Finally got the hang of that tricky milk paint on a 1920s dresser after wasting $80 on a 'universal' topcoat that just peeled right off.

What's your go-to sealer for milk paint projects to avoid that kind of mess?

3 comments

3 Comments

Ask what kind of look you're going for first. I've had good luck with a simple wax for a flat, old-world feel on pieces that won't get heavy use, like that small hall table I did. For something like a dresser top that needs more protection, a water-based polyurethane over a good bonding primer has been my fix, but you have to make sure the milk paint is totally, totally cured first.

the_amy10d ago

Totally agree with @tara793 about waiting for the paint to cure.

nora11010d ago

Yeah, the cure time is everything. I rushed a dresser once and the top coat just peeled right up in sheets a month later. It was so bad. Now I wait a full week, even if it feels dry, before I even think about putting anything on it. That extra patience makes all the difference for how it holds up.