How to Create an Aged Milk Paint Patina on Furniture

Recreate the look of an antique that's been dinged and scraped over many years

Skill

Easy

Cost

Estimated Time

One day

Chip brush
Paint scraper
Wax brush
Rags

This easy process mimics the dings and scrapes you’d see on a painted wood piece after decades of wear and tear. It’s ideal for unvarnished wood furniture with interesting details, like the dresser at left.

Step 1

Wax On

Run solid beeswax along the corners, edges, and details that would naturally show signs of wear, to keep paint from adhering to those spots.

Pro Tip: This process is ideal for unvarnished wood furniture with interesting details, like a dresser with prominent moldings or carved elements. Focus the beeswax on corners, edges, and any raised details where decades of handling and use would naturally wear away paint over time.

Use a chip brush for applying your milk paint in the next step. Keep the brush fairly dry—you want some of the wood and wax-resist areas to peek through, giving the piece a naturally worn appearance rather than a uniform coat.

Step 2

Paint the Base Layer

Painting a piece of wooden furniture yellow. — Photo by Daniel Hennessy

Mix powdered milk paint with water, and let sit for 10 minutes or until the pigment dissolves. Only mix what you need—it contains a natural protein that will sour after a few days; apply with a chip brush.

Pro Tip: Cabinetmaker Chuck Bischoff, who uses milk paint at his New Jersey shop, adds water to the powder until it reaches the consistency of oil-based paint, typically a one-to-one ratio. He preps the wood with 150-grit sandpaper before brushing on the first coat.

For a chippy layered finish, try dry-brushing your base coat: dip just the tip of a chip brush into the paint, leaving a minimal amount on the bristles. This technique lets bare wood peek through, suggesting an item that has passed through many hands over the years.

Step 3

Scrape the Paint

Scraping paint off of a piece of wooden furniture. — Photo by Daniel Hennessy

When 90 percent dry, run a paint scraper over spots that would typically wear.

Step 4

Use Tape to Remove Paint

Using tape to remove paint from furniture. — Photo by Daniel Hennessy

Lay down painter’s tape on flat surfaces, then carefully pull it up to remove some of the paint.

Step 5

Seal With Wax

Sealing paint with wax. — Photo by Daniel Hennessy

With a round wax brush, apply finishing wax in a circular motion, about 1 square foot at a time, wiping away any excess with a rag as you go.

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