Hey y’all, its Do Dodson Designs!
Double take! That’s just what I did when I walked past this vintage cabinet. Woah!
You don’t find them like this every day and this one was going home with me. Black wax furniture makeover here I come!
Materials List:
- Antique Furniture
- Black Wax
- White Wax
- French Tip Brush
- Gator Hide
- SurfPrep Sanding System
- Spray Bottle
- Denatured Alcohol
- Large Wax Brush
How To:
Step #1 Removing the old varnish can be tricky on these antique pieces but it has to come off for this black wax furniture makeover. Knowing when to sand and when to use chemicals to strip antiques is important. Because of the age and condition, I chose to remove the old varnish by using the sanding method. Learn more here!
Step #2 After sanding off the old varnish, clean the wood with a 50/50 mixture of denatured alcohol and water. The wood on these antiques tends to be brittle and porous and the last thing you want to do is add water to old wood furniture that you’re going to paint or stain. This will speed up the process with the black wax you’re going to be applying.
Step #3 Time for the wax! Use a good wax brush to apply the black wax in the areas you want to accent… like this detail brush. It’s perfect for getting into the corners and blending the wax on the bare wood with its pointed bristles.
Using the blending method, with the detailing wax brush you can create a soft shading with the black wax and bring out the details in the wood. After most wax applications, it’s suggested to wipe with a soft cloth or buff the wax after applying. With this method, I do not buff the wax immediately after the application. Allow it to dry completely (24 hours or so) and then buff with a soft cloth. The wax will absorb into the bare wood.
Step #4 Apply white wax over and around the black wax with a large wax brush. You can do this two ways… apply the white wax immediately after applying the black wax to create a gray highlighted aged look, or apply the white wax the next day to add over more highlights to the wood. Either way is beautiful.
After the wax is fully cured, you can apply a topcoat of Gator Hide for extra protection. Dixie Belle’s wax is water-based which means it can be sealed with any of their water-based topcoats after is has been fully cured. I DO NOT recommend other waxes for this technique.
To learn more about this project, head to Do Dodson Designs here!
