using WAX, page 2 of 2
paste waxes
Now that we have talked about wax and how to use it, and either purchased a commercial wax or blended our own wax into a useable paste, we need to put it on the wood.
the 3-Secrets to using wax
These three (3) rules for using wax are important, and they are repeated again here, just in case you missed them on the previous page.
Wax in any form is easier to apply, looks better, and lasts longer if we remember three simple rules.
1 - Thin is better.
And, the thinner the better. If it looks and feels like wax, it is too thick.
Most of us use way more wax than we should.
2 - Heat is good.
Heat allows us to use a harder and purer wax than we otherwise could. Heat also allows us to get a better coverage of the entire wood surface, even down into the pores and fissures in the surface..
3 - Beating is Good.
Wax loves to be abused with a brush. The brushing compacts the wax on the surface, and the compacted wax has a higher gloss and lasts longer than wax the is left alone. A stiff brush also removes any excess wax on the surface and cleans wax deposits out of the grain and fissures in the surface.
Wiping with a cloth is not good because we tend to just smear the excess wax around rather than remove it down to a thin layer, and there is no compaction of the wax on the surface.
application of a Paste Wax
as a finish
Paste waxes are easy to apply. Everyone knows the steps - Wipe it on. let it dry, wipe it off.
WRONG. Just wiping the wax onto the surface of wood is not the way to do it, and may be the reason why so many wax finishes don't last very long. The wax has to be RUBBED INTO THE WOOD.
We may get away with just a quick wipe-on/wipe-off application on top of another finish, but here too the wax will last longer and look better if it is rubbed INTO the finish under it.
Cheese-Cloth works best
Cheese-cloth is the best applicator for most paste waxes, and that is what is used for this article. Some say to wrap the cheese-cloth around a ball of wax for application on large furniture surfaces, but that isn't necessary here.
If you want to use a cotton cloth to apply the wax, make sure it is lint-free. The white cotton rags that are sold by the pound at paint and big-box stores are good quality
Don't use old socks and terry-towels because there will always be lint that can lodge in wood grain. Don't use a paper towel because the paper will come apart with the rubbing and leave cellulose fibers in the wood grain of anything less than a perfectly smooth surface.
These steps are the same for ALL paste waxes, home-brew or commercial. The only difference is in the waiting time between the application and the buffing. Other than that, all paste waxes are the same. Trewax is shown here.
The wax being used here is Trewax. All other paste waxes, homebrew or commercial, are applied the same way.
You are done
You won't find any finish that is faster or looks better than that. The price for that speed is that it will have to be done again in a year, and year after year to keep that nice shiny surface.
Buff........
the wood surface vigorously with the same stiff bristle brush, just as you would be polishing a pair of shoes.
This removes the excess wax, and compacts the remaining wax on the surface.
Compaction makes the wax finish last longer.
Problems?
The only thing that can go wrong is that there is too much wax on the surface. It will feel sticky when that happens, and in may still be sticky the next day. In the worst case, there will be ridges of wax visible on the surface. Remember that too much wax will not be as durable as a thin coat of wax.
To repair a wax finish, or to clean up the surface when there is too much wax, dampen a clean piece of cotton cloth with Turpentine and rub. The wax will quickly level out. Let the Turpentine evapoirate and then buff again when the surface is dry.
Durability (How long will it last)
Always remember that long term durability is not one of the things that can be claimed for a wax finish. Any wax finish or coating should be renewed every year, and beeswax will get better with age if it is renewed every 6-months. This is normal for a wax finish. Renew the wax on the surface by repeating the 3 steps described above. There is no need to remove the old wax because the new will take care of that.
Wax is a unique wood finish - the surface will get better and better with every repeated waxing. There is no other finish that will do that.
Apply Wax
Apply the wax with a piece of folded cheese-cloth.
Refold the cloth to a clean spot, and rub the surface until all traces of wax have been removed.
This will be a lot more rubbing than most will have ever done when applying a wax.
for buffing, and how to use the Bealle Buffing System
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This page was last updated: December 10, 2011
Give the solvents in the wax a chance to evaporate. This will be about 10 minutes for our home-brew waxes with Turpentine. Use the recommended time on the can for commercial waxes.
Prepare the Surface
Sand the wood to 400 or 600 grit.
Brush vigorously across the surface of the wood with a stiff natural bristle brush.
A TEXT version follows
A Note on brushes.
Natural bristles are best because the don't cut aand scratch the surface like nylon bristles. I use a scrub brush or a horse grooming brush.
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