milk paint topcoats.

Published on by Quandie

Welcome back for day 2 of milk paint madness week!

Today I’m going to share a bit of information about the various topcoats you can choose for your milk painted furniture, but I gotta say one could write an entire book about this stuff.  There are so many options out there!  I haven’t tried them all though, so I’m just going to scratch the surface on this topic (pardon the pun).  You may want to go grab a cup of coffee first, this is going to be a long one.  I’m going to list the finish options starting with least amount of protection/added durability and ending with the most durable finish.

going topless.

Before we get into the topcoats, what about not using a topcoat at all?  This is an option with milk paint.  It’s definitely not the most durable option and your milk paint won’t be especially water resistant or scrub-able, but if those factors aren’t important to you, you can go topless!  Without a top coat milk paint has a very matte finish.  I would probably never go without a topcoat on the darker colors, but I do like the look with white or other pale shades.

I didn’t use a topcoat on my Belgian bench.

I painted this piece back in July 2016.  We sit on it to put out shoes on, so it gets a fair amount of use.  The finish has definitely worn a bit more since I first painted it.  But if you’re a fan of the distressed, chippy look that’s a bonus.  The paint itself cures rock hard and won’t rub off on your skin or clothing.

hemp oil.

Hemp oil is one of my favorite topcoats over dark milk paint colors, especially black.  It’s all natural, has zero VOC’s and is solvent free.  Remember what I said yesterday about milk paint having similar qualities?  If you work with these things frequently, it’s important to think about not only the environment, but also your own health.  Homestead House, Miss Mustard Seed and The Real Milk Paint Co all sell an all natural hemp oil in their milk paint lines.

One thing to keep in mind when choosing a topcoat is that all topcoats may change up the color of milk paint to varying degrees.  Hemp oil will deepen the color quite a bit, that’s why it’s perfect for use over dark colors.  It works equally well over mid-tone or lighter colors, but you may want to experiment a bit to see how you like the color with the hemp oil topcoat.  Here you can see how much it changes up Sweet Pickins’ In a Pickle …

I like to apply hemp oil with a cheap chip brush that I reserve especially for that purpose.  Once applied, I wipe off the excess with a clean cloth.  There is no buffing required with hemp oil.  Hemp oil dries to a matte finish with no sheen.

Your hemp oiled finish will be somewhat more water resistant and durable than if you went topless, but not as much so as the rest of the topcoat options.  Also, the hemp oil will wear away over time.  If you want to maintain that deep rich color you will have to reapply the hemp oil every year or two.

Here’s a q tip for you that’s just good to know, don’t use hemp oil on your leather goods.  According to The Real Milk Paint Co’s website:  ‘Because Hemp Oil is a drying oil it will soak into leather and dry. This will cause the leather to crack and prematurely destroy your leather goods. Repeated applications of Hemp Oil to leather will just speed of the destruction. Use oil products made to treat leather. These will protect your leather goods for the long term.’

wax.

Wax is another great topcoat for milk paint.  There are so many waxes on the market these days, I could probably write a week’s worth of posts just about wax.  I did write a post about how all waxes are not created equal back in January 2017 (read that here).  Based on the research that I did for that post there are some brands of wax that I won’t use anymore because of their harmful ingredients so be sure to read it for more info on that.

Wax comes in quite a few different colors these days too.  You can get clear, white, brown, grey and black.  Fusion even has some metallic furniture waxes available.

Clear wax will darken the color of your paint somewhat, but not as much as hemp oil.  Brown, grey and black waxes will deepen your paint color and add a tint of their own color to it, while white wax will lighten your color and add a bit of a whitewashed sort of look.

Here’s a great tip;  if you’ve never used colored wax, I highly recommend doing some experimenting with it before you apply it to a piece of furniture.  Paint an old board with your milk paint color, and then try the colored wax over it.  If the look is too dramatic for you, you can try applying clear wax first, then adding a colored wax over it.

I like to apply my wax with a wax brush.  I find it easier to get into the nooks & crannies with the wax.  Since I do a lot of waxing, I keep a separate wax brush for each color I use regularly.  That way I don’t have to clean them after every use.  I only clean them a couple of times a year (I probably shouldn’t admit that out loud).

