Best Wood Waxes And Wood Polishes Reviewed

Looking for the best furniture wax? Or genuine reviews of waxes, polishes and products to take care of your furniture? The Furniture Connoisseur should be your first stop. We aim to put together as much information as possible to help you take care of your new and old furniture, whether its leather, wood, antiques or cloth. Read this if you are looking for a wood finish. If it is floor wax, then read this….or something like this:

THE BEST OF THE BEST WAXES

Below we have identified some clear favorites by the nature of the jobs.

• Best Wax for Chalk Paint Furniture
• Best Wax for Antiques
• Best Clear Paste Waxes

BEST FINISHING WAX FOR CHALK PAINT FURNITURE

Minwax 78500 Regular Finishing Wax has over 170 positive reviews, and as a paste finishing wax is pretty well received by most reviewers. However what makes it stand out for waxing chalk painted furniture is one review left by a shabby chic painter. The reviewer used a Tiffany blue chalk paint on which she applied Minwax dark finishing wax. She said that the there was a subtle darkening of the colour of the side table that she used the wax on, and after a day or so, the table looked a very natural finished feel without getting too shiny that other finishing waxes do. She highly recommends this wax for amateur furniture chalk painters, and really recommends the natural smoothing effect that the wax has.

BEST FURNITURE WAX FOR ANTIQUES

You know when a product is developed for one of the world’s biggest curators of antiques, it must be a great product. The micro-crystalline infused Renaissance was actually the go to wax for the British Museum, having been developed specially for them. The wax is supposed to avoid discoloration due to age as well as be a stain free wax.

The two benefits promoted by the developer include being acid neutral and resistant to alcohol and water. Don’t think that Renaissance Wax is used by only the British Museum, apparently antique collections worldwide consider this wax as one of the best waxes to have in their cleaning cupboards.

BEST CLEAR PASTE WAXES FOR WOOD FURNITURE

If you don´t want to alter the color of your wooden furniture, you should probably aim for a clear paste wax. Clear waxes are great for starters and amateurs, and particularly great for shades of color you cant find, specially for your painted furniture, where you may not really want to applied a colored wax.

Minwax Regular Finishing Wax
See Reviews Here

Clear Briwax Original Formula
See Reviews Here

THE BEST WOOD FURNITURE POLISH

See best price on Amazon

With over 1300 reviews and an average rating of 4.7 out of 5, the best wood polish seen as a best seller is the Feed-N-Wax wood polish and conditioner by Howards. You can see the before and after photos of a cabinet that was polished with Howards:

HOWARDS FEED AND WAX WOOD POLISH REVIEW

One Reviewer summarizes Howards Feed N Wax:

1. The oil in this best selling wood furniture polish really soaks in and looks to revitalize the wood and restores the lustre.
2. The dual effect of the polish and conditioning are almost immediately visible.
3. The almond scent is pleasant to most people (though you should use it in a well ventilated area at all times.
4. The polish is fairly easy to use and works well with most cloth, but paper towels would do

Warnings: Howards FeedNWax does contain petroleum distillate and as such is combustible so should be stored safely and kept away from flames. Try and avoid long contact with your skin, and definitely keep away from children.

WAX, POLISH, OIL: WHICH IS THE BEST PRODUCT?

Taking into account every one of the oils, sprays, waxes, and furniture polishes available in today’s market, it’s no big surprise this is the most made inquiry by a long shot. My reply is dependably the same;

“is a shine all you need or do you need protection too”?

Cheap Oils and spray-on polish, “time savers”, provide a snappy short-term sparkle within a few minutes, but that’ where it stops. The cause of the “sparkle” is on the grounds that they are WET. This “wet appearance” might create a decent sparkle however offers practically no protection. These items got to be prominent in the late 1940s and have grown in reputation from that point forward. If you are going to use oil, then use professional wood finishing oil. Preferred choices are Tung Oil and Teak Oil.

Television commercials demonstrating a house wife making use of product X on a dull counter top, trailed by her grinning wonderful face in the reflection gave evidence of the easy sparkle their item would create. All things considered, that was only a decent advertising ploy to increase sales of their product. Stick to professional furniture polishes and furniture waxes, make sure you know what you want to use the product for and rely on honest reviews that have real customer stories.

IS WAX THE PERFECT PROTECTION FOR WOOD FURNITURE?

