as the apple juice may destroy it.
This is also a quality treatment for leather. By making the first layer light colored, and then making the second layer darker but thin, this gives an appearance of richness and depth. To color this paint, use pigment powders such as the ones used in ceramics. Apart from the very light colors such as yellow and white, a small amount of pigment will go a very long way.
My favorite source for pigments is uspigments.com. I am in no way at all connected to that company apart from a few small orders.
Replies
Wow.
I never wanted to paint anything with milk paint before and now i do.
The stuff is great, stable with a dry feel. can be smooth, rough, as non-gloss flat as flat can be, satin and gloss. The buttons on your shirt are probably the same material. Also neat effects can be done. Borax gives the smoothest finish, but add enough lime and leave out the oil and you can get great old paint looking fractures. The best part of it all is, no smelly VOC's.
I used to want to use milk paint until I saw a thread about abusing animals.
But you still WANT to...i know you do..
Heh heh. Only the milk of human kindess.
Edited 8/1/2006 8:48 pm ET by Jimma
Jimma,
I agree. It is criminal to withhold water from those poor cows just so we can have the convenience of powdered milk.
Ray
I don't know about you but we always had to wear paper masks when milking: the darn powder was so fine it kept getting in your nose.
Doug,
Yeah and it's dang finicky work, shaking that powdered milk out of the udders without turning it it into grated cheese.
Ray
Sorry to get back on topic. ^_^One thing I have noted, the initial alkali coating can often bleach cedar. It seems quite inconsistent. I suspect that different varieties will react in different ways. On one piece the cedar became a lovely smooth white. I was still disappointed because I rather liked the rich color before. Another just lost it's color and character and became a rather ugly fish belly white. The few times I have ebonized cedar first, using vinegar that has had fine steel wool soaked in it, it has had no effect. So far, I love the look of cedar that has been lightly ebonized and then milk painted.
--Bob
I tend to be very anal about directions and proportions when I am totally unfamiliar with the subject, so, some questions:
1. I assume 2% is standard 2% milk right out of the carton.
2. If mixing "powered milk" do you mix to the same ratio to end up with 2% milk.
3. "Dissolve as much Borax as it will hold." Not quite sure how I will know when enough is enough. How do you know when enough is enough.
4. How much tung oil. I assume you mean raw/pure tung oil and how much High Linoleic Safflower oil.
5. After adding the oil that will not mix well, ".... stir it well and rub it in." Is this always a wipe on process and if so not sure what constitutes a sufficient "rub in."
6. In your second post you allude to different qualities of finish. How are these achieved.
7. Do the pigments mentioned for leather work on wood.
Like Splintergroupie, I too am anxious to try this since I have a project that is perfect for this type of finish. Thanks for your contribution.
Doug
"I too am anxious to try this since I have a project that is perfect for this type of finish."
http://www.milkpaint.com/path_historic.htmlforestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Thanks Jamie.
Answering a few questions.
1. I assume 2% is standard 2% milk right out of the carton.
You are correct! To much milk fat tends to go a bit rancid. I'm still not happy with the project that taught me that lesson. A lovely turned cedar pennywhistle with a deep low b flat tone. Sadly the holes are wrong and it has a bit of a haint smell.2. If mixing "powered milk" do you mix to the same ratio to end up with 2% milk.
Usually, but often I go with skim. If I want a more aged appearance I use less water. More powdered milk tends to give it an old yellowish cast. I have used powdered milk and applejuice straight and made a nice hard finish.3. "Dissolve as much Borax as it will hold." Not quite sure how I will know when enough is enough. How do you know when enough is enough.
Just like sugar in tea. There is a point where no more sugar is taken up. You have really sweet tea. The point is to get as much borax as you can without making the coating gritty. Unless you want gritty.
If you went to far, dilute with milk or strain with a cloth.4. How much tung oil. I assume you mean raw/pure tung oil and how much High Linoleic Safflower oil. After a while the oil may mix into it as an emulsion, otherwise, your rag will tend to pick up both oil and milk. Since I will probably come back later and oil it once more, I keep enough oil on the surface, regularly mixing it in, to cover. You will probably have to add more oil as you go. Without the oil, This will give a very dry and flat appearance. Nice in it's own way. Too much oil and no milk goes into the mix. You can coat with an oil free coating and then rub in oil before the milk is dry. I just like the feel and convenience of both together. Also the rag hold up better with oil in it. 5. After adding the oil that will not mix well, ".... stir it well and rub it in." Is this always a wipe on process and if so not sure what constitutes a sufficient "rub in."
Wipe on is just coating. Rub in is using a bit of force and extra rubbing like you are polishing a car.6. In your second post you allude to different qualities of finish. How are these achieved.
more oil gives satin finish, no oil gives a chalk flat finish.
Extra agricultural crushed limestone can give an old paint type dry finish. Extra Builders Lime can give a paint crackle finish.
Titanium oxide can give an opaque white base.
Thin Lime can give a white wash appearance, grain can still show through.
Borax in moderation can give a clear light appearance.
Linseed tends to yellow with age, best with strong colors.
Safflower stays clear with age.
This stuff is the cheapest paint you will ever use. Take some scraps, label them with a sharpie, and make some small batches for experiments. At an agricultural supply 50 lbs of lime will be under $10, while you are there get the copper sulfate for less than a can of good paint. At the grocery store, a jug of milk, a box of powdered milk, a few cans of apple juice, and a box of borax won't set you back too far. Get this stuff and play with it as you wait for your pigment order to come in. Talk to the folks at the pigment place, they are quite a good resource.7. Do the pigments mentioned for leather work on wood.
Absolutely.
Edited 7/31/2006 3:00 pm ET by Cedarslayer
Thank you for the detailed response.
Doug
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