Your furniture should have a stunning appearance and a tough finish that will shield it from water and other natural factors. In that case, you can use beeswax that has been used since long ago until today.
Clean the residue before adding beeswax to the wood
The surface needs to be cleaned of debris or old paint traces. Most of the time, using a hot air blower to remove the old paint from the wood is a practical method.
Remove all paint, wax residues, varnish, polishes, and extra oil before applying the beeswax to ensure the surface is ready.
You’re going to be as thorough as you can. Use a heat gun, paint stripper, or a spatula, if necessary. It is advisable to use water for the additional cleaning, along with a cleaner made especially for wood.
Other cleaning agents or soaps may damage the wood or interfere negatively with the waxing procedure. Allow the piece or the wood surface to dry thoroughly after cleaning.
Sand the surface before applying the beeswax
Use sandpaper to prepare the wood surface so the wax will adhere to it more rapidly. It is important to sand the surface uniformly and carefully because a microscopic layer remains.
The worst thing is that this layer, which inhibits beeswax from penetrating the wood’s grain, is invisible to the human eye.
You may use 180 grit sandpaper on your final step to ensure the absorbent of wood. Let’s say the wood has beautiful grooves and filigree. Using a knife specifically for carving, carefully bend the area out.
Use the triangular scraper to remove leftover paint from the inner corners and other difficult places. This tool can still be used for unusual pieces of wood because it comes in various forms and angles.
Preparing the beeswax before applying it
You prepare 100 gr of beeswax, 400 ml of turpentine, less turpentine is used if the pores are completely open, and 50 gr of carnauba wax.
At room temperature, beeswax may be treated more effectively. Making it too heated will prevent it from being applied uniformly everywhere. The wood would rapidly absorb the entire beeswax pile where the warm wax rises.
The wax must be heated to become liquid because it is solid in its pure form. For this, the beeswax is placed in a water bath for roughly 15 minutes at 100 degrees, depending on the quantity.
Without allowing it to cool, combine it with the turpentine and then stir until the mixture is uniformly blended. We shall now wait until it cools before applying.
Use beeswax to coat wood
After using a cleaner containing water, the wood must completely dry before waxing. Apply a thick layer of wax if you can using soiled cotton rags.
To accomplish this, use a cotton swab to sparingly dab the wax. Beeswax should be applied sparingly and in tiny, circular motions on the wood.
Use a soft cloth to uniformly spread the beeswax on the wood. Be careful not to use too much or too little wax. The leftovers can then be cleaned up with a rag or a rougher cloth.
Apply the paste wax evenly, working from one side to the other, ensuring no space for it to dry completely between layers. Then, repeat the procedure with the second coat of beeswax.
Allow the beeswax to cure for 25-60 minutes. Be aware that the drying process may take a bit longer depending on the weather and environment you live.
Because of this, you can test its dryness by contacting the surface with the tip of your finger; it should not be sticky.
Additionally, the dried wax needs some time to absorb. The rate of wax absorption varies depending on how efficiently the pores of the wood surface were opened during the preparation.
Wait between 30 minutes and an hour. Then the beeswax has been sufficiently absorbed.
Add more coats of beeswax to the wood
After the initial drying process, you can begin waxing again because raw wood typically requires more than one coat.
Another round might be required. When using solid waxes, it is rarely necessary to wax the wood furniture again. You might need to reapply wax after polishing if you use liquid wax.
Absorption capacity is also important before adding more coats to the surface. The old furniture is no longer very great for absorbing stain or wax.
However, you must apply at least two coats of beeswax if you build furniture or a toy from raw wood.
Does Beeswax Make Wood Waterproof?
Beeswax can waterproof the wood, but it will eventually lose its effectiveness. To improve the coat on your wood, you must reapply the coating after an approximated period.
Generally speaking, you can rely on this solution to protect your hardwood materials from spills that could lead to yeast growth and fungi because it is effective at permeating the wood grains.
Wax is just one of the materials that people often apply to seal the wood. It is good to seal from water but only temporarily.
Benefits of Using a Beeswax Finish on Wood
Forget chemical substances that are poisonous or detrimental to the environment. This is a typical finish used on handcrafted wooden toys for kids.
The fact that beeswax is quick and simple to apply to furniture and that no special equipment is required makes it a wonderful advantage. In addition to being cheap, the tools needed for this wax cannot be any cheaper.
Although it certainly cannot provide the same levels of protection as other treatments, it nonetheless nurtures and protects the surface. You can adjust the gloss level depending on the quantity of layers and polish strength.
Problems with Beeswax Finish on Wood
The dust gathers easily after some time, and a new coat must be applied again immediately. This problem is the reason why you must put extra effort into maintenance.
Beeswax spends more expense to maintain at the top level.
It can protect the wood from water and exposure without direct contact. However, the wax is vulnerable because you may see a scratch or dent. It usually happens when you apply the wax on many people’s furniture.
