Wood is a natural product. It is used both indoors and outdoors for a wide variety of projects and is therefore exposed to a wide range of influences. It is used in particular for the manufacture of all kinds of furniture and its natural appearance always creates a homely atmosphere. In order for the natural material to retain its unique beauty, it requires special care.
Oils, varnishes and glazes can be used to protect the often stressed wooden surfaces. Furniture wax is also perfect for protection and rich care. We will now answer the question of why, wherefore and how.
That’s why you have to take care of wood!
Regardless of whether it is your wooden furniture inside or outside: the natural material is exposed to various external influences every day, against which it must be protected. And that is where wood care products come into play: so that the wood can retain its natural beauty, they have the task of shielding it from precisely these harmful influences. This is because untreated wood is very sensitive to UV rays, heat, cold and moisture. If the wood is not protected, they can penetrate deep into the natural material and cause massive damage in the long term. The result: the wood becomes brittle and cracked and loses its natural expressiveness. To prevent this from happening, you have to care for your wooden furniture with the right products.
What is wood wax?
Wood care with wax is one of the oldest methods of all. In direct comparison with oil, balsam or glazes, wood wax has a noticeably firm consistency. This makes it a little more difficult to apply than its competitors. However, it protects wood much better against moisture and the visual end result is also far more impressive than after treatment with oil or emulsion.
Wood wax is particularly popular for the care of interior furnishings. It is also often used as antique wax for furniture. However, when buying, you should pay attention to the ingredients of the respective product. Experts swear by wood and furniture wax that is made from sustainable raw materials such as beeswax or wool wax. These products contain natural fatty acids. They penetrate deep into the material instead of just remaining on the surface. This means that the natural material is optimally cared for and can still breathe. Wood wax is available in colorless and colored versions.
What different types of waxes are there?
Wood wax is available in various versions. However, types such as vegetable or beeswax are often used as the base wax. But they are not only available in the sustainable version. Unfortunately, some wood waxes are still produced synthetically.
Furniture care made from beeswax:
Beeswax is suitable for the care and impregnation of wooden surfaces. It is perfect for treating furniture, wooden floors and wooden ceilings and protects the natural material from scratches, moisture and dirt. Beeswax has the advantage that it does not close the pores of the wood and allows the material to breathe. This means that the nourishing ingredients work from the inside out and ensure a beautiful and natural shine. However, when buying it, you should make sure that the beeswax for wood care has not been mixed with harmful substances. Only then can it care for your wood perfectly, is safe for humans and animals and does not harm the environment.
Furniture care made from carnauba wax:
This wax is extracted from the leaves of the Brazilian carnauba palm. It is vegan and is mainly used in the cosmetics and food industries, in medicines, and in car waxes and polishes. It repels water and dirt on wooden surfaces and gives them a natural shine.
Furniture care using hard wax oil:
Hard wax oil consists of several resins, waxes and oils. In most cases, carnauba wax and high-quality vegetable oils such as Chinese tung oil are components of hard wax oil. It is particularly suitable for treating heavily used surfaces and wooden floors. But kitchen worktops and wooden boards also benefit from the sustainable oil. It is food-safe and harmless to humans and animals. It is also not a burden on our environment.
Furniture care with wood butter:
Wood butter is made exclusively from natural raw materials and is food-safe. It is suitable for all types of wood and can be used for untreated, oiled, waxed or varnished wood. It also has a nourishing and protective effect. After treatment, your wooden surfaces will have a silky matt shine. Because it is food-safe, wood butter is often used to care for kitchen worktops and cutting boards. For best results, you should work the butter into the wood with a cloth or soft sponge. Then let it soak in for around three hours and polish again if necessary. Good to know: Untreated wood will become a little darker afterwards.
How to care for wood properly: How do you apply wax?
High-quality waxes are easier to work into the wood than lower-quality ones. Before you start treating the wood, the areas to be treated should be clean and dry. If the surfaces to be treated are rough, it is advisable to smooth them out with fine sandpaper first. Depending on the consistency of the wax, a cloth, brush or soft sponge is suitable for application. After it has been worked into the wood in gentle, circular movements, it should be completely absorbed. Depending on the wax, this can sometimes happen quickly or take a little longer. Good to know: If the wood is particularly thirsty and needs a lot of care, a second treatment is a good idea.
Oiling or waxing wood: What is better for the natural material?
There are different ways to care for wood. Whether you want to use an emulsion, oil or wax for your sensitive wooden surfaces: First and foremost, we recommend that you make sure that it is free of chemical ingredients. Only in the order in which you choose them, i.e. if your wooden objects require a lot of attention, should you pay attention to a few things. Because wood oil has the property of penetrating deeper into the material than wax due to its consistency. However, it does not have an impregnating effect. Waxes, on the other hand, protect sensitive surfaces perfectly from external influences.
We recommend that you use a combination of both options. However, remember that you should first treat your natural wood with wood oil before using wax. If you were to do the opposite, i.e. wax first and then oil afterwards, the product would no longer be able to penetrate as the surface has already been sealed with wax. Therefore: oil the wood first and then wax it once the product has completely penetrated. Then your wood will have the best protection and will be optimally protected from external influences.