The answer from Furniture makers, a restoration professional and a preservation specialist and several woodworkers, is by all accounts “yes.”

According to Ron Ashby, an expert carpenter, refinisher, instructor and proprietor of Wood Finish Supply in Mendocino, California:“Wax is the wear and tear, abrasion layer of fine wood furniture,”

He also adds that, shallow scratches, marks and dings ought to happen to the wax layer and not to the finish coat you expended energy on.Wallace Gusler, director of conservation at Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg, supervises the safeguarding of original colonial furniture. He says their essential worry with pieces that possess an intact, unique finish is preservation. For that they make use of wax. What’s more, Gusler trusts, all wood furniture, and not simply notable pieces, merits wax protection. According to him most individuals gather furniture to some degree, yet their collection is solely their family unit furniture.

THE TRUTH ABOUT CHEAP CLEANERS

Who today, would not have any desire to spare a great deal of time and great old fashioned elbow oil?

What they kept from you was that the petroleum distillates and silicone oils in their product would in fact harm your furniture finish after some time. During the late 60s and mid 70s refinishing businesses profited from refinishing lots of furniture tops when their finish dissolved and transformed into a clammy, mushy wreck.

These items are greatly enhanced today and can be ideal for the infrequent fast shine just before a visitor arrives, however constant use can cause a mushy mess and yet no genuine protection. It is anything but difficult to discern whether a client has been utilizing these sorts of furniture polishes.

You can use a finger to draw twirl marks in the wet oil, or look under a fabric place mat from the table top to uncover a dull area the same size as the place mat (the mat absorbed the oil). Since the surface is wet, it will really draw in and accumulate more filth and contamination from the atmosphere.

UNDERSTANDING THE FINISH

Let’s briefly consider exactly what a finish is intended to achieve. As a matter of first importance it’s to seal the wood.

By sealing the wood, it shields it from changes in dampness, surface scrapes, stains and spills. Second, it is utilized to improve the magnificence of the wood grain. Have you by chance heard somebody tell how their item “feeds” the wood? Except your furniture isn’t finished, or has a weakened finish, there is truly no chance any wax, oil or finish is going to get past the finish to the wood. See our guide to wood finishes here.Another popular fallacy is that wood furniture is “alive” and has to “breathe,” so you shouldn’t use wax to seal the pores. Wood furniture isn’t “alive” it can’t “breathe” nor does it require “feeding” with oily finishes. Simply the reverse is the case!

Frequent alterations in humidity, not the absence of “food”, results in the cracking, twisting, shrinkage, swelling and slack paste joints of un-sealed wood.

SOME FURNITURE CARE PRODUCTS TRAP DUST!

Regardless of the huge number of furniture care items that guarantee to “feed” or “shine” your elegant furniture, top notch furniture wax is the most ideal option. These various care items in the market attract filth and dust with the residue they deposit. Avoid the rest if you can.

THE MYTH OF LEMON OIL

What of lemon oil, also a well known wood-care item? The estimation of oil to wood is a fairy-tale. Obviously, oil provides a short-term sparkle to a wood finish, yet it’s of no benefit real benefit as a furniture polish.

Actually, commercial lemon oil is not related to lemons in any way. It’s basically kerosene, and can destroy a finish.

Also, there are certain silicone-based vaporized spray furniture polishes and cleaners. They may pose no danger to the current finish; however they will pose serious issues in future when you start to consider refinishing.Silicone-based products are fast, simple and cheap however they don’t protect finishes. Additionally, silicone makes it hard to refinish in light of the fact that, even in the wake of stripping, another finish won’t stick properly.

AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF WAX?

Shouldn’t something be said about the scandalous “Wax Buildup” that certain company adverts say their items are free from?According to Roy Frizell, Supervisor of Quality Control, Ethan Allen, Inc., Danbury, Connecticut, he prescribes wax just in little measurements. He advises his clients to clean surfaces with a moist fabric, then perhaps at regular 6-month intervals use wax.

Also, a vast majority of individuals tend to be ardent and over-polish their furniture.

Ashby finds it funny that a few companies’ products will claim to be free from wax buildup. He says by avoiding wax buildup you are offering your furniture no protection at all. When it builds up however, it builds up clear.When applied in moderation, wax should never cause a buildup problem.

