When to use chalk paint, fusion paint, and milk paint

There are so many wonderful paint products on the market these days, it can be hard to understand their differences and know when to use chalk paint, fusion paint, and milk paint. This post describes my experiences with these three types of paints and will hopefully help you decide what type of paint to use for your project.

Updating old pieces of furniture with paint is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to update a space and make it look like you spent a lot on the décor. This is why I started painting furniture years ago- I wanted that high-end look but lacked the accompanying budget. Besides, I also happened to have a lot of older pieces of furniture that didn’t fit my décor, and I wanted to be environmentally responsible and use what I already owned rather than discarding and buying all new decor. I have to warn you that painting furniture is highly addictive! Once your stash of furniture runs out, you will start looking through your neighbour’s garbage with glee, perusing your local buy and sell websites (daily), and may become a regular at your local thrift shop.

I have painted dozens of pieces of furniture using milk paint, chalk paint, and fusion mineral paint, and I can tell you that I do have a favourite, but that I continue to use all three.  To find out what it is, read to the end of the post.

Milk Paint

Milk paint has been used for centuries and is one of the oldest paints ever used and is derived from milk protein and comes in a pigmented powdered form. It contains only a few natural ingredients, including casein (milk protein), chalk, clay, natural pigments, and limestone. Mix the powder with water to form a paste. On bare wood, milk paint sinks into the wood and forms a bond with the wood. Even without added distressing, the natural pigments readily produce a vintage or antique look, which is desired in farmhouse décor, French décor, and other rustic styles (i.e. all my favourites!).

Manufacturers

Several companies that formulate and sell milk paint, though I have only ever used Miss Mustard Seed (MMS) milk paint. Their website has a host of inspiring photos and DIY projects and tutorials.

Homestead House is Canada’s only milk paint manufacturer and they produce a line of beautifully coloured paints, including milk paint and Fusion mineral paint.

Advantages

• Comes in powdered form and can last for years (you only mix the amount you need for your project)
• Produces a beautifully aged finish
• Self-levelling and produces a wonderfully smooth finish
• Fairly inexpensive
• Doesn’t have harsh chemicals or a strong smell (organic, biodegradable, and no VOC’s)
• MMS milk paint comes in 25 beautifully curated colours

Disadvantages

• Furniture preparation is key, especially for pieces with an existing finish (even more so if it’s glossy) or the paint may chip off
• Achieving a properly mixed paint takes practice
• Sanding between coats may be needed
• Multiple coats may be needed
• A top coat may be needed

Furniture preparation for milk paint

Milk paint works best when applied to raw or old wood. My standard prep for the average piece of furniture is to wash all the dirt away with a wet soapy cloth, let it dry, sand lightly with 220 grit sandpaper (just to rough up the surface a little to allow the paint to adhere), then wipe all sawdust residue away. My preferred soap is actually dishsoap, unless the piece has a greasy feel, then I use trisodium phosphate (TSP). Because of this, I have never had a problem with chipping paint using this method. Anything with a varnish or glossy finish will need a little extra prep, i.e. the use of “bonding agent”. MMS milk paint carries this product, which you mix with your paint, to help the paint adhere better to glossier surfaces. I would definitely still wash and sand lightly even when using this product.

The challenges of mixing the paint

Mixing the paint was very challenging my first time as I couldn’t tell if I was achieving the proper consistency or not. Initially, I tried mixing by hand with a small whisk, but the mixture was lumpy and I found it left lumps on the piece of furniture I was refinishing. Fortunately, I was able to sand the graininess away once it dried. I did eventually purchase a small battery-powered mixer from the paint manufacturer and that seemed to help with the lumpiness a little.

The other issue I had with mixing was adding the correct amount of water. I found that when I added the specified amount of water, there were lumps, but the thickness and coverage of the paint were perfect. If I added a little more water, I could avoid the lumps, but the paint was so watery I had to use about 5-6 coats of paint to get the coverage I wanted. It made my little paint job turn into a multi-day process. After some experience with milk paint, I find that it typically takes 3 coats to get the desired finish. The challenges with lumpiness are still there, but I think that’s part of the process. However, I have become more comfortable with this paint and I did find that even with my first piece I was able to achieve a beautiful finish despite the challenges.

The top coat

Milk paint produces a matte finish, so if you want a silky feel (rather than a dry feeling) or if you will be placing mugs or glasses on the surface, then a topcoat is recommended. MMS Milk Paint sells a variety of furniture finishes to protect your painted pieces. Their “tough coat” is a non-yellowing water based poly top coat that provides the highest level of protection. Several waxes are available and can be applied and then buffed to smoothness. Waxes typically need to be re-applied annually. Other finish options include beeswax and hemp oil. I adore the MMS Furniture Wax, so much so that I use it for all my painted furniture, whether I painted with milk paint or something else. I tend to only wax top surfaces as I don’t find it necessary to wax lower shelves or faces, or furniture legs.

Chalk paint

Chalk paint is a newer paint formulation that was created in 1990 by Annie Sloan. This paint produces a chalky, aged look with a matte finish. Chalk paint differs from regular latex paint in that it contains gypsum or Plaster of Paris, which imparts some unique properties to the paint. Annie Sloan designed chalk paint to deliver style with an ease of use and started the furniture refinishing trend that is still going strong today. I use my standard furniture prep method described above prior to painting with chalk paint. I’m a little obsessive about not wanting my pieces to chip unintentionally, so I spend the extra 10 minutes to wash and lightly sand. However, the instructions for this paint indicate that sanding and priming are not needed, so you can just dive right in if you prefer. I find that 2 coats are usually sufficient with chalk paint.

