Paste wax

Overview

Paste wax is wax, usually beeswax, carnauba or a blend, dissolved in a solvent so it can be rubbed on as a paste and buffed to a soft glow. It is a surface layer, not a sealer: it protects lightly against dryness and fingerprints and makes wood feel smooth. Woodworkers use it as the final step over oil (the USDA Wood Handbook suggests two or more coats of oil followed by paste wax), over shellac, or as a plain finish on interior pieces. Briwax says its Original is a blend of beeswax and carnauba; Liberon calls its Black Bison paste highly lustrous and hard-wearing.

Pros

• Easy, forgiving, and gives a silky, hand-rubbed feel.
• Can go over bare wood or over most existing finishes (Briwax says "virtually any existing finish"; test first).
• Tinted versions hide scratches and blend repairs (Liberon says it covers marks and scratches).
• Simple to renew: wipe and re-wax.
• On floors, the Wood Handbook says paste wax generally gives a better appearance and lasts longer than liquid wax.

Cons

• Very little protection from water, heat or alcohol; Liberon says its paste waxes are not suitable for humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms and should not be washed with water.
• Leaves rings from damp glasses; fingermarks show.
• Wax on a surface complicates later refinishing; Liberon says to remove old waxes with its Wax and Polish Remover before new finishing.
• Solvent-based tins are flammable; some contain toluene (the Briwax Original page carries a toluene Prop 65 warning).
• Can build up and look cloudy if over-applied.

Suitability

Good on White oak, Black walnut, European walnut, Black cherry and Hard maple as a top layer on shelves, frames, cabinet interiors and furniture that sees light use. Poor choice for kitchen worktops, bathrooms, dining tables or outdoor items. It works as a bare-wood finish on open-grained woods like European ash but gives little protection there.

Coats and application

Prepare to bare wood, or have an oil or shellac coat fully cured (Boiled and raw linseed oil, Shellac). Liberon's steps: remove old wax and dirt, ensure the surface is clean, dry and dust-free, apply a thin coat with a soft lint-free cloth (use 0000 steel wool for deeper penetration or on pine and oak), allow about 20 minutes (Black Bison) or an hour (its beeswax), then buff with a clean cloth. New or very dry wood may take two or more coats. Do not load the cloth. Schedule: one thin coat, wait 20 to 60 minutes, buff, repeat the next day, and re-wax when the surface looks dull. See Wipe-on application.

Compatibility

Wax goes over cured oil, shellac (Dewaxed shellac) and varnish. Do not apply a film finish over a wax, and expect to remove old wax before refinishing, as Liberon advises. Apply wax last. Many wax finishes are used under or after Oil and wax blends products. Steel wool 0000 can burnish between coats.

Care and repair

Dust, then re-wax every few months on used surfaces. Do not wash with water. To refinish, strip the old wax with a solvent or a wax remover. Rings or scuffs can often be rubbed out with 0000 steel wool and a little wax.

Safety and environment

Most paste waxes are solvent-based and flammable; use in a ventilated place away from ignition. The oily-rag combustion hazard applies chiefly to drying oils, but wax cloths used with oil or solvent should be treated with care; see Oily rag safety. Check the SDS for your product; the Briwax page notes a Prop 65 toluene warning for Original and offers a toluene-free line. Liberon advises not to pour residue down drains.

Wax is not a food-contact finish by default. Beeswax and carnauba are listed as generally recognized as safe food additives in 21 CFR 184.1973 and 184.1978, but those entries concern the waxes as food additives, not the solvent-borne polish in a tin. See Beeswax and carnauba and Food-safe finishes before using a wax on a board or bowl.

Related

• Beeswax and carnauba: the ingredient waxes.
• Oil and wax blends: oil and wax together.
• Shellac: common base under wax.
• Rubbing out a finish: for a smoother base before waxing.
• Furniture polish and finish revivers: maintenance products.