Milk Painted Side Table – Part 2 – Distressing

Dec 8, 2020 | Antiques, Furniture Wax, Miss Mustard Seeds Milk Paint | 0 comments

A Video Tutorial on Milk Painting an Antique Side Table

Welcome to Part 2 of my series on Milk Painting my antique drop leaf side table! This step details how I go about distressing my furniture pieces.

If you’re just joining this series, you can catch up on Part 1 by clicking the photo below.

Applying Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in Schloss

When we left off, I had shared how to get the perfect mix of Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint. I hope my tips were super helpful!

Once my Milk Paint was just the right consistency, it was time to paint it on. Join me in the process by watching Part 2 of my video series below.

Milk Painted Side Table Video Tutorial Series – Part 2

Smooth Sanding – The Trick to a Buttery Soft Milk Paint Finish!

One way to distinguish a quality paint finish from one that’s just so-so is to run your hand along the piece. If it’s silky smooth, you know the artist took the time to smooth (or finish) sand the piece. My workshop is always stocked with 400 grit sandpaper and/or 220 grit sanding pads (yes, there is a difference) for exactly this purpose.

When Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint first dries, it often feels gritty to the touch.

Aviary Brush On
Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in the Color Aviary

This gritty texture is due to the fact that MMS Milk Paint is a powdered paint that is mixed with water. It will never be 100% smooth like most modern paints. That doesn’t mean your piece needs to feel rough to the touch though! A quick once-over with a super fine grit of sandpaper will yield buttery soft results.

Distressing – Letting Your Personal Taste Show

MMS Milk Paint is such an easy paint to distress! (Distressing is when you rub away paint purposefully to simulate age and wear.) Simply grab a medium grit (100-220) and start removing paint where you see fit. Typically, I focus on the edges and high points of my furniture projects.

Corner of side table painted by Eight Hundred Furniture in the color Schloss by Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint

Distressing allows you to infuse your project with your personality. Some of the pieces I have worked on in the past range from no distressing to full-on chippy! Here are some examples.

Artissimo, Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint, Hemp Oil, Record Cabinet, Eight Hundred Furniture, Milk Paint
Here’s an example of rubbing the edges away
Layla's Mint, Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint, Beeswax, Graystone Water Based Wood Stain, General Finishes, Eight Hundred Furniture, Washstand, Glass Knobs
This piece barely had any distressing at all!
Layla's Mint, Shutter Gray, Eulalie's Sky, Chippy, Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint, Eight Hundred Furniture, Tough Coat, Washstand, Victorian
I let this washstand do its chippy thing!

So how about you? What type of distressing pattern do you prefer?

Part 3 – Applying Furniture Wax

Stay tuned for the final installment of my series! I’ll be showing you how easy it is to apply Miss Mustard Seed’s Furniture Wax.

Furniture Wax by Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint

Welcome to my happy place!
I'm Jenn Baker - Milk Paint lover, photographer, blogger, and QVC Guest Host. Click below to learn more about me and my creative business.  LEARN MORE ABOUT JENN

Latest Posts on Instagram

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This