How to Achieve a Non-Chippy Finish
Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint is a great paint choice if you want your piece to have an aged, chippy look. This can range from a subtle chip here and there, like the finish on this Flow Blue depression era dresser.
Or it can be more pronounced like these pieces.
Sometimes the chippy look is just the ticket to make a piece look aged and old, but what do you do if you don't want a chippy finish? How do you get MMS Milk Paint to look more like this? The answer is Bonding Agent. Bonding Agent is a liquid additive that is used to increase the adhesion of Milk Paint. It's milky white in appearance and is low odor/VOC. It's perfectly safe to use indoors and is just the right product to use if you desire a non-chippy finish. When using Bonding Agent, mix a 1:1 ratio to mixed Milk Paint. In other words, if you have 1 cup of mixed Milk Paint, add in 1 cup of Bonding Agent. You always want to add Bonding Agent to mixed Milk Paint, not the powder alone.
This video shows Marian using it on a Boxwood green piece.
Bonding Agent is best used on pieces that have a smooth or glossy surface. It's also helpful to gently scuff the surface of your pieces to add some "tooth". This will help your Milk Paint grip the surface. You don't have to use an aggressive grit like 60 or 80 or drag out the orbital sander. Just hand-scuff the surface enough so the existing glossy finish has some scratches in it and isn't so shiny. When you mix Bonding Agent into your Milk Paint, you'll notice the consistency will become more creamy. Milk Paint won't ever be as thick as a chalk-type or latex paint, but Bonding Agent will create a consistency that is reminiscent of these types of paint.
Watch Marian show Kriste how to use Bonding Agent in this video from Kriste's Milk Paint Journal:
Even if you use Bonding Agent in your Milk Paint, it may not stick to oily or greasy surfaces, so it's best to clean your piece with TSP or a degreaser prior to painting. This is a good step to take regardless of the paint you're using, as these oils and grease may seep through your paint and bleed up to the surface. You definitely don't want that after all of your hard work!
Bonding Agent isn't necessary when painting raw wood surfaces, as MMS Milk Paint will soak in like a dream all on its own.Hopefully you feel a bit more confident about using this product to achieve a smoother, non-chippy finish on your pieces. Make sure you check our website to find your local retailer so you can give Bonding Agent a try! Also, make sure you share your photos with us on social media. Tag us @mmsmilkpaint on Instagram and on Facebook so we can see your gorgeous handiwork!
milkpaint on raw wood
