Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Wax Tips

Hi!  I'm back, again, with a couple of wax tips for you.  Do you remember the drum table I was working on awhile back, trying to decide on the wax technique I liked best (shown below), the left or right photo?  It was painted with Annie Sloan's Provençe then coated with clear and dark wax.
 

Well, do ya'know that once the wax is dried, it can't be moved around, right?  I thought maybe I had ruined my chances of making this look like one cohesive piece.  Brainiac that I am, I didn't even think about not being able to adjust the wax.

Tip 1
Enter--ta da--mineral spirits!  Mineral spirits will remove any unwanted wax and let you start anew.
 Image from Lowes.com


Here is the fully-finished table, all coordinating and everything.  Phew, I'm so glad the mineral spirits worked its magic!  I was able to remove any unwanted wax and redo it.

Tip 2
Use brushes when applying wax.  Previously, I had used a rag.


The last time I visited Robyn Story Designs, she was having a brush special--buy one, get one free.  Those are the brushes on the left.  The are a bit on the small side (maybe 1" in diameter), but when I purchased them, I had a small project in mind anyway (which you'll see in the future).  When you buy your brushes, get two, one each for the clear and dark wax.


But, wait?  Why brushes?  Once again, I had to learn the hard way.  There were two things I noticed with waxing:  1) My clear wax was getting used too quickly, gah, no good!, and 2) The project remained a bit sticky after buffing.  Which project?  My gorgeous dresser.  Remember this beauty?


The stickiness isn't too bad, really, and this doesn't get used a lot (although the Strapping Lad is moving home for the summer!).  Now, if I wanted/needed to correct the stickiness, I could employ Tip 1 above.

I hope this helps!  Happy waxing!  (Ouch, maybe I should rephrase that.)


 
 P.S. This new blogger editing format is killin' me--don't love it!  Can someone tell me an easy way to view all of my posts w/o going to my main Dashboard???

10 comments:

  1. I have been away a while. The table is so beautifully done!
    You can also use Goo Gone to work the wax, or a hair dryer to melt it and work it that way, without having to remove it.

    xo
    Andie

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  2. Hi Kim- I discovered the use of mineral spirits when I painted my desk a couple of months ago. It worked wonders! It was a suggestion from my stockist to use it WITH the dark wax application. I used it AFTER I used the dark wax. You can see my post HERE.
    I like the end result of your "spiriting"!
    I do not use Blogger to post. Have you ever tried Windows Live Writer? It is absolutely the best way to blog and you have NO issues with Blogger! Check it out- it could be a life-saver for you!
    :-) Sue

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  3. Yes-Mineral spirits are just that- magic spirits!!! Your drum table is just gorgeous. I love the color and the wax job. Happy waxing, indeed- *ssnort* xo Diana

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  4. Thanks for sharing your waxing tip. The waxing part of this paint techinque scares me a bit because I thought once it was done it was perminate.
    Still glad to see you back.
    Traci

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  5. Great job! You keep us informed. Thank-you.

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  6. Great job! You keep us informed. Thank-you.

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  7. Your table looks great, Kim! Luckily, we have mineral spirits here but I haven't had to use it. So far, so good on my projects. Watch now ~ the guest room side tables I'm working on will have an issue! : )

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  8. Good to know when you decide to paint a piece of furniture that has previously been waxed. Looking forward to that smaller project.

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  9. Hey, friend! Great tip on the mineral spirits. I've had the issue with an initial stickiness but it goes away after a couple of days. I didn't know about using brushes with the wax though. I've always used a rag which doesn't work with highly details projects. Great tip!

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  10. Hey girl -- it's been a while. Your blog is looking fabulous and very chic! Congratulations on a wonderful drum table. I love it!

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Thank you for taking the time to comment. I do my best to pay a return visit. ~Kim