The least expensive wood floor finish anywhere is a high-quality, or premium, natural paste wax. Paste wax products are commonly found in 1-pound cans and may contain ingredients like carnauba wax and orange oil to further preserve the wood floor. Waxes have been used to finish wood for a long time, so not only is using paste wax on flooring easy and frugal, it is effective.
Paste Wax for Wood Flooring
Waxes have been used to finish wood products for many centuries---mostly as a finishing coat for hardwood furniture. Many natural forms of wax were easily available. One of these waxes, beeswax, is still used as a wood finish today. Beeswax is a very soft wax that does not harden as it dries and cures. It had to be reapplied to the wood furniture products regularly to keep the wood from drying out and cracking or splitting. Although beeswax remains an effective wood finish for furniture, it is not recommended as a finish coating for hardwood flooring because it does not create a hard finish. Do not confuse beeswax finishing products with other, more appropriate hardwood flooring wax finishing products.
Modern innovations and formulations have produced paste wax products that are inexpensive, easy to apply and create a hard finish barrier between the flooring and the activities of daily life. These products are known by many names: paste wax, finishing paste wax, floor wax and others. But they all do the same thing. Paste wax products incorporate carnauba wax to create a lasting, hard, natural wood finish. Some of these products have additives that produce other finishing benefits, like orange oil. Orange oil is taken from the rinds of oranges and is used to enhance the grain and beauty of the wood.
Floor finishing paste wax products are available in hardware stores and home improvement retailers. They generally are merchandised next to or near furniture finishing wax products. Read the labels carefully to be certain that the paste wax product you buy is recommended for use on hardwood flooring and does not include beeswax.
The floor waxes that are formulated to use on hardwood flooring will have application instructions on the packaging that should include treat previously finished and unfinished hardwood flooring. When you use paste wax on previously finished hardwood floors, it's more a polish than finishing product. Paste wax finishes that are recommended for use over unfinished hardwood flooring will create a durable, hard finish and allow the floor to be polished to a nice sheen.
Paste Wax Application
Before you apply paste waxes, clean finished and unfinished hardwood flooring surfaces so they're free of dirt, dust, grease, oil and any other contaminants. Apply the waxes in thin coats with a wax pad applicator, a clean cloth or cheesecloth. Allow the wax to dry for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the wax looks dull and hazy. Then buff the wax by hand with another clean cloth or an electric buffer or polisher. Apply a second and a third coat over previously unfinished hardwood flooring after buffing the first coat. Buff after each subsequent coat.
Applying wax over a previously finished hardwood floor will polish the existing finish. One wax application is sufficient, followed by a buffing job.
Tags: hardwood flooring, unfinished hardwood, unfinished hardwood flooring, finishing products, hard finish, previously finished