A wax finish can be very effective on a carved or turned object that receives very little handling, especially when you want a low sheen and don't want to change the natural color of the wood too much. Paste wax is best used as a polish over an existing finish such as lacquer, varnish, shellac, polyurethane or even oil finishes. As mentioned, it will give you a little extra protection against scratches, but most modern finishes like polyurethane and newer lacquers and varnishes are very hard to begin with and usually the finish alone is abrasion resistant enough.
Thus, using paste wax to maintain and regularly care for your furniture is by far the best reason to use paste wax today. A paste wax will add shine to a surface by filling in small scratches or voids in a finish. The finish will appear shiner and deeper because the light that was getting trapped in those scratches and voids before the wax was applied, is now reflecting off the surface. On darker pieces of furniture it's best to use a dark colored paste wax.
This will not only polish the piece but also hide some minor scuffs and scratches. Many people believe that pure beeswax is the best choice for use among paste waxes. This is not true. True, in the past beeswax was often used, but that was because it was the only wax available.
Today, paste wax manufactures blend natural waxes like beeswax and harder carbuna wax with synthetic waxes. The waxes are selected for cost, color, slip resistance and hardness. This blend of waxes makes a paste wax that is harder and in many other ways superior to pure beeswax, which is also very expensive in pure form.
Waxes like carnuba are much harder than bees wax, but are too hard to be used alone without blending with other softer waxes. All waxes are originally solid. They are made into a paste by being dissolved into a solvent. Years ago, turpentine was used as the solvent, but today petroleum distillate solvents such as mineral spirits,and toluene are generally used to dissolve the waxes. Most commercially made paste waxes are very similar in their quality and the sheen they produce. In fact, you can take the ten top brand waxes, apply them side by side to a finished surface and not see any significant difference in gloss or sheen.
About the most significant difference in these waxes is in the amount of time you need to wait before wiping off the excess and buffing out the wax. Certain waxes like Briwax use a quicker evaporating solvent like toluene. Because these solvents evaporate quicker, the wax turns back to solid quicker, becoming hazy and once the wax hazes over, it's time to wipe off the excess and buff it out. Home Articles Wax for Fine Finishing. This article is from Issue 37 of Woodcraft Magazine. While modern finishes are more resistant to moisture and scratching, wax still offers many benefits.
Although a buffed layer of wax may be only a few microns thick, it serves several purposes. Wax enhances the sheen of film-forming finishes by filling in minute scratches left behind by steel wool and other abrasives, creating a more light-reflective surface. Waxed finishes are also more abrasion resistant and easier to keep clean than an unwaxed finish.
And you can use it to rejuvenate dull or aging finishes. Whatever the application, a waxed surface has a fine tactile quality that begs to be touched. Carnauba wax A , beeswax raw and refined B , an array of commercially prepared waxes C , buffing and application brushes D , grater E. Wax is derived from animal, vegetable, or mineral sources Photo A. The oldest animal-based wax is beeswax. Grated and dissolved in turpentine, it served as a furniture polish up through the 18th century.
However, pure beeswax remains sticky for a long time and is too soft to provide much protection, so better waxes replaced it. The most common vegetable wax is carnauba, obtained from the leaves of a Brazilian palm tree. Floor waxes can be used on furniture, but they require serious elbow grease or a power buffer.
Mineral waxes, such as paraffin and microcrystalline wax, are refined from crude oil. Having tried homemade concoctions, I recommend sticking with premixed cans. Raw ingredients are expensive, preparation is labor-intensive, and heating mixtures can be hazardous.
Plus, the results may disappoint. Instead, find the commercial brands you like best and stick with them. Toluene, a solvent used in some blended waxes, can wreak havoc on fresh shellac and lacquer. Read the label. If the product contains toluene, let these finishes cure for at least a week before waxing. Wax is most often used as the final step for a premium film finish, whether it is shellac, lacquer, or varnish.
It imparts an unparalleled luster and offers some protection against scratches, abrasion, and water damage. Put a dollop of wax in the center of a soft cotton cloth, pull up the corners so the wax oozes through the cloth, and apply with light, overlapping strokes Photo B. When the solvent flashes off, leaving a uniform haze, remove the wax with flannel, terry cloth, or a buffing pad on a random-orbit sander, as shown in Photo C.
Additionally, once the wax is applied, no other current finish can be applied to the project to help protect the look of the wax finish. Attempting to add lacquer , polyurethane, or any other topcoat to a wax finish is futile and can even ruin the piece. For centuries, woodworkers have been applying wax finishes to woodworking projects. For most of this time, formulas have centered around beeswax, followed later by slightly more durable varieties based on Carnauba wax—derived from the leaves of a particular type of palm tree.
Beeswax is easily obtained and is easy to work with, particularly when it is warmed, but the benefits of using this natural wax are outweighed by the fact that a beeswax finish isn't very protective and must be regularly reapplied. Paraffins are also inexpensive waxes that come from petroleum sources, but they are more often used in candle-making.
Carnauba wax is more commonly found in two other non-woodworking applications, as it is used both for creating a beautiful wax shine on your car, or, for those who live on the beach, Carnauba wax is commonly found in surfboard waxes. Although other finishes are now more practical in most situations, there still is a place for a paste wax. First of all, many older antiques were finished with wax, so a paste wax is the logical choice for refinishing such old projects. Also, a great deal of the rustic pine Mexican or hacienda-style furniture available in the Southwest U.
Repairing, adding on to, or modifying any of these types of pieces requires trying to replicate the color of the previous or existing wax. A more practical use for paste wax for today's modern woodworker is to use it over an existing polyurethane, varnish, shellac or lacquer finish, to give a piece an unmatched luster and shine.
The wax will not provide a great deal of top-coat protection, but it will fill in any cracks, scratches or minor imperfections in the finish of the piece, allowing light to reflect at a more even level, providing a beautiful, unblemished shine and luster. Many wood waxes available today come in a variety of colors.
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