# Newbie question re Carnauba wax



## darsev (Feb 3, 2012)

I've done a lot of woodworking over the years, but not a lot of time spent on finishing except for painting and varnishing. I've just bought some Carnauba wax - is it as simple to use as the can says - wipe it on and buff it off?

While on the subject, what about beeswax and the various oils such as Tung and Danish that get mentioned. I am particularly interested in finishes that retain the original wood colour as much as possible without making it a shade or two darker.

I'm sure this has been answered before, so if someone can point me in the right direction it would be appreciated.

thanks,
Darryl


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Darryl, almost all finishing products will darken the wood a bit; just like if you put water on a piece of wood. Avoid automotive wax since it contains silicone. Danish oil finishes like Watco brand contain pigments in the finish to tint or are clear but will still slightly alter the appearance. Water based acrylics are the clearest finishes I have tried. If you are going to stain your project experiment with some scraps of the wood going a bit lighter on the stain and then applying the top coat to see the end result.


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## GulfcoastGuy (Feb 27, 2012)

All drying oils (linseed, Danish - which contains linseed, etc.) generate heat during the drying process. Rags and such used with them should be treated as potential spontaneous combustion sources.

GCG


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## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

Darryl, 
You are asking a question about a subject that I have been thinking a lot about lately too. May I suggest that you read my thread entitled "A Beginner's Simple Finish". This finish is the best that I have accomplished to date. Also, the color of the walnun in this case does not seem to have changed but very slightly if at all. Best of luck with what ever you end up doing.

Jerry


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Darryl....

As with all finishes,,, there are pro's and con's. Carnauba is a premium wax product by itself. Dries to a very hard finsh and will produce a higher sheen that most waxes. These two pro's run hand in hand. The harder a wax dries, the higher the sheen. The downside is pure carnauba wax has a very high melting point. Once applied it begins to dry. If left to dry it can require a good bit of elbow grease to buff out. This is why most mf'g's add a few additives to make it easier to apply and buff. Always best to do in small areas at a time. As with all wax's, it provides surprisingly little in the way of moisture protection. 

Beewax offers a much lower level of protection due to a much lower level of hardness once dry, yet is much easier to apply. 

Shellac's and lacquers offer a moderate level of protection while keeping discoloration to a minimum. I've had good luck with dewaxed shellac keeping the natural color of the wood close. Same with lacquers. HOWEVER, they will darken the wood to a point no matter what. There is a shellac out there called Patina that is usually referred to as "Platinum Blonde" which supposedly keeps discoloration to a minimum. I havn't tried it yet, but looking forward to getting an order in. 

Oils tend to bring out the warmth in highly grained woods. Makes ya want to just touch the wood. As with wax's, oils offer very little in the way of protection by themselves unless you build them up by doing multiple coats. 

I've never used a water based finish. However, I do agree with Mike, based on everything I've read that they offer the least amount of discoloration. The trade off is they offer very little in the way of protection. 

etc. etc. etc.....

In the ends, it comes down to what your comfortable with, what will the piece be used for,,,,esthetics's, used and handled day in an day out...is Jr.s going to be running his big wheel into it??  The very best thing I"ve found is to experiment with scraps or cutoffs from the project at hand. After a while, you'll come to expect a certain result...

This is a huge business with tons of information available...I'd suggest getting a good reference book or two to help make more informed decisions..The best I've come across is Bob Flexner's "Understanding Wood Finishing".... 

HTH

bill


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## darsev (Feb 3, 2012)

Thanks everyone. Your responses are appreciated and have given me a starting point. I have used Carnauba wax on my current project and it looks pretty good and has got a good reaction. I will put a few more coats in it and see how it buffs up. I was not aware that waxes and oils didn't offer protection against moisture. In fact I had assumed the opposite because oil and water don't mix.

Again, thanks.
Darryl


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