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Waxing Furniture Tips

Waxing & Removing Wax Build Up

The Secret to Effortless Paste Waxing

Using a colored furniture wax my son Scott & I were recently paste waxing some built in pine bookcases that covered a 30ft. wall, floor to ceiling, and included two antique pine doors. One of the things we discovered about paste waxing is that more times than not we apply too much wax. I believe that's a problem that occurs for most people. Too much wax in the application means alot of hard work buffing to get rid of the excess.

To start, we used our American Custom Paste Wax (Light Oak). It was just enough color to hide scratches on the bookcases and color in some of the dog claw marks on the doors. We also brought and used our Chinese Bristle Furniture Cleaning Brush to apply the paste wax in the corners, joints and on moldings. We did that first after removing all shelves. We also brought along several sleeves of 0000 Steel Wool Pads to apply the wax, and to also buff off excess wax.

And herein lies the secret to effortless paste waxing (Ha, Ha.). #0000 Steel Wool.

Always apply paste wax in the direction the wood grain is running. Using a 4-0 Steel Wool Pad unraveled and folded in half or quartered, rub the wax on until it seems to disappear, leaving no color streaks, that way you'll know you don't have too much wax on.

After 5-10 min. buff off with a fresh unraveled 4-0 pad, again folded in half or quartered. This will remove excess wax and begin to bring up a shine. (The reason we unravel and fold the Steel Wool Pad is to be able to open the pad up and present a new face when the Wool gets clogged). Once the 4-0 pad began to glide across the wood we did our final buff with our famous Cheesecloth Wipes to bring up a beautiful shine.

The pine doors were a little different story. Some of the dog scratches left the wood raw and the Light Oak Paste Wax didn't hold the color. So we used the American Paste Wax in Dark Oak and that worked great.

Floyd

Why Use Furniture Paste Wax?

Furniture Paste Wax is used as a furniture polish, wood finish, and finish protector. Paste Wax moisturizes and patinates the wood. It can be applied to bare wood or over a wood finish. Furniture Paste Wax gives a beautiful velvet-like appearance and accentuates the natural patina of the wood.

A Paste Wax finish is ideal for country style furniture such as oak or pine, where the timber needs moisturizing. Paste Wax can be used over French polish, varnish, lacquer and oil finishes to create an extra barrier against damage from water, heat, and alcohol. Wax finishes are the easiest to repair by simply rewaxing the affected area.

How To Apply Paste Wax

Try selecting a tinted Paste Wax of the same color, or even slightly darker than the piece of furniture you're working on. When clear Paste Wax is applied over darker woods it typically stands out in cracks and carvings after it dries.

A Paste Wax application should be even, and in the same direction as the wood grain, no circles. For antiquing, press into and fill cracks, crevices, nicks, and worm holes. For carvings and deep moldings, a bristle brush works best.

On table tops, apply Paste Wax with the grain and then even off by wiping from end to end. Try to avoid leaving any stop and go marks. These will add to exhaustive buffing when the wax has dried.

Let the Paste Wax dry for as long as possible. Although drying time can take as little as 10-20 minutes and will buff out perfectly, a couple of hours, or overnight is best if time permits. With Paste Wax apply it to the entire piece or set, before going back to buff.

Buffing Furniture Past Wax Tips

Buff Paste Wax in the same direction as the wood grain, no circles. Finish off by buffing from end to end to avoid stop and go marks.

If buffing becomes too tiresome, use Liberon #0000 steel wool. This will help to remove the excess wax and cut down on the amount of drag. Finish off by buffing with a soft cloth.

Buff until desired sheen is achieved. If the sheen is too high, lightly wipe from end to end with Liberon #0000 steel wool to dull out.

How To Remove Furniture Wax

When using either Rosini's Red 1 or the Liberon Wax and Polish Remover, apply with a Cheesecloth Wipe or Liberon #0000 Steel Wool. Try to avoid allowing the product to drip or run along edges or other surfaces. If this happens simply wipe dry as it happens, or clean this area as well.

Use either of the effective methods below to remove old wax, grime and wax or polish build up.

  • Rosini's Red 1 Biodegradable Cleaner
  • Easy to use
  • Virtually odor free
  • Concentrated
  • Multi purpose wood cleaner

Rosini's Red 1 is the most effective product for removing furniture wax. It may be used straight from the bottle or diluted with hot water. Apply with the wood grain using a soft cotton cloth or Liberon #0000 Steel Wool. Allow to stand for a few minutes to loosen grime and old wax build up. Wipe clean with soft cotton cloth.

Liberon Wax & Polish Remover

Easy and convenient for in home use. Apply with a pad of Liberon #0000 Steel Wool and gently wash the surface going with the grain where possible. Allow a few minutes for the product to work, then while the suface is still wet, use a soft lint free cotton cloth to wipe off all the old softened wax. Repeat this process until all the old wax is removed. Allow 24 hours for the treated surface to dry completely before re-finishing.

Questions?

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Eric Melvin

910-876-7691

eric@kingdomrestorations.com

Kingdom Restorations 
19362 NC Highway 87 W
Tar Heel, NC 28392

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