Beeswax-based finishes offer a low, warm luster that has been a popular choice for centuries in Europe and North America. Such finishes are resistant to water spills and are reasonably resilient. They can also be low maintenance – leaving a dry, clean film that doesn’t show off dust.
Materials for Making a Beeswax Finish
Linseed, boiled linseed, or Tung oils are often combined with the beeswax to offer a harder, more penetrating finish. Upon drying, the combination produces a tough and water resistant seal. While linseed is the traditional choice, it has a fairly long drying time. Boiled linseed oil has drying agents added to speed the process. Natural Tung oil dries reasonably fast on its own. It will also remain a slight golden color whereas pure linseed oil may darken over time. Turpentine and finishing oils can be found at hardware and home improvement stores. Beeswax can often be found in small bars or cakes at health food stores and at some hardware stores.
Preparing a Beeswax Finish
- Bring 1 pint of linseed oil to just boiling in a regular sauce pan and set aside to cool. Do not allow the oil to burn, or it will darken the finish.
- Melt 1 pound of beeswax slowly in a double boiler and remove from heat. Never heat beeswax in a standard pan, since it can easily ignite when exposed to direct heat.
- Add the linseed oil to the melted beeswax and stir in 1 pint of turpentine.
An alternative to the double boiler method to heat the wax is to shave thin strips of wax into a sturdy glass jar filled with two parts turpentine. The turpentine should disolve the wax into a petroluem jelly-like consistency. Add 1 part Tung, linseed or boiled linseed oil and mix thoroughly.
Applying the Finish
- Apply a light layer of finish a dab at a time with a soft cotton cloth. It is best to apply the finish when warm, so reheat the mixture before use.
- Wipe off the excess with a cloth and let it dry thoroughly before applying another coat, if necessary.
- Once dry, reapply if necessary.
- When finished, buff the surface with a cloth.
Maintaining a Beeswax Finish
A simple polish to feed the finish can be made with one part beeswax to two parts turpentine. The resulting paste should be similar in consistency to soft shoe polish or petroleum jelly.
Like an oiled surface, a beeswax finish it is never truly complete. Forturnately, reapplying the wax finish periodically deepens the patina over time.
 |
