paint recipe Q&A

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The paint coverage is poor. What should I do?

Often, paint will become more opaque once it dries. However, you can add some chalk powder and additional pigment to the paint. Up to three or four coats are sometimes required with natural paint.
For milk paint: make more curd, and do not boil.
For whitewash paint: blend the paint well and add more lime and pigments.

The paintbrush leaves traces when I apply the paint.

This is normal. It is even a desirable effect obtained when using natural paint. This unique finish creates depth. With additional coats of paint, the effect will become more subtle.

With the paint become mouldy?

Absolutely not! If the paint dries as it should - ventilate the room sufficiently - there is no reason why bacteria should grow. On the contrary, the ingredients in these recipes contribute to a healthy environment: lime, clay, and so on.

Do I need to add a preservative to the paint?

It is not essential, but you can add a ¼ cup of lemon juice or vinegar to the paint recipes, or a few drops of grapefruit seed essential oil. You could also add a pinch of borax per liter of paint.

How long can I keep the fresh paint?

About one week, in a cool, dark place. Cover your jar or bucket of paint with a damp cloth, and mix again before using.

How should I prep the surface to be painted?

Regardless of the type of paint used, the surface to be painted must be clean and dry. Wash walls and wood surfaces. Sand surfaces to "degloss" old paint and eliminate varnish layers. For more info, see our paint remover recipes.

What type of paint should I choose for my surface?

whitewash paint: ideal for walls, over old paint or new finishing plaster.
clay paint: ideal for walls, over old paint or new finishing or earth plaster.
potato paint: ideal for walls and untreated wood furniture.
cottage cheese paint: ideal for flea market furniture finds that have been well sanded, or untreated new furniture.
milk paint: ideal for flea market furniture finds that have been well sanded, or untreated new furniture.
gesso: a traditional coating for furniture. To be used under paint or on its own, with a wax finish.
egg tempera paint: ideal for furniture decorating and painted wood.
beer wood stain: ideal for untreated wood boards, wood floors, patios, untreated wood furniture.

How can I protect my painted surface?

These eco-friendly paints are naturally resistant, but for rooms with higher humidity it is best to protect the painted surface with a liquid wax, environmentally friendly stain or one or two coats of natural wax.

Where can I find the ingredients?

Chalk powder is finely ground natural chalk. It can be found in the cement section of home improvement or pool supply retailers in 3 or 10 lb packages. Also used to clean marble or silver.
Slaked lime: Natural Hydraulic Lime (NHL 3.5-Z). It can be found in the building materials section of home improvement retailers in 5 to 35 kg (10 to 70 lb) bags.
Pigments: For large amounts, quarries, concrete and sand wholesalers.
For small amounts: hardware and art stores.
Linseed oil: hardware and home improvement stores.

January 2008 [paint recipes]
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