  Once you’ve applied the wax using a circular motion, wipe away the excess with clean cloth in the direction of the grain.  After the wax dries for about 5 – 10 minutes you can go back and buff it with a clean cloth to get more shine if you want it, but I have to admit I rarely do that.

If you’ve struggled in the past with a waxed finish that ends up feeling tacky, you’ve likely used too much wax.  Keep switching to a section of clean cloth to wipe away excess wax until your surface feels smooth.  Once cured (after about 30 days) a properly waxed surface will feel smooth and silky.

Personally I love the look of a waxed finish.  It has a patina that appeals to me, not super shiny but not completely flat either.  A waxed finish is more durable than hemp oil, but still not really scrub-able.  It will resist liquids though, sort of like a freshly waxed car.  In addition, a waxed surface is pretty easy to ‘fix’ if it does get dinged up.  Just simply sand very lightly and re-wax that spot.  No need to touch up the entire surface.

Much like hemp oil, wax will wear away over time and to maintain water resistance you’ll want to reapply every year or two.  I’m not gonna lie though, I’ve yet to re-wax a single one of my waxed pieces.  But then durability is not something I really worry about in my household.  If you have small children it might be more important to you.

finishing cream.

The Real Milk Paint Co’s Finishing Cream is rapidly becoming one of my favorite topcoats for milk paint, especially for the lighter colors.  I’ve used the low sheen and the dead flat versions and I like them both.  This topcoat won’t change the color of your milk paint by much, if at all.  The low sheen adds just a minimal amount of shine and the dead flat is more matte.

You can apply this product with a rag, brush or damp sponge.  I usually go with a brush.  What I love about the finishing cream is that it’s very thick.  Sort of like the consistency of a body cream rather than a lotion.  Because of that you really don’t have to worry about runs (which seem to be a problem for me).  So far I have found this stuff to be pretty fool proof.  It also takes less effort and time than a hemp oil or waxed finish.  You just brush it on, no need to wipe away excess or buff.

After drying for 24 hours, a piece with this topcoat will be fully washable and more durable than hemp oil or wax.  You shouldn’t have to reapply the product unless your piece gets a lot of wear, in which case you can re-apply if necessary.  I used a finishing cream top coat on the nightstands in our bedroom to protect them from glasses of water left overnight.

One thing to note here, the Dead Flat version is not recommended for use over black or other dark colors.

tough coat.

Tough Coat Sealer is a non-yellowing, clear topcoat that is available under both the Miss Mustard Seed brand and the Fusion brand.  This product also will have a minimal effect on the color of your milk paint, although it may darken it just slightly.  It is considered a matte finish, but it gives a little bit more sheen than hemp oil or wax.  Please note, this topcoat is also not recommended for use over dark colors as it may look cloudy.

You can also apply the Tough Coat with a brush or sponge applicator, or just wipe it on with a lint free cloth.  The Tough Coat Sealer is more of a liquid than the finishing creams.  For that reason you want to be careful to watch for drips, especially on vertical surfaces like the sides of a dresser.  For more info on how to apply this product click here.

Tough Coat is very durable, and even more so if you apply two coats.  It’s a great choice for tabletops or other areas that will get a lot of wear.

stain and finishing oil.

Homestead House Stain & Finishing Oil All is made from safflower oil, tung oil, linseed oil, vegetable wax, safe odourless mineral solvent and cobalt free siccative which means effective drying without toxic cobalt dryers.  Initially I assumed this product was just meant for use over bare wood as a stain and sealer in one.  I never would have thought to use it over milk paint until I saw it done by someone else.

You might have noticed that both of the more durable topcoats I’ve mentioned so far, Finishing Cream and Tough Coat Sealer, are not recommended for use over dark colors.  There is some sort of science-y reason for that and it has to do with the matte finish which can look cloudy or spotty over dark colors.  For that reason I tend to use either hemp oil or one of the dark colored waxes over dark colors.  However, if you are looking for a more durable option that works great over dark colors, the Stain & Finishing oil is perfect for that.

