How to Apply Briwax Paste to Furniture

Waxing with paste wax is an alternative finish for some woods.

Briwax is a brand of paste wax used to bring out the natural beauty and luster of unfinished wood. Briwax is not recommended as a finish since the wax coating is not thick enough to protect wood and is easily dissolved by heat, water and chemicals. Too much wax also attracts dirt and dust, dulling and detracting from the natural beauty of the wood.

Things You'll Need

• Fine-grit sandpaper
• 0000 steel wool
• Cotton rag or shoe brush

Instructions

1. Clean the wood before applying the Briwax paste to be certain that it is free of any dirt or stains. Sand down any rough spots that might collect excess wax during application.

2. Scoop a small amount of Briwax onto a very fine steel wool pad.

3. Wipe the Briwax onto the furniture, moving with the grain. Attempt to cover the area with a thin, even coat of wax.

4. Wipe away any excess wax with your steel wool pad.

5. Buff the covered furniture with a cotton rag or a soft shoe brush, again keeping with the direction of the wood grain. This smooths out the wax application, and the heat from the friction sets the wax and brings out the natural luster of the wood.

Tips & Warnings

• If the wax is too runny, place it in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes to firm it up. It should have a gel-like consistency without being either hard or drippy.

• Do not use Briwax as a finish to protect wood from spills. It will protect a surface from minor scratches and gouges as it is slippery when finished.

• Clean off any remnants of previous coats of wax by cuffing with steel wool prior to applying a new wax coat. Washing with a mild furniture cleaner is also acceptable.

References

• Antique Restorers: How and When to Use Paste Wax
• Briwax: Using Briwax Orignal Wax
• Briwax Wood Care: Tips on Product Use

Resources

• Briwax Wood Care: Questions Answered
• Briwax Wood Care: What Can Go Wrong