Closets, hallways, bedrooms, bathrooms and the occasional basement wall need a fresh coat of paint now and then. Painting is like buying a new wardrobe for your home. It makes things new again – or at least “new to you”. However, most paints give off strong fumes that can seem even stronger in tight spaces that usually have minimal ventilation. Luckily the Real Milk Paint Company has a non-toxic milk-based powder paint that is completely fume-free. Milk Paint is also environmentally-friendly because it is made from 100% organic material.
Milk Paint sticks to raw wood, painted wood, plaster, dry wall, stone, unsealed brick and concrete and doesn’t require a primer on raw wood and porous surfaces. You can mix just a little because it is powder based and comes in a thick plastic, resealable bag. But, if you decide to mix up the whole container it remains usable for a minimum of two weeks. Milk Paint comes in pints, quarts and gallon sizes. It will cover 70 square feet per quart and 280 square feet per gallon.
Photo Source: The Real Milk Paint Co.
We tested the sample of Milk Paint sent to us from The Read Milk Paint Company to see how it would stand up against a water-based latex paint. We were pleasantly surprised. Milk Paint comes in a powder and you just add regular tap water to mix it up. A marble comes in the container and you plop that inside, close the lid and then shake, shake, and shake the can some more until it is completely mixed.
You can mix it with a regular spoon, ladle, or paint stirrer if you like. The powder is non-toxic and does not produce any fumes. It did have a slight scent but nothing obnoxious. They do suggest you still use rubber gloves and a mask in case you are sensitive to the lime content. You don’t want to get the powder in your eyes so goggles or glasses are also a good idea to wear.
This is what Milk Paint looks like if you are mixing it by hand and not shaking it with the marble. It has the consistency of any other powder-type paint you would mix. I didn’t think it looked like the consistency of Latex paint but maybe it isn’t supposed to look that way. The proof will be in how it covers the painting surface. You mix one part powder to one part water. If it is too thick, you just add more water. If it is too thin add more powder. It’s really is that simple.
We opted for Riverstone, a “soft gray with slight blue undertones.” We plan on using it on a concrete wall in the basement but first we wanted to test it out on a board. The board already had some white on it so we painted over it with the Riverstone Milk Paint and left some exposed to see the difference. I was surprised how well it covered in just one coat. It was fast to dry and left no odor after drying. The photo below shows that it is shiny but once it dried, the finish was matte. I am not sure I saw any blue tones though. It really had more of a beige hue but I still liked the color. We tested it on both the wood you see below and the concrete wall and it still had a beige hue, not blue. Just a side note if you are thinking about buying that shade. Paint colors look different depending on the light they are under most of the time anyway so it’s always hard to figure out which shade to buy.
I can see all kinds of uses for Milk Paint. Not only would I use it on walls, I might even use it to give a new look to an old chair or yard sale find. It is a great alternative to toxic paint and it is better for the environment, especially when cleaning up and and also disposing of the paint can.
If you need real ideas for Milk Paint uses check out the RealMilkPaint.com website and watch their helpful videos. I’m sure you have lots of other questions about Milk Paint so read their Frequently Asked Questions to get all of your questions answered.
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