Fixing blotchy wax on chalk paint can be tricky for a beginner. After applying wax, you sometimes discover that your paint is rubbing off or your furniture piece doesn’t look like it should anymore.
Three Ways to Fix Blotchy Wax on Chalk paint
1) Polish Using Fresh Wax
If you are looking for a fast, however successful, fix to blotchy wax on your furniture piece(s), try applying more wax over the blotchy area. Usually, wax can be buffed out, giving it a smooth, even-looking finish. Buffing with electric tools is not necessary. Nevertheless, you can use a wax buffing tool connected to a drill if you have issues.
Press a little hard when using a wax buffing tool on your drill, or it could harm the paint. Use a gentle touch or a handheld brush. Use a clean rag with moderate pressure to buff and polish if you have neither.
2) Remove Wax from Furniture Piece(s)
You may need to delete the wax to fix the blotchy waxed area.
First, you can remove wax from your furniture piece(s) by pouring some mineral spirits on a rag/cloth piece and using the damp rag to scrub the waxed area. As is the case with applying the wax, when applying the wax, mineral spirits must be spread deep into the layer to remove the wax. Put in enough effort to rub with the wood’s grain to minimize creating scratches on your furniture piece.
Note that mineral spirits could also remove paint; therefore, apply caution when using it. When you don’t even have some mineral spirits at home, you can choose the second option, which I have explained below.
Another method of removing wax from furniture is by creating a solution of one cup of white vinegar and one cup of water. Like the mineral spirits, apply the solution onto a clean rag or a cloth piece and scrub the waxed surface. The vinegar dissolves wax; thus, never use it as a cleaning source on wax.
3) Restart the Project/Area
If all goes wrong and the methods above haven’t fixed your issue, I suggest you restart the area you are having problems with. By renewing, you might have to use a sander to sand off the blotchy waxed surface. However, if sanding, you will likely remove the paint and the wax, meaning you are back to square one.
Unfortunately, if you have a significant area to look after, you might need to sand down quite a bit of the site and begin the project afresh. Remember this only when you have no choice, as it’s time-consuming. Before even considering this step, blotchy wax must be buffed and cleaned.
Try to buff and apply another wax layer for the desired look. You can also try using a darker wax over everything to conceal the mistakes. Try to be creative to avoid redoing the project except if necessary.
How to Fix Streaky Wax on Chalk Paint
The wax on your chalk paint may be streaky for two reasons. It’s either you applied excess wax, or you waited too long to wipe off excess away. Additionally, it could be a result of both factors.
To fix streaky wax on your chalk paint, apply thin wax coats and spread it evenly using a lint-free cloth or wax brush. Ensure to work on a small section at a time. Afterward, apply wax and remove the excess using long back-and-forth motions to prevent brush strokes.
Try wiping the streaky wax with mineral spirits and a clean cloth piece or rag. I’m sure you will obtain a desirable result. Once you get a positive impact, apply a thin wax coat to seal the potentially exposed chalk paint.
How to Fix Wax on Chalk Paint
After painting a furniture piece with chalk paint, seal it off with wax. Applying a thin coat and wiping over the wax with a soft cloth piece requires a stiff bristle brush and work by bit.
After twenty-four hours of drying, you may apply a second coat of either wax for extra durability or dark wax to obtain a perfectly distressed patina. Another tip is to sand down the paint before or after applying wax. You may also burnish the wax once it’s dry to obtain a glossier finish.
I will give a step-by-step explanation of how to fix wax on chalk paint. Check the table below for the stages of selecting wax on chalk paint and the activities involved. A full explanation of each step follows after.
STAGES IN FIXING WAX ON CHALK PAINT
| STAGES IN FIXING WAX ON CHALK PAINT | Prepare the painted surface and wax. |
| Prepare the painted surface and wax | In this step, massage the wax into one section of the chalk paint, then Use a clean, lint-free cloth to wipe off any excess wax from the surface. Afterward, apply a small wax amount and wipe it off. Here, you must allow the first wax coat to dry for 24 hours. You complete this stage by applying one full dark wax coat over the clear wax for a tinted effect. |
| Brush on the wax | In this step, massage the wax into one section of the chalk paint, then wipe over the waxed surface using a clean lint-free cloth to remove the excess. Afterward, apply a small wax amount and wipe it off. Here, you must allow the first wax coat to dry for 24 hours. You complete this stage by applying one full dark wax coat over the clear wax for a tinted effect. |
| Burnish the wax | In this step, massage the wax into one section of the chalk paint, then wipe over the waxed surface using a clean, lint-free cloth to remove the excess. Afterward, apply a small wax amount and wipe it off. Here, you must allow the first wax coat to dry for 24 hours. You complete this stage by applying one full dark wax coat over the clear wax for a tinted effect. |
1) Prepare the Painted Surface & Wax
First, allow the chalk paint to dry completely before the wax application. Chalk paint doesn’t take long to dry but to be safer, leave the fine coat overnight to ensure it dries entirely.
Before waxing, you can complete the sanding and the distressing process; however, be aware of the dusty mess the chalk paint may create. You can wait until after the first wax coat to begin sanding.
Your selected finishing wax should be clear, soft, and compatible with chalk paint. Using Annie Sloane Chalk Paint, use the same brand for your wax. If you have made chalk-style paint, get a soft, clear finishing wax intended for furniture.
