Fusion and Milk Paint: What’s the Difference?

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Hey Everybody!

Last week I shared with y’all the story of how I came to be a retailer for Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint, now as well as Fusion Mineral Paint (missed it? Read that story here).

At the end of that post I promised I would break down both paint lines for you and share why I love them both and how I use each of them.  So that’s going to be the content of THIS post today.

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Let’s dive right in!

Fusion Mineral Paint

There are so many reasons why I love Fusion! It’s easy to use, good quality, and a great choice for a wide range of projects. I like to call it “Everyman’s Paint,” as I’ve found it to be the most DIY-friendly paint on the market.

Here is a breakdown of the main pros of Fusion:
  • Minimal, simple prep, which takes away the need for lots of power sanding and priming
  • Acrylic base seals the paint’s finish, which means NO WAXING or any other topcoat required!
  • Light, thin, and easy to work with to create a smooth, hand-painted finish.
  • Great durability! I’ve scrubbed pencil marks, dried food, mud, scuff marks, etc off of Fusion with great results
  • Lots of colors to choose from and you can mix colors together to make even more shades

Because Fusion is a pre-mixed paint, it’s so easy to pop open a jar and get to work on a project.

 

 

And because it doesn’t require a topcoat to seal the finish, it really functions as a 1-step paint.

 

 

The sealed, waterproof finish means that Fusion is GREAT for wet areas, including cabinetry, or like pictured above, the outside of my front door!

 

So here’s when I tend to choose Fusion for my projects . . .

  • when I’m painting cabinets or pieces that will sit outside and possibly get wet
  • when I’m wanting to completely cover up the existing finish on a piece
  • when I want a sleek, modern look
  • when I’m painting a small piece or craft project and I want to skip having to mix up paint

Of course you can create a primitive, distressed look with Fusion, I’ve even showed you how in a few posts I’ve written.

But that’s not Fusion’s strength. Full coverage, waterproof, sleek finish is Fusion’s strength–and I’m all about working smarter not harder!

So when I want a primitive, aged, antiqued finish that fits with an older piece, I tend to opt for MMS Milk Paint.

 

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint

If Fusion is Everyman’s Paint, MMS Milk Paint is more of an artisan paint. I find that I can express my creativity more fully through milk paint.  It’s also the best paint for the job when you want to mimic the look of that aged paint patina you see on antique pieces that still have their original painted finish.

Here’s a breakdown of the main pros for MMS Milk Paint:
  • Perfect paint for raw wood! The color soaks down into the wood leaving a super durable finish.
  • Thin, light paint that you can easily layer to create amazing depth of color
  • Virtually brush-stroke free! Milk Paint makes that buttery smooth finish effortless!
  • Often will naturally chip and peel from many pre-finished surfaces, creating an authentically aged chippy effect no other paint can do.
  • Since you mix the paint yourself, you can mix it thicker or thinner to get the desired finish and result you want (turn the paint into a plaster or a stain with less or more water)
  • The colors are gorgeous and have a depth to them that you don’t get from a pre-mixed paint
  • Fits perfectly with a vintage or antique piece–milk paint makes the paint job look natural and fits the age of the piece.

Yes, you do have to mix milk paint.  But it’s super easy!  Take 1 part paint and add 1 part water, shake in a mason jar, and then you’re done.

 

 

Another difference is that unlike Fusion, milk paint does require a topcoat to seal it.

The topcoat though is what makes milk paint really shine! And you have several options–brushing on a coat of hemp oil, buffing on a clear furniture wax, or adding more depth of color with an Antiquing or White Wax.

 

 

You won’t get the chippy effect every time you use milk paint, but when it does happen, it’s amazing!

 

 

Milk Paint is incredibly easy to distress. And because the paint is so thin, drips or pools in the paint are super easy to sand off and clean up once they dry.

Another benefit I want to be sure and mention is that MMS Milk Paint is a great option if you have any sort of sensitivities to synthetic chemicals.  Milk Paint is made of 5 natural ingredients and has no synthetic fillers, so you can feel good about using it inside your home and around anyone who has chemical sensitivities.

 

 

At my recent Milk Paint 101 Workshop, one of the participants asked me which one is my favorite, Fusion or Milk Paint?

I answered her honestly that I love them both! They are like my kids–each one is different and I appreciate their unique qualities, but love them equally. By the end of the workshop she understood exactly what I meant as she began to see the the fantastic things you can do with milk paint.

So here’s when I tend to choose MMS Milk Paint for my projects . . .
  • when I’m painting an antique or vintage styled piece.  A milk paint finish just seems to fit the style of the piece better.
  • when I want to layer colors or create a chippy, distressed finish
  • when I want to add depth of color with a white or dark wax
  • when one of the colors of the MMS Milk Paint line just screams my name! They’re so beautiful I sometimes can’t resist.

When selecting which paint you want to use for your project, it’s all about working with the strengths of the paint.

Sure–you could do a lot of work layering Fusion colors, adding crackle effects, and do some heavy distressing for a chippy finish, but why . . . when you can get that look so easily with MMS Milk Paint?

And sure–you could paint cabinets with milk paint and go through the process of mixing up large quantities of paint and then also sealing the finish with a poly product, but why . . . when you can pop open a jar of Fusion and then skip having to add a topcoat?

I hope you’re seeing my point here . . . Both paints are great in their own, unique ways! And I think they complement each other really well.  Between Fusion and MMS Milk Paint, my furniture painting and DIY craft job bases are completely covered.

I can’t cover every detail of how to work with each of these paints in this post, so I encourage you to ask any questions you may have in the comments section, and then maybe take some time looking back through past posts of mine. I have painted so many projects with both of these paint lines, and in my posts I always try and share the steps of my project and tips for working with each line.

My goal is always to help you learn how to use these products to create beautiful, unique pieces for your own home!

Thanks for being with me today!

 

 

 

 

Melanie

Saturday 15th of July 2017

Kim, I would wash your door well with some soapy water and lightly sand the spray painted finish. To make sure the Fusion adheres well to the spray paint, you can apply a base coat of the Ultra Grip first. It's super easy--paints on milky white, dries clear overnight, then paint!

kim

Saturday 15th of July 2017

Thanks Melanie - I was thinking of using the ultra grip too. Thanks for your help!

Melanie

Saturday 15th of July 2017

Kim, I would wash your door well with some soapy water and lightly sand the spray painted finish. To make sure the Fusion adheres well to the spray paint, you can apply a base coat of the Ultra Grip first. It's super easy--paints on milky white, dries clear overnight, then paint!

kim

Saturday 15th of July 2017

Thanks Melanie - I was thinking of using the ultra grip too. Thanks for your help!

kim

Wednesday 12th of July 2017

So would you suggest Fusion for a front door?

Melanie

Thursday 13th of July 2017

Yes! I actually painted my front door with Fusion a little over a year ago and posted about it here.

Robin lambert/Robin's Nest

Friday 7th of July 2017

Hey Melanie, I'd love to share your post if you don't mind. What a great informative article on the qualities of each paint!

Melanie

Monday 10th of July 2017

Of course Robin! Thanks for wanting to share :)