Forgot your password?
Member benefits:
Written by Anna-Marie Bruechert
Milk paint gives an aged, mellow, vintage finish and is also environmentally friendly. It's prepared by mixing powder with water, then straining through muslin for a smooth, batter-like consistency.
Prepare the table by scraping off old paint and sanding. Apply a lime-proof undercoat sealer, then the prepared or purchased milk paint. Protect the finish with beeswax, lime wax or three to five coats of clear sealer.
Brighten up a dark courtyard or unpainted concrete balcony with concrete wash. Easy to use, this paint fades and weathers with age, which is part of its charm. Clean the concrete so it's unpainted and free from dust, oil or mold. Apply a concrete wash with a brush, leave for a few minutes then wipe away excess with a clean cloth. Apply extra coats for deeper color, allowing 12 hours drying time between.
Add color to the garden by painting old terracotta or concrete pots. Masonry paints are ideal, with three or more coats required. For durability, flood the pots inside and out with a good sealer.
Whitewashed floorboards give a bright, clean feel to a room. Sand the floor, and vacuum. Apply diluted white paint with a brush then rub it back with a soft cloth to reveal the natural grain of the timber. The result depends on the tone of the raw boards, tint of the paint, how much color is rubbed back and the shade of the finishing lacquer.
Some paints are especially blended for whitewashing floors, or use a flat white acrylic.
Transform windows or glass door panels with frosting. It provides privacy (especially for bathrooms) and revives old fittings. It's also popular for glass-fronted kitchen cabinets.
Krylon makes a frosting spray-on paint for normal glass that frosts without the need for sand-blasting. You can also spray over stencils to make designs.
Step 1: Tape around the glass to protect jambs and frames before spraying.
Step 2: Spray frosting lightly, leaving 10 minutes drying time between coats.
Tip: Use a pigment ink water-based pen to mark out the glass. Always work in a ventilated area when spraying the frosting.
February 17, 2013 1:10 PM
In Manila, I use my fave brand of elastometric acrylic paint. Color: Milk is soothing to the eyes on our walls. Not as stark as white. Note that the elastometric is not shiny - it's flat. I painted my walls in milk with focal points in tiffany blue. Stenciled graphics in car paint silver.
Reply
December 02, 2012 12:57 AM
Beautiful color! Jessica http://sandiegofamilyportraits.com
August 21, 2011 8:29 PM
Where is concrete wash found? Googled it and didn't come up with much but it gave me a great idea for a worrisome step from our porch so would love to try it.
September 12, 2011 11:04 AM
You can try a product like this: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100479157/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 But I suspect a good power wash would do the trick. Good luck!
August 17, 2011 12:12 AM
What sealer product would I ask for to seal terra cotta?
September 12, 2011 11:02 AM
Ask for a terracotta sealer, like this: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100672942&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=100672942&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googlebase-_-D23X-_-100672942&locStoreNum=6175
July 06, 2011 10:22 AM
Great idea to paint terra cotta – never knew you could do that!