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| Clear Wax Finish on Oak |
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| Written by Charley | |
| Monday, 14 July 2003 | |
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Wax is one of my favorite methods of finishing, especially on oak. It's easy to apply, gives a great finish and you can see the results near enough instantly. I start by filling any nail holes or marks there might be on the work piece. In this case there was a nice big dent on the front where it was knocked off the workbench. I'm using 'Natural Oak' Brummer stopping which you can get from many places including Axminster.  (click photo to enlarge) Sand the piece thoroughly and always sand with the grain. An electric sander isn't essential but it sure does take the effort out of sanding. I normally start with a 80grit disc then switch to a 180grit and finally finish with 320grit. I'm wearing a dust mask and I've got the ROS sander connected to my shop vac to take away the dust. I'm also using a 'router mat' (the blue mat) to keep the work piece from moving about while I'm sanding. You can buy them from Axminster but I got mine from Wilko's in town.  (click photo to enlarge) Using a tack or damp cloth wipe the work piece to remove any dust.  (click photo to enlarge) I'm using just a clear wax and applying it with grey 'webrax'. I didn't know till a few months ago that you shouldn't use steel wool when working with oak as it can leave black marks on the work piece. If you're not using oak, 0000 grade steel wool does a good job as well. You can get briwax and webrax from Axminster but I've found the wax is cheaper from a local pine shop.  (click photo to enlarge) You want to apply the wax generously with the grain.  (click photo to enlarge) For the first coat I like to leave the wax to soak into the wood for 10-15 minutes then buff with a dry, soft cotton cloth in a small circular motion with the grain. The longer you leave it to soak in the harder it is to buff so this is where you need the elbow grease. For the following coats I leave the wax to soak in for about 5 minutes.  (click photo to enlarge) |
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