Bees Wax Polish
There are many types of and combinations of waxes used for wooden furniture. Traditionally, the wax used primarily for finishing furniture up until the 17c, was made of beeswax.
Beeswax in it’s pure state comes in hard blocks, and needs to be softened before it can be applied. To do this the wax is mixed with natural turpentine. But, before this can take place, the wax needs to be melted by heating to 152 F.
To achieve this the block is broken down into smaller pieces, either by cutting off chunks or by making wax shavings. These pieces are then put into a double boiler and heated.
The double boiler is similar to a chef’s ‘bain mairie’. A smaller container holding the flakes, sits within another container filled with heated water. The heat transfers through the second container so melting the wax. This is the same method as melting chocolate! By doing it this way, the heat doesn’t damage the inherent qualities in the wax.
If a coloured wax is required, oil colours are added to the turpentine. This mixture is then added to the melted wax.
Once the wax has melted, turpentine is added. This will now keep the wax softened. The wax should now be stored in a re-sealable container otherwise the wax will harden, if left in the open.
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