Posted by Frenchic Admin
Wax is suitable for furniture used indoors. It is not suitable for outdoor use, damp areas, or surfaces that are often wiped with cleaning products, such as kitchen tables or countertops. For high-wear surfaces, choose a durable finish instead of or alongside wax, using Finishing Coat or wax-based chalk paint.
Where is wax suitable and where isn’t it?
Wax is a beautiful, natural finish, but it isn’t the right solution for every project. Understanding its strengths and limitations helps you avoid disappointment and achieve a long-lasting finish.
What Frenchic wax is ideal for
Wax gives a beautiful finish to decorative wood carvings on furniture, frames, and moldings. White wax can also lighten yellowed ceiling and wall panels.
- Bare, sanded wood surfaces
- Finishing unfinished wooden crafts or toys
- Protecting and tinting sanded areas
- Painted and unpainted furniture in general, excluding various countertops
- Caring for the wooden surfaces of antique furniture
Where wax is not suitable
Wax does not withstand constant moisture, strong cleaning products, or frequent wiping. That’s why it is not recommended for:
- outdoors
- damp areas, such as saunas
- kitchen counters and kitchen tables
- surfaces that are often cleaned with detergents or alcohol
Wax is always the final topcoat over the paint layers. As it wears with use, it needs maintenance and regular reapplication. Choose your technique and finish based on the wear the surface will be exposed to.
Example: kitchen table top
If you wax the top of a kitchen table painted with chalk paint, the wax will gradually wear off in areas that are frequently wiped. For example, the places where children sit wear fastest and are often wiped with cleaning products, too.
Once the wax has worn off the paint, grease and liquids soak into the chalk paint surface, and the stains can no longer be removed.
A kitchen table is one of the hardest-used pieces of furniture in the home. Wax dissolves in cleaning products and alcohol, so it’s not the best choice unless you’re prepared to:
- apply more wax regularly
- clean surfaces only with mild products
When wax can work on table surfaces
A bare wood surface treated with wax is a possible option for a tabletop. In this case, the wax penetrates the wood and protects the surface more deeply.
However, remember:
- clean only with mild detergents
- rewax the surface regularly
- protect the surface from hot dishes and cups by using coasters
A better option for heavy wear
Instead of wax, countertops and tabletops are best treated with a matte Tuff Top Coat finish. It withstands wiping and wear and does not wear away with use like wax. However, if you like the soft finish that wax gives, first treat the surface with Finishing Coat and then apply wax - this way, the Finishing Coat protects the painted surface. Keep in mind, though, that wax will wear away with use.
Choose a surface treatment based on wear
For furniture and surfaces subject to heavy use, the best choice is wax-containing chalk paint, which already contains wax.
Lazy Range wax-containing chalk paint:
- does not let dirt through once dry
- can be washed and wiped down
- withstands mild detergents
- forms a durable surface without the need for separate waxing
- you can wax the surface if you want to add patina
- You can repaint over Lazy Range wax-containing paint without any problems
Wax-containing chalk paint and wax
Yes, you can and should use furniture waxes with wax-containing chalk paint, too. Not as protection, but to create an interesting and beautiful surface.
You can learn more here about Frenchic's wax-containing paints in the Lazy Range, and about Frenchic waxes here.
Checklist
- Wax is an excellent finish for indoor furniture and for treating bare wood surfaces.
- It is not suitable for heavy wear, moisture, or frequent cleaning.
- Always choose a surface treatment based on how it will be used. This saves time and avoids unnecessary repairs.
- You can also wax the surface of paint that contains wax