This product comes in a selection of colors (see them here), the natural option will have the least impact on your milk paint color while the Cappucino will darken up your color quite a bit.  Multiple coats of SFO will increase durability, but also increase the color it adds to your piece.

I used one coat of the Cappucino SFO over black milk paint on this desk and got great results.

Refer back to that post for much more detail on how to use SFO over milk paint.

And that brings us to the fun part, today’s prize!

Includes: four colors of milk paint, Homestead House Stain & Finishing Oil in Cappucino, The Real Milk Paint Co’s Dead Flat Finishing Cream, Miss Mustard Seed’s Antiquing Wax, a Miss Mustard Seed waxing brush and a paint brush.  Thank you to Homestead House, Miss Mustard Seed and The Real Milk Paint Co for providing items for today’s giveaway. 

The basic rules:  to be eligible to win today’s prize leave a comment on this blog post telling me what your favorite topcoat is (or maybe you prefer topless!).  Your comment must be left on the blog, not on Facebook.  You are not required to follow my blog, although it would be awesome if you did!

Normally I make a point of answering every comment left on my blog.  If someone takes the time to leave a comment, I like to acknowledge that.  But I usually only get 10 to 20 comments so it’s easy to fulfill that promise.  But I’m guessing that I’ll get many more comments on these posts so I’m going to warn you up front that I won’t be answering each one.  That helps make it easier for me when it’s time to pick a winner too, so I hope you guys will cut me some slack on that this week.

I will randomly draw the name of a winner for today’s prize from all of the comments left on this post by Saturday, April 7, 2018 at the stroke of midnight.  You are eligible to win each day, so if you leave a comment on each day’s post, your name is eligible to be drawn for each prize.

The fine print: no purchase necessary, you must be 18 years of age or older to win, void where prohibited by law, the number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning, approximate retail value of prize is $150, if the prize is not claimed by Friday, April 13, another name will be drawn at random to win, blah, blah, blah.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the next segment of milk paint madness, and in the meantime remember to pin today’s post for future reference.

142 thoughts on “milk paint topcoats.”

  3. Phew…. that was a lot of info to read but very informative. But I now have a better understanding of all my options. Thank you for all your knowledge and tips.

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  4. My vote would be for hemp oil! I haven’t gotten to try it out yet, but it seems like the most versatile of finishes and should be nourishing to the wood as well. I am also not a fan of glossy finishes on older pieces so it is definitely on my list of things to try out!

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  6. My favorite topcoat is not to have to apply a topcoat. I like a paint with a built in topcoat or I’ll wax, if I have to. Honestly, white is such a popular color around my area and durable topcoats tend to yellow those whites so I dread the topcoat question! I am interested in the finishing cream- tougher that wax but no drips!

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    1. I hear that Wendy. That’s what is so great about the Fusion paint, it’s super durable with no need for a top coat, but it’s not going to give you the same look as milk paint. Sometimes when painting pieces in light colored milk paint I will use the finishing cream on the high traffic areas (usually the top), but leave the sides and legs without a top coat. Also, FYI, the Tough Coat Sealer shouldn’t yellow (according to the Fusion website).

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  8. I just bought some hemp oil and loved it. I like the sound of the finishing cream though. I’ll have to give that a try. I did wax a (large)piece once, and would rather not do that again!

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  12. What kind of a blog is this? A previous post was about stripping and now this one is about going topless?! 😉
    I prefer hemp oil because of the ease of using it and also because it holds up outdoors.
    Thanks for the informative (and fun) blog!

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  13. I prefer to use MMS furniture wax for all my light pieces. I just love the buttery finish. I use hemp oil for all my darks. I would never have thought to use Fusions SFO. Will definitely try it. I always learn somerhing new from your blog! Thank you!

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  14. I loved this segment, very informative. I have only used the hemp oil as a topcoat and some waxes but none that were specifically for milk paint. Some were so strong I won’t use anymore either.

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  15. Wow… this post gives a lot of great details and tips on the various finishes. I’ve only ever used polyurethane in the far past and AS waxes in the present and have never been truly successful at either as I’m too heavy handed and apply way too much. It’s time to try something new and your post gives me exactly the info I needed to experiment. This is one fun week for me as I feel like I’m picking your brain for all your knowledge. Thanks for being willing to share!

