There are A LOT of differences between milk paint and chalk paint.  They are 2 totally different types of paint with totally different ingredients.  They seem similar is because the finished product looks very similar.chalkvsmilk

Chalk Paint vs Milk PaintHere are some of the main differences:

Adhesion – Chalk paint is better in general in adhering to the surface of painted furniture than milk paint is, UNLESS you add a bonding product (Extra-bond or another bonding agent) to the milk paint.  If you want a distressed or chippy look to the piece and you want the paint to wear and chip off over time, then you can skip the bonding agent.

There are A LOT of differences between milk paint and chalk paint.  They are 2 totally different types of paint with totally different ingredients.  They seem similar is because the finished product looks very similar.  Here are some of the main differences:

Adhesion – Chalk paint is better in general in adhering to the surface of painted furniture than milk paint is, UNLESS you add a bonding product (Extra-bond or another bonding agent) to the milk paint.  If you want a distressed or chippy look to the piece and you want the paint to wear and chip off over time, then you can skip the bonding agent.

Finish Coat – Once the piece is finished, your clear coat options with both milk paint and chalk paint are roughly the same, you can do a clear wax, dark wax or a polycrylic clear coat over the top.  Any clear coat you use on chalk paint, you can use over milk paint.

Other Differences – There are too many differences to list all in one post, but some other differences are that you may need more coats of paint with milk paint to get even coverage.  Also, some settling may occur with milk paint, so you’ll need to stir the mixture during the painting process a few times, to keep settling from occurring.  Also, milk paint powder doesn’t stay good forever, over time it can absorb moisture from the air which makes it not adhere as well to furniture.

Image of white dresser courtesy of Burlap & Bees Interiors in Folsom, CA.