Old Fashioned Milk Paint

We are workin on restoring our 100 year old farm house.  Since I am really particular about many things, this is a slow process.  I want as much of the house to be left in its origional state, and where that is not possible, I want to use old wood from other houses to complete projects.

I was turned on to milk paint a while ago, and I am now throroughly hooked.  The big bonus is that I am using the raw milk from my two wonderful cows to make the paint for the walls of my house, and it is just lovely.  It has so much more meaning than driving to Lowes to buy a bucket of toxic paint.

This is the recipe I use for my milk paint.

1 gallon skimmed milk (cream taken off top and used in coffee or creme brulee)

4 ounces hydrated lime (also known as agrucultural lime you can get a 35 pound bag at a feed store for about 11 bucks)

200 grams of pigment of choice

Pigments, oh yes.  Luckily, I went to art school, so I know all about this.  For white, we are using titanium white.  Zinc oxide will also work.  The red I am using is straight up Indian red.   My yellow is a 50/50 mix of yellow ochre  and a lemon yellow that is an oxide.  Whatever you use, know you can lighten and darken any color with black and white.  Just make sure the pigments you are using are lime proof.  I like getting my pigment from my local art store because I can gab while I buy, and I get to look at the pigments myself.  I can also take them back if I decide I don’t like them.

Milk paint does not stink.  You can paint and stay in the house all day and not feel the drag from the toxic fumes of traditional paints.  I let my kids paint with me and get it all over themselves.  They get to help and I get to enjoy them while I paint.  Milk paint is also very durable and lasts a VERY long time.  It will not strip off, it must be sanded off.  It is very easy to make and so much fun.  Give it a whirl, and you could look like us.