Make Safe, Natural Paint
(Page 4 of 5)
October/November 2006
By Bill Steen
Casein paint must be mixed to specific proportions to prevent cracking, peeling and dusting off. It’s important to allow each coat to dry completely, because the paint will become more and more opaque as it dries. Avoid the temptation to apply extra-thick coats!
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In order to become an adhesive binder, casein must be combined with an alkali such as lime. (You can use borax instead, but lime-casein paint is much more water resistant.)
Casein Paint with Lime
Yields about 1 quart
1 gallon nonfat milk
2 1/2 ounces “Type S” lime (dry powder available at hardware stores)
2 1/2 cups water
Natural earth pigment (more or less depending on desired color)
6 cups filler (usually whiting)
- Leave milk in a warm place for a few days to curdle. Then pour through a colander lined with cheesecloth. You should have about 2 cups of curds. The whey can be composted.
- Mix curds and lime powder in a blender. Add a little water if the mixture isn’t blending well. Strain to remove any lumps.
- Add water to the binder immediately after it is prepared.
- Dampen and crush pigments. Add them to the mixture a little at a time until desired color intensity is achieved.
- Stir in filler.
Casein Paint Adjustments
After mixing your paint, test it on a small area of your surface and let it dry completely. If it doesn’t spread easily, add some water. If it dusts, add more binder. If it’s too thin, add more filler. If the color isn’t rich enough, add more crushed pigment.
Expert Tips
- When making your own paint, it is important to experiment, test, experiment, and test some more. Keep it fun! If you play for a while first, you’re sure to end up with a beautiful combination of rich colors and interesting textures.
- For best results, clean all surfaces thoroughly before painting.
- Homemade paints contain food ingredients and should be used soon after mixing. You can refrigerate them, but the binding ability may diminish.
- It may be difficult to create exactly the same color over and over again. Try to mix as much paint as you can reasonably use in one work session.
- Exercise caution when using linseed oil. Crumpled oil-soaked cloths can spontaneously combust, so be sure to wash all cloths and other materials before disposal.
- Exercise caution with all powdered and caustic materials, especially lime. Wear gloves and goggles.
Which Paints for Which Surfaces?
When selecting which kind of paint to mix for a particular surface, your first consideration should be whether the surface is interior or exterior. Then select a paint that is appropriate to the type of surface.
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