Can I apply milk paint over stain?

[Randall Clark]

I have an old bookcase that I pulled apart and rebuilt (shouldn't have, but I got too much time in it now) and it has some nicks and nail holes. I want to hide these and make it look like an original fake antique. Can I put milk paint over the existing stain? If not milk paint, what can I cover this with, tinted poly? I have milk paint, have never used it, and kinda wanted to 'speriment, but I don't want to waste paint, time, and project.
Thanks for your help.

[Rob Young]

Milk paint is pretty versatile stuff. But if there is anything like an oil, wax, varnish, shellac already in place over the stain and acting as a moisture barrier, the milk paint probably won't take.

There are additives you can mix in that help it bond better but I think those are intended more for when you are using it as a wash coat over a latex paint.

Got an unexposed area you can test? Maybe somewhere on the back or under an apron near the bottom?

[Scott Holmes]

Easiest solution is to apply a barrier coat of de-waxed shellac. It will stick to teflon and most paints will stick to it with no problem.

[Randall Clark]

Can I get de-waxed shellac at the Depot or Lowes?

[Jason Roehl]

Yes--at Lowe's, anyway, I don't know about Home Despot. Zinsser Seal Coat is a dewaxed shellac, which Lowe's carries.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10310&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=V9120&cookietest=1

There's the can you're looking for.

[Rob Young]

I really think you are going to be wasting time with the shellac...

Like I said, milk paint bonds well to itself and to raw wood.

http://www.milkpaint.com/about_art-fw.html

[Jason Roehl]

Whatever you do, scuff-sanding first if there is a cured finish present would be the most important step. Don't use anything finer than about 220-grit, and 150- to 180-grit would be better.