I Made My Own Biodegradable Paint

You've probably heard of milk paint. It's a much more sustainable type of paint than acrylic paints for indoor applications. It doesn't offgas, contains no petrochemicals, and is biodegradable, unlike acrylic paints, which contain plastics. You can buy milk paint premixed or in powder form, but in this video, I'll be making MILK PAINT straight from the cow. I go through the entire process using raw local milk as the base, and mixing in only slaked lime, and earth pigments. It's that simple!
Quark Recipe:
1 gallon skim milk at room temp
2 cups white vinegar
Milk Paint Recipe:
1-2 parts slaked lime (depending on how white and opaque you want the paint to be)
3 parts quark (milk solids)
Earth pigment powder to taste (mixed one to one with water). This is added in small amounts like 1 T at a time.
Write down your proportions so you can recreate the exact paint every batch.
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[@coryart]

I would call that "cheese paint".

[@loue6563]

I have wanted to do this since I was a teenager and read a book where they were making milk paint to paint their house.

[@DeathToMockingBirds]

If you paint wood, I recommend you check out Swedish flour based paint, the process is much easier (mix flour in cold water, stir in hot water for 15 min, add pigments, iron sulphate, linseed oil, black soap. Stir another 15 min. Wait until cold to use, adjust water based on the consistency you want.

[@HardcoreSustainable]

Sounds cool. Maybe that could be another video. There's also clay alis, that I've done another video on. That uses clay slip, wheat paste, and pigment. Super easy and all natural ingredients.

[@floratious]

I love this. Thanks for this information. I love the final color!!! It's what I would choose, myself. I paint with acrylics and there's definitely guilt associated with all the extenders that are used to make a big painting, to the extent that I haven't been painting as much as I did three or four years ago.

[@HardcoreSustainable]

Yes, it's so nice not to have to think about the toxicity or biodegradability of this milk paint. It's very natural.

[@HardcoreSustainable]

Quark Recipe: 1 gallon skim milk at room temp 2 cups white vinegar Milk Paint Recipe: 3 parts slaked lime (depending on how white and opaque you want the paint to be) 1-2 parts quark (milk solids) Earth pigment powder to taste (mixed one to one with water). This is added in small amounts like 1 T at a time. Write down your proportions so you can recreate the exact paint every batch.

[@Goldifarms]

Thank you! I’m gonna try this on my cobb studio interior. 🙏🏼

[@shanedacia6531]

I think the color looks good!

[@TheEmbrio]

I’m glad to see it works well or eathen plasters. I was going to freshen up mine with clay paint, perhaps caseine is another option

[@r.glewis374]

Absolutely amazing the things that can be done and so simple. 1 question 🤔 us there a strong odor of like a dairy kind? Don't know if I could use it indoors if it smelled like spoiling milk on my walls 🤔

[@HardcoreSustainable]

The paint itself smells like the lime it in, which smells more like stone than anything organic. There is no odor of milk or spoiled milk at all. I actually really like the smell of the paint, and once it dries there is no smell at all. The milk undergoes a chemical reaction with the lime and is no longer milk.

[@keyneticstudio]

Haha, the tea sip! Something about 'Milk' paint just sounds appealing too, like how I always wanted a 'Buttermilk Bath' as a kid. Lowkey flex of carrying two jars of milk without handles down a weaving mulched path. 😂 I have never seen the interior of the 'Timberframe' house, it is gorgeous!! Wow! Is that cob wrapped around the chimney that goes through the bedroom??? I personally love the dark grey with red wood (cedar?) color combo. That kitchen is nicely sized and so adorable.

[@HardcoreSustainable]

I did another video tour of the Timberframe interior a couple years ago. You can find it in the list of videos on my channel.

[@selispeks]

21:57 it may not be what you were aiming for, but it looks incredible!

[@johnhill1629]

How cool! I wonder if you could use tofu as a quark for a vegan alternative. It seems like it would have a similar protein profile as the quark. Your videos are always awesome. ✌️

[@HardcoreSustainable]

It would be interesting to look into. Soy milk curdles in exactly the same way as cow's milk. It would also save a step just to buy the tofu instead of having to make the quark.

[@rabbityoder4402]

Dan, in the video you list 2 parts quark and 3 parts lime, but in the comments you list 3 parts quark to 1.5 parts lime. The latter is more like what earthpigments has listed. Was this the original and you didn't update it?

[@HardcoreSustainable]

In the video I say that I thought the earth pigments recipe didn't have enough lime in it, so I added more. It looks like I might have either written down the recipe from the earth pigments site in the comment or switched the amounts for the lime and quark. Sorry. I didn't notice that. Thanks for pointing it out!

[@Goldifarms]

Can I use this on the exterior over an earthen plaster? And will it increase the durability of the wall without the issue you showed in your other video where the lime plaster flakes off.

[@HardcoreSustainable]

If you were to do it as an exterior you would add linseed oil or tung oil to prevent it just washing off. The wheat paste doesn't hold up to weather and even with an overhang to protect the wall I wouldn't do it without the oil. You could probably also apply the milk paint, then oil over it to protect it. There are recipes online. Check earthpigments.com. I haven't ever tried this though, I've just heard about it. My exterior plasters are lime.

[@barnabyvonrudal1]

Amazing, I didn't know this was possible by yourself and using basic ingredients! Would it hold up in a humid environment like a bathroom? And if you wanted white, would you just leave out the pigment?

[@HardcoreSustainable]

Yes, you could just leave out the pigment for a white paint. The lime will add the white. I think it would be good for a bathroom because the lime will help prevent any kind of mold or mildew growth.

[@not.likely]

Is the vinegar the same white vinegar used in salads?

[@HardcoreSustainable]

I guess. I don't think white vinegar is the best to use in a salad dressing. Lemon juice and balsamic are much better. This is the stuff sold in gallon jugs for a few bucks and used for cleaning and canning.

[@not.likely]

@@HardcoreSustainable Thank you. I agree that lemon juice is better. I asked because I saw another video where they used 'commercial' 30% vinegar concentrate, and I didn't know what the difference was between commercial vinegar and salad vinegar. Hence I sighted vinegar used for salads

[@bluegreenworld333]

Does it burn after dissolved quark? I noticed you stirred without gloves....Great vid

[@HardcoreSustainable]

That's a good question. I didn't test it, but it did get on my hands and it didn't burn. I'd guess that when it reacts with the milk solids, it binds the ions that would cause the caustic nature.