If you are applying dark wax, start with a clear coat. However, using clear polish first helps solve this issue and permits a more customizable dark wax application.
Before applying your wax, scoop a wax dollop, place it onto a paper plate, and spread it out for more effortless pickup with the wax brush.
Avoid dipping it directly into the tin to prevent overloading your brush and keep the wax clean. Instead, opt for a specialized brush for applying wax to chalk paint or a round brush with firm bristles and a blunt tip. Once you have your meeting, load the end with a small amount of wax and dab it onto a paper plate.
2) Brush on the Wax
First, massage the wax into one section of the chalk paint. Ensure to work the brush in loose circular motions to distribute a thin wax layer across the paint’s surface. If you work the meeting from side to side, follow the paint’s grain and wood.
It would help to apply steady pressure to rub the wax into the chalk paint using the brush. Continue spreading the wax until the meeting is dry and you are out of product. When applying the wax, begin by applying the wax to a smooth area first and avoid getting wax build-up into the furniture’s grooves and crevices.
After applying the wax, wipe over the waxed surface using a clean, lint-free cloth to remove the excess. Ball up the fabric and use it to go over the wax.
You can, afterward, move on to the next section by applying a small wax amount and wiping it off. Instead of using a full first wax coat for the entire furniture piece, try working in small sections at a time.
For each section, scoop a small wax and buff it into the chalk paint. Afterward, wipe over it a few times with a cloth piece. Then, leave the wax to cure for twenty hours. Never add any additional coat or polish the wax until after twenty hours.
Tips to consider while using wax
If you use dark wax, apply one full coat over the clear polish for a tinted effect. This helps give your furniture piece(s) a darker, more worn-in patina.
Note that it is essential to wait twenty-four hours between coats to allow each wax layer to cure, and unlike clear wax, the dark wax will impact the final furniture piece’s color. It adds warmth to more excellent colors and also helps darken lighter colors.
To achieve a rustic patina with textured accents, leave more dark wax pigment in the crevices of your furniture piece. To create contrast, wipe off the wax from the flat surfaces. It’s also essential to use separate brushes for the dark and clear wax to avoid cross-contamination. This will ensure the clear wax remains free from any filmy pigment residue, providing a subtle sheen to the finish.
3) Burnish the Wax
Buff the wax using a soft cloth if you prefer a glossier finish. Once the final wax layer has been applied and left to dry for twenty-four hours, assess your furniture piece’s look and overall finish.
To make it glossier, buff the wax with a soft cloth piece using circular motions. Apply steady pressure while failing to obtain a consistent patina across the furniture piece. The more you bluff the wax, the glossier it becomes.
Afterward, leave the wax to cure for twenty-four hours before reinserting the hardware. You can then clean your wax brush/brushes with odorless mineral spirits.
Pour about half of the odorless mineral spirits into a cup. Then dunk the bristles in and jostle them around to loosen up the wax. Allow the strands to soak for about thirty minutes before rinsing off the brush/brushes with warm, soapy water.
How to Fix Uneven Chalk Paint
To smooth your chalk paint, you must sand your furniture piece’s surface with medium-grit paper to smooth out any prominent textures. Add a little water amount to your chalk paint tin and apply the paint with a flat brush, working in the same direction as the grain.
To fix uneven chalk paint,
- First, mix the paint with a stirring stick down to the container’s bottom
- Afterward, apply a base coat to obtain a uniform surface
- Ensure that the panels are straight and properly lined up. Additionally, ensure that the joints are straight and even.
- Next, apply the paint uniformly
- You can afterward, apply two finishing coats to ensure evenness
- Allow the product to dry for 2 – 3 hours before any sign of dew or rain. You must comply with the application temperature recommended for this product
- To prevent visible lap marks, try maintaining a wet edge by applying paint toward the unpainted area and then back into the newly painted room.
How to Fix Blotchy Dark Wax on Chalk Paint
To fix blotchy dark wax on chalk paint, grab your dark wax and apply it over your clear wax. However, unlike clear polish, dark wax can be easily visible to the eyes, so avoid applying it in a circular motion. Using clear wax on wood with a circular motion doesn’t create a mess because you won’t see the circular motion on the wood piece.
However, in the case of dark wax, it is different. If you apply blotchy dark polish on your wood piece, it will result in a mess. The worse part of it is that if you make that mistake and try correcting it by buffing the wax with a clean, lint-free rag as you do with all wax finishes, you may still not get any positive results. The circular blotchy wax marks may still be there.
To fix blotchy dark wax on chalk paint, follow the steps below.
- Get a cloth piece/ rag
- Grab your dark wax to apply over your clear wax
- Pour some of the dark wax on your cloth piece
- In a straight motion, rub the wax-contained cloth piece into the blotchy waxed surface. This means it requires going back and forth. However, you must rub out the blotchy areas first, of course.
If you want to learn how to apply dark wax on furniture pieces, I’m sure the video below will help.
Conclusion
The best way to fix blotchy wax on chalk paint is to avoid applying wax in thick coats, especially at once. Instead, apply light/thin coats and spread them evenly. Allow the paint coat to dry before applying another coat.
If, unfortunately, you end up with a messy job on your furniture piece, I’m sure the tips in this article will help. Good luck with your next project!