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    1. I’m not a fan of the Annie Sloan wax. It’s a harder wax and I’m not sure of the safety of the ingredients. Try one of the Miss Mustard Seed/Homestead House/Fusion waxes next time. It’s much easier to apply them with a light touch.

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  16. My all time favorite topcoat over milk paint is hemp oil. I have also recently tried using hemp oil over Annie Sloan chalk paint and have had great results. You can always put a coat of wax over the hemp oil to increase durability or add some shine if desired.

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    1. I’ve never tried the hemp oil over chalk paint, so I’m glad you hear that you got great results with it. I’ll have to keep that in mind for the future. Thanks for that tip Mary!

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  18. Thank you for the in-depth information about finishes! The majority of my experience is with waxes over chalk paint, and more recently hemp oil, which is wonderful. I have tried poly on a black table, and it was very frustrating trying to maintain a deep, rich, non-streaky finish. Since I really want to try milk paint, it would be fun experimenting with all of these!

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    1. I often read comments regarding the difficulty of using poly or other similar sealers over black paint. And as I mentioned in my post, the Tough Coat Sealer and the Finishing Cream both come with warnings about using them over black. You may really like using the Stain & Finishing Oil over your black paint.

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  19. I am a fan of hemp oil and furniture wax. I have not tried the finishing cream…would love to give that a go. I just bought hemp oil to use on a leather piece of furniture since MMS uses it on leather. I also read that post about hemp oil drying out leather…wheh! Glad to have read that before applying on my sofa.

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  21. I just usually use wax to finish. I have been wanting to try other options. Thank you for the time you are putting in to make these informative posts. The giveaways are so exciting!

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    1. You’re welcome Wendy. I have to admit, writing these posts was a bit more time consuming than I bargained for when I first came up with this brilliant (said sarcastically) idea. But, I’m glad to be sharing lots of helpful info with people!

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  23. Absolutely love your blog, I’ve just bought some hemp oil so it was interesting to read your thoughts and tips on its application to different colours. I’m currently planning a black piece so I’ll definitely give it a go on that! I’ve never tried SFO but it sounds a lot of fun to experiment with! I think all in all I’ll always go back to wax, I just love the look and feel of it 🙂 so I’m off now to read your post about waxes! X

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  25. I have used Miss Mustard Seed waxes after much trial and error of using other waxes. I love that there is no odor as in some waxes. I just recently tried hemp oil and I believe I’m a fan!

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  27. I use wax because I have it on hand and it is kinda fun to rub in in and buff it. I would love to try any of the other top coats too and I am not a fan of topless. I think furniture is much easier to clean and looks better longer with a top coat. Thank you for the opportunity to win some.

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  28. I’ve only used MMS Tough Coat for pieces that will get a lot of wear and tear, and have only used her waxes which I love because of their buttery feel. Back in the day, I used JW etc.’s Right Step varnish and I still have pieces that are 20 years old and have not yellowed. I did try a bit of it over chalk paint with iffy results but over regular latex paint it is wonderful. Super silky and smooth to the touch. Might be worth experimenting? I used to be able to get it at Hobby Lobby but now have to order online. Just a tidbit for you, since you give us so much info back!

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  29. I have only used fusions tough coat so far but am very interested in trying the finishing cream. Sounds like a great product that is fairly easy to use. I am really loving all of the great info you are sharing with us. Thanks so much!

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  30. Love reading about all the choices there are. Now I’m wondering if I need to do antthing to my Catalogue dresser? Most likely not, but let me know! Fun giveaways too! Top notch blog ❤

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    1. I used General Finishes Flat Out Flat on your Catalogue dresser. That product should be plenty durable for your use. I no longer use the Flat Out Flat over milk paint because I’ve gotten a couple of wonky results with it. It worked beautifully on your dresser, but I used it on another piece and it resulted in additional chipping on an already chippy piece.

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  31. Another great post with great info. I’ve used hemp oil, wax and antiquing wax. All MMS products. I would love to try some of the other products you mentioned today too. Thanks for the opportunity at the giveaway.

