I screwed up my BLO + Briwax finish, can you help?!

[OscarG]

I’ve made these 3 small pieces out of oak, plan was to use BLO then finish it with Briwax. First time I’ve used either product.

Here’s how it looked originally:

I sanded pieces to 400 grit. Applied 2 coats of BLO. Each coat got 48 hours to dry, afterwards looked like this:

So far so good, like the colour, nice and smooth although very matt finish, no sheen.

Tonight I tried adding the Briwax and it’s all gone horribly wrong. I put it on, waited 10 mins then with clean cloth wiped off excess and tried to buff to a shine. None of it really got shiny and bits felt rough and sticky. Maybe 10 mins was too long?

Then I had the bright idea of wet sanding it with 600 to smooth it.

Oh dear. Now colour has gone, bits are smooth, others bits have wax residue, the grain has raised on the ends. It has a dull, almost cloudy look to it now.

I’ve really really messed this up. Here’s the state of it now:

Can it be salvaged? Should I sand it with 120 back to bare wood and start again? Can you do that after putting wax on.

Be hugely grateful for any advice, feel really fed up and annoyed with myself :-(

 

[CHJ]

Not a solution I'm afraid but it sounds like the solvents in the paste wax softened the un cured skin of the BLO.
I personally would wipe it down with cellulose or spirit thinners to remove any wax traces and `dry` the surface, then sand back to clean wood. I suspect you need to leave days rather than hours for the oil to polymerize.

 

[ED65]

48 hours isn't really enough time to allow BLO to 'dry', especially in cold weather. But saying that it shouldn't have been too much of an issue TBH, I've applied things on top of an application of BLO when only 12 hours old without issue many times.

Anyway not to worry, oil and wax are very forgiving finishes so you might not be far away from an easy fix. First thing I'd do is wipe down with a rag or kitchen paper wet with white spirits (or turps if you prefer) to remove all the wax, wipe dry and then let them fully dry. See where you are and go from there. Because oil finishes are very repairable you might not have to do anything but oil it again.

One thing though, when you say you wet-sanded with 600, wet with what? Hopefully not water!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Opinion only, of course, but Briwax is disgusting stuff that's only good use is on machine tables. If you must use it get it off as fast as you can - don't leave it for a minute.

 

[OscarG]

Anyway not to worry, oil and wax are very forgiving finishes so you might not be far away from an easy fix. First thing I'd do is wipe down with a rag or kitchen paper wet with white spirits (or turps if you prefer) to remove all the wax, wipe dry and then let them fully dry. See where you are and go from there. Because oil finishes are very repairable you might not have to do anything but oil it again.

Thank you, I'll do that. Do you think a BLO finish alone can be buffed up to a shine?

One thing though, when you say you wet-sanded with 600, wet with what? Hopefully not water!

Er...yeah it was. In a moment of lunacy I used water (like i've done before on lacquer finishes). Some (stupid) part of my brain thought the oil in the BLO would act as a barrier to water and it would be ok.

 

[OscarG]

Opinion only, of course, but Briwax is disgusting stuff that's only good use is on machine tables. If you must use it get it off as fast as you can - don't leave it for a minute.

Yeah think you're right. I can't see me using it again. I watched a few vids on youtube and they all said leave for 10 mins, bad error that.

I didn't realise it until I was applying but the smell....my god. These youtubers were slapping it on without masks or anything. I had a big respirator mask on and it still stank and gave me a headache.

To say it stinks to high heaven doesn't really do it justice!

 

[OscarG]

Thanks for your replies fellas!