Wood You is a Certified Real Wood Retailer. Real Wood Furniture Finished Your Way guarantees absolutely no particle board in the manufacturing of its products.

Design Your Own Finish

Milk Paints ● Application of Milk Paints ● Furniture Glazes ● Wood Stains ● Application of Wood Stains Top Coats ● Application of Water Base Top Coats ● Application of Oil Based Top Coats

Milk Paints

General Finishes Milk Paint for Furniture

Milk Paints are the star of the furniture fashion market. They are interior/exterior acrylic paints suitable for indoor or outdoor furniture, crafts, and cabinets and can be applied directly from the can to produce a high quality satin sheen finish. When used with Glaze Effects, you can create all the new decorative finishes such as distressing, antiquing, marble effects, rag rolling, or color washing. Paint on high use flat surfaces such as dining tables and desks will develop the patina of every day life over time so we recommend clear or wood stain finishes to our customers who are do not enjoy this natural antiquing process. Milk Paints are available in the following colors: Snow White, Antique White, Linen, Millstone, Outback Brown, Little Pink, Buttermilk Yellow, Somerset Gold, Sage Green, Bayberry Green, Basil, Cypress Green, Red Pepper, Autumn Haze, Brick Red, Tuscan Red, Baby Blue, Federal Blue, Coastal Blue and Lamp Black.

snow white furniture milk paint manufactured by General Finishes

antique white furniture milk paint manufactured by General Finishes

buttermilk yellow furniture milk paint manufactured by General Finishes

sage green furniture milk paint manufactured by General Finishes

basil green furniture milk paint manufactured by General Finishes

brick red furniture milk paint manufactured by General Finishes

tuscan red furniture milk paint manufactured by General Finishes

federal blue furniture milk paint manufactured by General Finishes

lamp black furniture milk paint manufactured by General Finishes

Application of Milk Paints

Remove hardware from furniture. Taking a little extra time to remove backs of cabinets, drawer fronts etc., will make staining much easier. Milk Paints may be intermixed to create additional colors. Snow White or Antique White will soften darker colors.
If working in high temperatures or low humidity, Milk Paints may be thinned with 10-20% water or General Finishes Extender (3 to 6 oz. per quart) to improve open time for application.
If working over existing paint or finish, always test a small area to make sure paint will adhere. Sand glossy surfaces with #120 grit sandpaper before proceeding.
Make disposable paint trays by covering paper plates with aluminum foil.
Test the color on the underside of the project. It is your responsibility to insure that the color is what you want.
Always stir the contents well. Stirring distributes pigments that have settled to the bottom of the can.
Paint on a wet, liberal coat with a wide foam brush, bristle brush, or paint pad applicator. If too little paint is used, the surface can dry too quickly causing an uneven appearance.
Dry time is normally 2-4 hours under ideal conditions (70˚ and 70% humidity). Cooler temperatures or higher humidity will prolong dry time to 8-10 hours. Good ventilation, air movement and higher temperatures will accelerate dry time.
We recommend two to three coats of paint. If paint is not covering after 2 coats, you are not applying heavily enough. If using different colors of Milk Paint over one another (i.e.-when creating antique finishes) always apply a coat of Top Coat in between the colors to prevent color blending.
Buff between each coat of Milk Paint with a superfine sanding sponge, #320 or #400 grit sandpaper.
Milk Paint dries with a low luster sheen. Although it can be used as a one-can finish, we recommend one application of Water Based Top Coat for increased durability or increased sheen. It is not necessary to buff after applying final Top Coat.
Milk Paints are rated for exterior use, and do not require a Top Coat when used in outdoor applications. General Finishes water based Top Coats are not intended for exterior use.

Top Coats

Water Based Brush On Top Coat.

For optional use over Milk Paints, this crystal clear finish is rated by Fine Woodworking magazine as "Best Brush-on" in a competition of national brands. It is our standard "work horse" top coat and can be used in furniture and woodwork. Formulated to be durable and consumer friendly, it flows and levels easily and has great adhesion characteristics. It has strong sag resistance for vertical surfaces and its higher polyurethane content provides greater durability than other polyurethane/acrylic blends. Once you use PolyAcrylic Blend you will say to yourself, "Fine Woodworking was right on!" Available in the following sheens, Matte, Satin, Semi-Gloss, and Gloss.

Application of Water Based Top Coats

If you are applying Water Based Top Coat over an oil based stain, allow the oil stain to dry a minimum of 48 hours under ideal conditions.
Water based top Coats are milky white in the can, but will dry to a crystal clear finish. Stir contents well to insure that all the ingredients are mixed together.
Apply with a foam brush, latex paint pad applicator, or by spraying.
Apply Top Coats liberally using smooth even strokes working in the direction of the grain. Use enough material to provide a wet film. Do not over brush! Top Coats self level beautifully.
When used over Water Based Stains, Top Coats have ?burn in? characteristics and may slightly lift some of the color during the application of the first coat (particularly red colors).
On most projects three or four coats of Top Coat is just right. On projects receiving extra wear such as table and desk tops, additional coats will add more protection.
Dry time is normally 2-4 hours under ideal conditions (70˚ and 70% humidity).
Cooler temperatures or higher humidity will prolong dry time to 8-10 hours.
Good ventilation, air movement and higher temperatures will accelerate dry time.

Buffing Top Coats

Do not buff the stain prior to the first application Top Coat.
It is important to buff in between each application of Top Coat for the smoothest possible finish with #320 or #400 grit sandpaper or superfine sanding sponge. It is not necessary to buff final Top Coat.
Remove dust with a clean cloth.