Chair Re-do: Waxing

Once the chairs were painted, it was time to get artistic and wax them.  The wax coating not only seals in the paint and provides a professional finish, but it also allows you to alter the color and truly give your furniture that personal, hand painted touch.

I'm thrilled to share my first Furniture making VIDEO with you today!  Understanding the concept of waxing can be difficult from photos only, so I made a short video to aid in explaining the process.  Below the video, please note my step by steps instructions with the photos.

If you want some tips from real pros, I would also watch Shaunna's Waxing Tutorial from Perfectly Imperfect and Miss Mustard's Waxing Video.  These ladies are awesome!  I watched these videos multiple times before my first attempt.

Step 1: Lightly sand your piece so that the surface is smooth and remove any excess dust with a damp cloth

Step 2: Apply a thin coat of clear wax followed immediately by dark wax.

Note: if you wish to use clear wax only, the process is faster.  More details on clear wax coating coming soon with the re-do of a table.

Step 3: Go back over the area with clear wax to lighten and help smooth out any globs or rough patches left by the dark wax

Step 4: After the wax dries for 24 hours, use steel wool to gently buff each area, leaving a smooth and professional finish!  Use this opportunity to make the final color as light or as dark as you wish.

Here are some tips I found helpful along the way:

*I have a separate wax brush for clear wax and dark wax so that I can switch between the two quickly
*Wax a small area at a time.  The initial layer or clear should still be tacky when you apply the dark
*Have a rag nearby to wipe away any large globs of wax that get left behind
*If you accidentally get too much dark wax, don't panic!  Quickly apply some clear and buff the area with a cloth!
*Take good care of your brushes!  I found that vegetable oil actually cleans my wax brushes better than soap and water.

Kern made a "Brush Dryer" for me by manipulating an old coat hanger so I could loop the brushes through and let them hang dry outside.