In this tutorial, learn how to recreate an old-world look for your furniture with the help of Toscana Milk Paint and Waxes from Amy Howard at Home. 

Now you can achieve a beautiful vintage finish on virtually any door, drawer, or cabinetry.

Step 1: Apply One-Step Paint

Milk Paint should not be applied directly on a piece that has an existing finish.

Before applying Milk Paint, use One-Step Paint as a primer first. For this project, use Linen - One-Step Paint.

Step 2: Mix Your Milk Paint

Toscana Milk Paint comes in powder form. Simply mix one-part water to one-part Scandinavian Grey Milk Paint.

Your paint may appear grainy as you are mixing it. You can mix your paint the night before you are scheduled to use it to allow all the grains more time to dissolve.

Don’t try to make it thicker like you’re working with the One-Step Paint.

Step 3: Apply Your Milk Paint

Milk Paint settles. Stir your paint adequately before using it to guarantee good pigmentation. Agitate your paint with your brush as you go along.

Paint in long, clean strokes across the surface of your piece. It might look like you’re not getting coverage because your paint is thin but it will become more opaque as it dries. Milk Paint dries the color that it is in powder form.

Use a natural-bristle chip brush. Don’t use a synthetic brush with milk paint.

Let your piece dry for 15-20 minutes before moving to the next step.

Step 4: Use Light Wax

In applying wax, remember that less is more.

Dip a natural-bristle chip brush into your Light Wax and offload on a piece of cardboard before applying it. Don’t go directly with wax on your piece without offloading.

Apply wax - lightly - using a cross-hatching motion, starting from the upper-left corner of your piece and going down it at a 45-degree angle. Aim for 90% coverage.

Fan your piece to allow the wax to dry.

Step 5: Use Dark Wax

Using a different natural-bristle chip brush, repeat Step 4 but with Dark Wax this time. Aim for 15-20% coverage only.

Again, in applying wax, remember that less is more. Never use Dark Wax on its own. Always use Light and Dark wax together.

You can clean wax off of your brushes with Clean Slate.

Some Reminders on Using Milk Paint:

Don’t paint with foamy Milk Paint. Strain your paint to get rid of any foam that might appear on top. You will be left with only pure Milk Paint after doing so.

Applying Milk Paint on a vertical surface will cause the paint to drip. Lay your piece down flat first before working on it.

Milk Paint comes in powder form. Mix only the amount you need to use each time.

You should not apply Milk Paint and leave it on its own. It has to be sealed with a glaze or wax.


Recreate the look of the pieces in this project with the following products:

Linen - One-Step Paint
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/products/linen-one-step-paint

Scandinavian Grey - Toscana Milk Paint
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/products/scandinavian-grey-toscana-milk-paint

Light Wax
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/products/light-wax

Dark Wax
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/products/dark-wax

Chip Brush
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/collections/brushes/products/1-5-flat-paint-brush


Other Products Mentioned in this Video:

One-Step Paint
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/pages/one-step-collections

Lady Singing the Blues - One-Step Paint
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/products/lady-singing-the-blues-one-step-paint

Toscana Milk Paint
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/collections/milk-paint

Toulouse Rose - Toscana Milk Paint
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/products/toulouse-rose-toscana-milk-paint

Noir Black - Toscana Milk Paint
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/products/noir-black-toscana-milk-paint

Bauhaus Buff - One-Step Paint
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/products/bauhaus-buff-one-step-paint

Metropolitan Grey - One-Step Paint
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/products/metropolitan-grey-one-step-paint

Mind Your Own Beeswax
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/products/mind-your-own-beeswax

Cracked Gesso
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/products/legno-gesso-cracked-gesso-1

Antiquing Glaze
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/products/antiquing-glaze

Clean Slate
https://www.amyhowardhome.com/products/clean-slate