That is on the grounds that all the wax you rub on doesn’t stay there. They get buffed, worn off, or sometimes they even oxidize.

There are special products developed solely for the removal of old wax. Be that as it may, if the furniture is very grimy, as well, you ought to utilize a wax-removing and wood cleaning product, for example, Behlen Wood Cleaner and Wax Remover.

POLISH ON PROTECTION

Wax can be rubbed over any finish-penetrating varnish, oils, veneer, or polyurethane. Be that as it may, only purchase a first-rate, cabinetmaker’s wax, and one which is solely made for wood furniture, at carpentry stores or via mail order inventories. Some eminent brands are: Renaissance Wax, Goddard’s, Antiquax, Black Bison and Butcher’s Wax.

These kinds of products are generally manufactured from quite a few wax materials – beeswax, carnauba, vegetable and synthetics. The prices range from $12 to $15 for a one-pound container of high quality cabinetmaker’s paste wax.

Also, don’t mistake floor wax for furniture wax. In addition, Floor wax won’t adhere on furniture since it’s really milder than furniture wax which comes as liquid or paste. By and large, less strong structures apply easily yet possess less wax. (see our Guide to Best Floor Scrubbers here)

On the other hand, liquid wax has certain uses in the home, for deeply etched or carved wood surfaces and chair legs; you are advised to use liquid wax. Additionally, it functions as the underlying wax coat on cupboards, in form of a sealer.

Using paste wax isn’t quite easy, and the strategy doesn’t vary for new finished furniture or more seasoned furniture. Although before waxing any furniture, the surface should be spotless and free of grease and oil. See our tips on applying paste wax here.

While applying wax, you can commit just two errors:

• You can use an excess amount,
• You can attempt to buff it out too early.

Using excess wax won’t dry uniformly, causing a pockmarked gloss. What’s more, in the event that you buff wax before it dries completely, you simply reallocate the wax.

COMMON FURNITURE WAXING QUESTIONS

Below are the most commonly made inquiries and solutions with respect to the utilization of wax.

1Is it necessary to apply wax using a steel wool? Ashby suggests an oil-free, wood finisher’s 0000 steel wool to prevent spots and streaks. A fabric will work, in spite of the fact that it requires more energy. (see our guide on steel wool for wood finishing)

2Does the wax have to be spread a certain way? No, be that as it may, on expansive surfaces, for example, a table-top, I prefer a roundabout movement, then straighten it out with the grain.

3How would you know if you’ve applied the appropriate measurement of wax? If ridges appear on the surface, then you’ve used excessively.

4Is one coat enough? On a stripped furniture or unfinished surface, apply three light, consecutive coats in 4- to 8-hour intervals.

5What do you require for buffing? Buff the dry wax using an old T-shirt, a cotton diaper or a terry fabric. The higher the shine you need, the softer the fabric you should use for buffing. Also, buffing with the grain or cross-grain doesn’t make any difference.

MAINTAINING FURNITURE WAX FINISHES

Subsequent to the underlying three coats, it is recommended you reapply wax based on the rate of “wear and tear” your furniture gets. It might be necessary to wax the chair arms on a weekly basis, and the legs and stretchers once every year.

TOP FURNITURE WAXING TIPS

To keep up a wax coat on your furniture, adopt the following tips:

• Clean week after week using a soft, dry, cotton fabric.
• Don’t apply oils and polishes over your coats of protective wax.
• Clean up spills as quickly as time permits to avert spotting.
• Place glasses or vases on coasters, and hot objects on cushions or trivets.
• Reapply a layer of wax when buffing doesn’t give you the required sparkle.

Today on the West Coast, to custom refinish a dining table-top cost within the range of $650 and $1,000. In the event that you have recently finished one yourself, that is the amount it’s worth. Wax can conserve that costly finish.

FLOORS AND WAX

It is quite common for people to try and use furniture wax for floors. That really isn’t a great idea. Floor care is an art in itself.

Make sure you use the right wax for your floor, but more importantly, if you are going to use a buffing machine or a floor scrubber, make sure that they are used in the right way with the right supporting products. This is true of any type of floor. (see our guide on buffering hardwood floors or our guide on waxing tile floors for examples of correct methodology)

The key to remember, is use the best possible tools at your disposable and within your budgets, whether its a feather duster or a hardwood vacuum!