A common question I’ve been getting lately is, “Can you paint milk paint over other painted finishes?”   Yes, you can!

This little dresser has been hanging around in my basement for a while and, after selling some other pieces, I was forced to work on it.  The delay wasn’t because I didn’t like the piece, but because the drawer bottoms were jacked up and needed to be replaced.  Pieces that need repair often get put on the back burner.  I couldn’t find a before picture of this piece, so here’s the best I could do…

…a snapshot from the Removing Paint Part One video.  It had a few layers of paint, the last one being a white oil based paint that had yellowed and cracked over time.  I removed the paint off the top and painted the base in Mustard Seed Yellow with some bonding agent added, because I wanted to have control over the amount of distressing that happened.

I added some hand painted detailing to this piece, since I loved the last Mustard Seed Yellow dresser I did (and it lasted only about 2 hours at the Lucketts Antique Market.)

Once I stripped the paint off the top, I did notice some imperfections in the wood, but I think it only adds to the character of the piece.  I applied a coat of Hemp Oil to hydrate the wood, followed by some dark walnut stain, which I wiped away quickly, so it didn’t get too dark.  I finished with a coat of Furniture Wax and a good buffing.  It’s a buttery soft finish now.

My husband replaced the drawer bottoms, so they’re sturdy and clean.

I lightly sanded the dresser once the hand painting had dried.  The texture of the paint underneath showed through beautifully.

…and I took the distressing down to the wood in a few places.

(I’m really loving that wool yarn.)

I just dropped the piece off at Lucketts today, so we’ll see how long this one lasts!

I’m flying out to Colorado tomorrow for a packed two days of milk paint workshops, DIY seminars and a book signing.  Come by if you’re anywhere near Monument, CO and can make it!

(Ha!  I just realized I mixed up the bottom two drawers!  The design is meant to be a little different, but it’s sort of interesting this way as well…)