French Polishing and Bespoke Furniture
If you are painting a matte paint , such as milk paint , chalk paint or mud paint , then wax is a great option. It give the shine you ‘d like, and absorbs well into these paints to give it a very durable finish.
Satin : A paint with a satin finish reflects a minimal amount of light (eggshell is a closely related finish). If you like the look of matte paint , but need a paint for furniture that is more durable, then satin paint may be the best choice for you. If you opt for a washable formula, you’ll find it easier to keep clean.
I finished the whole thing with Minwax Paste Finishing Wax . I highly recommend this stuff. It buffs to a beautiful finish and works well on painted furniture . Final step after painting a piece of furniture –she recommends.
Minwax Polycrylic – Is the best water-based poly to use to seal painted furniture. It is inexpensive and works great. You can’t go wrong applying it when you use a quality brush and/or a foam flocked roller with rounded ends. Apply in light coats, letting each coat dry before applying another light coat.
Most times you paint furniture with latex paint , you need to protect the finish with a sealer or topcoat . If you are painting a piece of furniture that will not be heavily used, you may be able to skip the sealer. If you do , be sure to be extra gentle with your furniture for the first month of use.
Furniture doesn’t need to be sanded or primed. Chalk paint is easy to sand smooth once dry which makes eliminating any brush strokes easy so you can create a super smooth finish. Chalk paint is very durable when cured and when you add a wax or water-based polyurethane protective finish.
Wax as a top coat, does not apply when you have used Latex paint because as you may know- Latex has a rubbery surface and the wax cannot penetrate it. Latex literally floats on the surface – which is why you always use a primer first to give the Latex paint something to “bite” to. But back on focus regarding wax .
Our List of The Best Wood Wax: STAPLES Carnauba Paste Wax – Great Paste Wax for Wood Floors. ULTRA HIGH GLOSS 33% Solids Floor Finish Wax – Best Wood Wax for Drawers and Floors. Watco Finishing Wax – A Quality Soft Satin Finish. CLARK’S Cutting Board Finish Wax. Retique It Furniture Wax Polish – clear wax.
Paste wax has been used for centuries to seal, protect and add shine to wood furniture . Paste wax dries to a hard, but very thin, protective finish which makes it the best choice for maintaining fully finished furniture . Paste wax contains no chemicals that can dry out wood furniture .
Johnson Paste Wax is safe for painted furniture . It is a fairly clear wax so if you are waxing over white paint it will not leave an orange-ish tint as some wax will.
Over an existing finish: Apply two coats of Stain Blocker, then 1-2 coats of Brushable White Enamel, White Poly (spray only), or Milk Paint . Always let any primer dry overnight. Many primers suggest a 3-hour dry time and that is not enough.
Why? Because both chalk and milk painted furniture is porous in nature – wax easily absorbs into the surface. When the wax hardens, it seals the painted surface with a lovely natural looking soft sheen. The sheen can then be controlled by additional buffing.
Applying one or two coats of polyurethane to a painted surface is a good way to protect the paint . Oil-based polyurethane levels out to a smoother finish, although it takes several hours longer to dry. You can apply polyurethane over any type of paint , as long as it’s clean and has been properly prepared.