My daughter requested a nightstand/endtable for her new studio apartment. After agreeing on dimensions 21"square she changed her mind, unsure if it would fit. The table with a drawer and lower shelf was already, cut, legs turned, morticed, edge routed, drawer dovetailed, dry assembled, just not glued. Rather than stop altogether to await new measurements, I asked for a color choice. The table is all poplar since I knew it was to be painted. I talked her out of Home Depot latex and she chose pumpkin colored milk paint. So two coats of milk paint and two coats of BLO were applied.
Now some good news and some bad news. A change in purchase of a couch. The table will now fit with no modification, BUT the pumpkin color really sucks with the new couch. I must now recolor. Looking at a pale green.
I am not sure about milk paint adhesion and covering over the darker pumpkin and two coats of BLO (linseed oil). I'm thinking of shooting the parts with a coat of Zinser BIN (shelac based primer) and then proceding with 2 coats of light green milk paint, more BLO, and wax top coat. This is certainly a lot of layers on the wood.
Other options include just milk paint over the BLO or since the table is not assembled, sanding all down, and returning the legs slightly to get the milk paint off. I will be calling the Milk Paint manufacturer tomorrow for their take, but suggestions from this group would be appreciated. Making a new table or getting a new daughter will not be considered
Jerry