Giving a Bench a Farmhouse Makeover With OFMP

For the last 15 years (in all of our homes) we've been using an old desk hutch as a bench just off of the back door to the garage. It's been a great landing pad for backpacks, shopping bags, etc. It's served us well over the years, and it was time to give this bench a farmhouse makeover.


Old Fashioned Milk Paint in Snow White to the rescue! (FYI: True milk paint comes in a powder form and is made from natural materials, i.e., milk protein, lime, and earth pigments. It is environmentally safe with no VOCs. ) It comes in a powder form, and you simply mix it with equal parts powder and water. I like to mix mine with a handheld blender, and then let it "settle" for about 20 minutes before I start painting.


All I did to prep my "bench" for painting was to dust it off and tape off the cork bulletin board with painter's tape. No priming or sanding necessary, which is a big plus! As the above photo shows ... one coat of Snow White OFMP over dark, rough wood gives you the most beautiful weathered gray finish.


Unfortunately, gray wood doesn't match my wall. Another coat of Snow White covered the bench completely. But now it was looking too new. No need to worry, a little dark wax will take care of that.


TIP 1: When you are dark waxing a light painted piece, you should first give it a coat of clear wax or another sealer. This will prevent that unattractive "streaky" look. I used Daddy Van's Beeswax & Lavender Furniture Polish, and this green product smells so good, you'll be tempted to taste it! I was now ready to apply my dark wax. TIP 2: For even more control with dark wax, I like to add a little mineral spirits to it. This makes it so easy to work with -- you need to try this tip!


I like to wax with staining pads, but old socks, t-shirts, etc. all work great. Just wipe it on, and wipe it off -- letting it build up in the corners, creases, dings, etc. Once the wax was completely dry, I buffed it with a clean rag. That's it. Not including drying time, this project was completed in less than an hour!


With it's new farmhouse makeover, I have a feeling my bench will be around for another 15 years! If you'd like to see more furniture makeovers like this one, I invite you to check out my website.
Cynthia - Clockworkinteriors
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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