# Darkening a clear wax finish?



## Gaz_XB9R (4 Jan 2011)

Anyone care to advise how I might darken down piece of furniture that I recently bought that has a clear or natural wax finish?

I have other furniture that is a good match for style etc but much darker.

I mistakenly thought steel wool and a dark wax should do it but it doesn't even touch it.

Thought about oil but then thought better ask those with much more experience first.

Cheers

Gaz


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## Terry Smart (5 Jan 2011)

I'd have thought a dark wax would have made some difference, but it can depend on what type you used.
Was it a wax designed to colour the wood at the same time (such as Briwax and our WoodWax 22) or just a dark furniture wax?


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## Gaz_XB9R (6 Jan 2011)

I am unsure as to whether the wax I tried had a wood dye or not.

Found this to strip wax - Soft Finish Stripper

Do you think this might help first?

This is the dark wax I used - Refined Beeswax Jacobean Oak

Doesn't mention if there is a wood dye in it.

I would ultimately like to go a few shades darker though now I've seen the picture of the wax colour.

Any ideas would be more than welcome. I don't mind if you quote the products that you know most about. Seems only sensible.

Gaz


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## Terry Smart (6 Jan 2011)

I don't know much about the Colron product, but I'd suspect it's intended to maintain an existing colour rather than change it.

From our range, I'd suggest the WoodWax 22 Mellow Brown to give a darker colour; whether it'll be as dark as you want I can't say, but it'd be worth trying it first in the original manner you described - applied with Steel Wool. 
Blending it with the current wax will dilute the colour change, so you might still end up having to remove the wax (unless you can find a darker wax, depends how many tins you want to buy!).
Depending on the size of the piece most of the wax can be removed with Steel Wool and white spirit; by removing the wax you then have the option to stain it first before rewaxing to get it closer to the desired colour.
Coloured waxes are only really meant to give a tint, so depending how much of a change you need it could be beyond the ability of the wax alone.
I hope that helps, let me know if you need any other information.


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