In our FAQ section you can find answers to commonly asked questions, which oftentimes give you an overview of how easy it is to use our Sinopia Milk Paint
What is the best application for Sinopia Milk Paint?
We designed our paint to be an all natural user friendly Milk Paint, which can be used on all surfaces: indoors and outside. Most of our customers use the Sinopia Milk Paint to cover their walls, paint furniture and decorative objects. We do have some customers who use the paint for their artistic creations, such as murals or works on paper.
There is no limit to how Sinopia Milk Paint can be used!
I’ve been using Powdered or Acrylic based Milk Paint, how are they different from Sinopia Milk Paint?
First off, the three paints mentioned (including ours) are completely different animals.
Let's recap:
1. Old Fashioned Milk Paint and/or Real Milk Paint products are lime based casein paint. Casein is the protein extracted from milk, which is activated by the alkali content of the lime plaster in the powder that is mixed with the water. Essentially you are creating a fortified plaster that dries as hard as a rock and can be manipulated with highly abrasive tools, but often times requires a sealer/bonding agent, before the paint can be applied to any surface. This type of paint needs to be prepared from the powder and has no storage life.
2. Such Paints as General Finishes Milk Paints are made in the “Spirit of Milk Paint”, but are actually acrylic based and contain no casein. Acrylic is a liquid sheet of plastic that dries to a film that hardens right away, so that such activities as sanding can commence right away. The downside is that acrylic is a toxic petroleum product.
3. Sinopia Milk Paint is an emulsion of Borax Casein Glue and Linseed/Flaxseed Oil. Therefore, many of the same considerations need to be observed as when you are working with an oil based paint. Our paint aims to have the durability of oil paint, with the ability to clean up and thin the paint with water and none of the toxic fumes that are normally associated with oil paints. Our paint also requires some curing time (2-3days), before it can be sanded. Unlike the powdered paints, our Milk Paint requires no preparation and can be used straight from the jar or bucket. Additionally, our paint can be stored for weeks or months before it loses its bonding power.
How do you prepare the surface for Sinopia Milk Paint?
Sinopia Milk Paint can be painted onto any surface that accepts regular house paint. Therefore, the same rules of surface prep apply. Make sure the surface is dry and clean. Also, if the surface is covered in a glossy paint, then a common housepaint primer should be applied, in order to insure good adhesion.
With what can I thin the Sinopia Milk Paint and how do I clean my painting tools?
Even though our paint contains some natural oil, it is thinned with water. If you want to change the consistency of the paint, simply stir water into the paint, until the required viscosity is achieved. All application tools are cleaned with water. One advantage that our paint possesses, is the oil content. This allows for the paint to be easily washed from any paint application tool and also conditions the bristle on your paintbrushes. After applying the Milk Paint with brushes and rinsing them in water, you will notice that the bristle will feel silkier and smoother.
Can Sinopia Milk Paint be painted directly onto bare wood?
For indoor projects, such as walls and furniture, no surface preparation is needed for wooden surfaces that have not been primed. For outdoor painting, the wood should be sealed with either a primer or shellac, in order to prevent the wood from expanding and causing the paint to crack.
Shellac Fun Fact: did you know that shellac is a natural varnish made from a natural resin which is dissolved with denatured alcohol. Once the varnish is applied, the alcohol evaporates and leaves only the natural resin behind. You can buy shellac varnish at your local housepaint or hardware store.
Shellac makes the perfect all natural companion to Sinopia Milk Paint!
What is the best tool for applying Sinopia Milk Paint?
Sinopia Milk Paint can be applied with all kinds of tools including: brushes, paint rollers, sponges, rags and can be sprayed. For a smooth finish, apply the paint with a low nap roller or spray it with a housepaint sprayer. For a textured or modeled look, use a hog bristle brush or sponges.
The application possibilities are endless and only restricted by your imagination.
So have fun with the paint!
When I opened my jar of Sinopia Milk Paint, there was a dried skin on top of the paint. Does that mean the paint has gone bad?
No, the paint has not spoiled. In fact, the dried layer creates a natural sealer for the paint that preserves the consistency and brushability of the paint. Just like any other natural dairy based products, our Milk Paint creates a protective layer for the contents in the container. Simply peel back the thin dried layer to reveal a smooth creamy paint underneath.
The Sinopia Milk Paint is really thick. Can I thin the paint to make it easier to brush?
We manufacture our Milk Paint so that it has a thick consistency. This improves the storage life of the paint and prevents the paint from separating into layers of thick gooey unusable paint and water. The thick consistency is ideal for using the paint with a paint roller or running it through a paint sprayer. If a thinner consistency is desired, simply stir in small amounts of water, until the required viscosity is achieved.
Does the Sinopia Milk Paint have a shelf life?
The short answer is no. In fact, as the paint ages, it becomes smoother in consistency. The only time the age of the Sinopia Milk Paint becomes an issue, is when the paint is to be used outdoors. While older paint still works outdoors, for the most durable application of the Sinopia Milk Paint, it is best to use a fresh bucket of paint.
Does the Sinopia Milk Paint change color when it dries?
With our darker colors you will see a change in color, once the paint has dried. The oils in our paint enhance the pigments and bring out the richness of the raw color. Our lighter colors will see a minimal change in color.
How soon can apply more coats of Milk Paint onto existing layers?
You can apply the second coat as soon as the previous one dries, but you should not apply more than two coats per day.
Can Sinopia Milk Paint be burnished and when can the paint be sanded?
Yes, it can be burnished! After the paint dries, it goes through a curing process, during which time, the paint has not completely dried and remains somewhat pliable. Depending on the surrounding atmospheric conditions, that can take 2-4 days to occur. During the curing time, the paint should not be sanded or abraded in any way. One advantage during this curing period, is that the paint can be burnished/polished with a soft lint free cloth, in order to achieve a slight sheen to the surface. Another advantage lies in the fact that a cured paint will last longer, since the paint film will always remain slightly pliable and not crack or chip as easily as a lime based milk paint.