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  32. I usually apply top coat. I have had limited success with wax. It may have something to do with the humidity here in Alabama. I would love to try these products on the furniture pieces that are piling up in my garage. Thanks for sharing your expertise. I know I will refer back to your posts in the future.

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    1. Weather conditions can wreak havoc on all kinds of paints and finishes. We don’t have a lot of humidity here in Minnesota but we do have our moments. I usually just avoid painting when we have high humidity, but that probably isn’t very practical in Alabama.

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  33. Cappucino SFO over black milk paint – THIS IS IT! The desk you did with this combination plus the touch of mettalic was extraordinary!!!

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  36. Thank you for explaining all these top coat options. I have only used wax over chalk paint before but may try the finishing cream – No tedious buffing or wiping off is appealing!

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  37. I would love to try the finishing cream since reading about it on the blog. There are not any local retailers in my area so I haven’t been able to give it a whirl. I have used the other top coats and they are fantastic. I appreciate that you try different products and give us an unbiased opinion on them .

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  38. I love hemp oil though I have only recently started using it. I often use polycrylic over milk paint with good success. Recently tried Varthane poly that completely changed the color of my milk paint and I had to start over. Live and learn right? I’d love to try Tough Coat one of these days but never remember to order it before I’m ready to seal something.

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  39. So far I have used each of the products you have on today’s blog, except for the Real Milk Paints finishing cream. That stuff sounds great. I like all of the products for different types of paint and I always try to think of how the furniture or piece I’m painting is going to be used. However, my favorite finish for a hard coat over white milk paint that does NOT yellow at all is Polyvines Dead Flat varnish. It’s expensive, but worth it to make sure a piece does have a tough finish and keeps the soft matte finish of milk paint. Thanks for sharing all your amazing knowledge Linda!

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  40. When I am painting with several shades of chalk paint on a piece (no matter how dry) when I use a topcoat over it, it always streaks and shift the colors and “re-marries” them. I am looking forward to trying products that finish the colors in place.

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    1. Hmmmm. I think I know what you’re referring to La Verne. I had that problem on a small chair that I painted red and then added a white stripe to it. When I waxed it my rag dragged (drug?) particles of the red paint into the white. Honestly, I’m not sure if any of the topcoats I’ve mentioned would solve this problem. It seems like you’d need a spray on product to keep from dragging one color into another. Keep me posted if you come up with a solution.

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  41. Good morning Linda. Great information. I have used several of the products that you mentioned in you blog this morning. I have used hemp oil, several colors of wax, tough coat, GF high performance finishes, but I have never tried the finishing cream or the stain and finishing oils. I will have to try them. Thanks for sharing all the great information.

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  42. Thanks for all the info I read on your blog. You always have great pics too. I’m new to all kinds of painting products but you’ve help to navigate the way.

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  44. Although I haven’t tried milk paint yet, my favorite topcoat for other paint is wax. I use good-old SC Johnson paste wax. Despite the awful smell, I consistently get a gorgeous finish with little effort and little investment! I have even colored this wax myself with a bit of latex paint. Works like a charm!

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    1. I also wanted to mention, I’ve been following you for quite a while on Facebook. I’m always drawn in by your photos and the overall design of your brand. Not only are your pieces beautiful, your photography is stunning, and your web design is eye-catching. You are a true artist! Thanks for sharing your passion and techniques with the people of the interwebs. 😉

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    2. Be sure to read the post I linked to about the safety of waxes. I specifically mention the SC Johnson wax (which I used to use myself). If you are using that product, be sure to wear gloves and a mask. It does contain cancer causing ingredients, so be sure to protect yourself!

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  46. I look forward to your posts, and read them before any other! They are the best at informing! I have used wax and tough coat, but haven’t tried any creams. I’ve used tung oil from the hardware store, and hope to get some help oil soon! I’m always wanting to try everything 😉 (I’m still trying to justify an IOD transfer!)

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  50. I have used milk paint for projects but am finding your postings this week invaluable! Many good hints. Thanks for all the input for us novices!!

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