Manufacturers

Several manufacturers produce chalk-type paints, but Annie Sloan is the gold standard for chalk paint. Her line consists of 42 gorgeous colours that can be easily mixed together to form other beautiful colours.

You can even make your own chalk paint. Mountain Modern Life has an easy DIY recipe to turn regular latex paint into chalk paint.

Advantages

• Requires almost no prep work
• Dries quickly and multiple coats can be applied in one day
• Produces a lovely matte finish that distresses beautifully
• Doesn’t have harsh chemicals or a strong smell
• Adheres to most surfaces
• Comes in 42 amazing colours

Disadvantages

• Expensive
• Dries very quickly, which can make it difficult to work with (brush strokes will show)
• A top coat is definitely needed
• Painted surface does wear away with time

Furniture preparation for chalk paint

Chalk paint can really be applied to any surface. I’ve even read blog posts on painting upholstery with it. For wood furniture, I recommend using my standard prep of washing with a wet soapy cloth, letting it dry, sanding lightly with 220 grit sandpaper, and wiping clean. This will ensure that your paint doesn’t start to chip away.

Brush strokes with chalk paint

I have painted several pieces with Annie Sloan chalk paint and I find there is some variation between the batches. I had one batch of paint that dried so quickly, I had to work lightning fast to avoid gumming up the finish as I went along. The brushstrokes were quite visible on this piece. To combat this, I found I could add a few drops of water to the paint to thin it a little, or I could apply the paint with a foam roller, then immediately go over it with my brush to give it that natural hand-brushed look. I wouldn’t recommend just using a roller, as the texture achieved with a roller doesn’t lend itself to the vintage furniture look you may be trying to achieve.

Don’t skip the top coat

You should know that the finish this paint produces is very porous and well, chalky. It definitely needs a top coat to protect it from beverage rings, food stains, and dirty fingerprints. I find that unfinished surfaces will even pick up the dye from my clothing if I accidentally brush up against them. And the paint will also wear away with time, particularly if it’s a piece that gets a lot of use like a chair. As mentioned above, I use the MMS milk paint top coats and waxes for all my furniture painting projects.

Fusion Mineral Paint

The newest addition to furniture paint is Fusion Mineral Paint, which is an acrylic paint that is environmentally friendly and formulated to have a durable finish with a built-in top coat. It requires almost no prep and is self-levelling, which, in my opinion, is the best quality a paint can have. If you’re a perfectionist and/or a slower painter, you will appreciate this as it means you have total control over your paint finish. In other words, it’s almost impossible to mess up with this product. Like milk paint and chalk paint, it produces a matte finish, though I find the finish smoother and slightly satiny. I usually apply two coats to get the desired coverage.

Fusion paint can also be distressed in the same way you would distress chalk paint, though because of the paint’s durability once cured, distressing is best carried out soon after painting or with the use of a distressing wax. To do this, the wax is applied prior to painting, by rubbing the wax onto the areas you want to later distress. This often includes edges and detailed areas.

To read more about Fusion, check out my blog post “How I Painted My Piano with Fusion Mineral Paint” or head on over to the Fusion website.

Manufacturers

Fusion is a trademarked product and was developed and made in Canada by Homestead House.

Advantages

• Only minimal prep work is needed
• Has a built-in top coat
• Inexpensive
• Incredible coverage (I painted my piano with one $22 CAD pot)
• Environmentally friendly and non-toxic
• Self-levelling, and therefore easy to work with and produces a smooth, silky finish
• Extremely durable, waterproof and stain proof
• Adheres well to most surfaces (even glossy)
• Will last for 7 years in its original pot
• Comes in over 50 colours including their new metallics line

Disadvantages

• Doesn’t have that aged, porous finish that some people prefer
• The smoother finish has fewer nooks and crannies for antiquing wax to settle into

Furniture preparation for Fusion mineral paint

Fusion mineral paint can be applied to any surface, though I recommend using my standard prep of washing with a wet soapy cloth, sanding lightly with 220 grit sandpaper, and wiping clean. If you are painting a glossy surface, I recommend also priming with Fusion’s Ultra Grip product. For example, I used this on my piano because I’m a piano teacher and I absolutely didn’t want my piano to start chipping.

One final tip

I read this on the Fusion mineral paint Facebook page, and have not tested it myself. Fusion paint and water do not mix well together and if you do mix them together the resulting paint finish could be streaky. So, I don’t recommend adding water to this paint to thin it or to create a paint wash. I also recommended using only brushes that have completely dried from previous use and washing. That little bit of remaining water in your brush could ruin your paint finish.

So, when to use chalk paint, fusion paint, and milk paint?

I use Fusion mineral paint 90% of the time now. The ease of use, self-levelling superpower, and built-in top coat have sealed the deal for me, and the low price is also such a huge advantage. The only time I use chalk paint is if I need a very specific colour that I can’t find in the Fusion lineup. I rarely use milk paint now, because the Fusion paint is just so much easier to use. However, I do really love the finish I get from using milk paint, but I find the prep time consuming and getting the proper consistency difficult.  Despite these challenges, I would definitely still use milk paint if I wanted to achieve a particularly aged, or chippy look.

Painting cabinets

I wanted to address a question I get asked a lot- Can I use milk paint/chalk paint/fusion paint to paint kitchen cabinets? My answer is no, I recommend using a paint formulated specifically for cabinets. My two favourites are Benjamin Moore Advance and C2 Cabinet and Trim Paint. These paints are self-levelling to give a smooth finish and they cure to produce a hard, durable finish that is needed in a kitchen. However, I wouldn’t hesitate to paint a bathroom vanity with Fusion mineral paint though.

I hope this post helped you decide when to use chalk paint, fusio paint, and milk paint for your own painted furniture projects. I’m happy to answer any questions about my experiences with these paints.