What is parquet wax, its pros and cons, types of impregnations based on a natural beekeeping product, the procedure for preparing boards for processing, hot and cold application methods, recipes for homemade polishes. Parquet wax is a protective agent for wood floors that helps to resist moisture, mechanical damage and fading. With the help of this substance, a noble appearance of the floor covering is created. An important factor is the fact that the product is environmentally friendly.
Advantages and disadvantages of waxing parquet
Wax has long been used in various fields: in cosmetology, medicine, as well as in industry. It is perfect for the treatment of wooden surfaces, as it extends the life of the material, improves its technical qualities and appearance.
Wax is a viscous material, and its boiling point is very high. Thanks to this, the substance is particularly moisture resistant. The product can be mixed with various solvents, and many types of emulsions and parquet mastics are made on its basis. The surface treated with a wax composition becomes smooth and shiny.
Today, waxing parquet flooring is an excellent alternative to varnish, which can contain harmful components and also has an unpleasant odor. Wax, on the other hand, has a pleasant honey aroma.
In addition, there are many advantages to applying it to parquet flooring:
- When working with the product, no harmful chemical compounds are released.
- With the help of wax, the natural structure and relief of the wood is preserved.
- A comfortable temperature of the floor surface will be maintained, in contrast to treatment with other means.
- The parquet covered with wax is pleasant to the touch even when walking with bare feet.
- A layer of wax will help protect the surface from mechanical damage, as well as moisture penetration into the deep layers of wood, making the floor more dense and durable.
- The composition of the beeswax-based protective agent is absolutely environmentally friendly and harmless to adults, children, plants and animals.
It is worth noting one more feature of wax: this tool does not just cover parquet boards, but penetrates into their structure and is absorbed into the wood. Thus, the floor will "breathe", and the texture of the wood will remain clearly visible.
But there are also certain disadvantages when working with wax. First, you will need to carefully prepare the parquet before applying the product. Secondly, after coating with this material, the floor will get dirty faster than if you were finishing with varnish. Thirdly, it is recommended to clean the parquet covered with wax using certain means, which are indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging.
In addition, furniture or objects with metal legs should not be placed on waxed parquet flooring. It is not uncommon for the substance to react with metal and dark spots may form on the floor. If water gets on boards treated with wax and is not removed in time, whitish spots will appear.
The main types of wax for parquet
There are many types of parquet polishing wax. It is often mixed with an oil base. By consistency, wax is:
- Liquid … Completely ready for use. The most difficult to reach parts of the floor covering can be treated with liquid wax.
- Pasty … The most convenient and most commonly used wax. It is easy to apply with both a spatula and a brush.
- Solid … It needs to be diluted with plain water. Thus, you yourself can adjust the consistency of the product in order to achieve the ideal shade of the mixture, which perfectly matches the color of your parquet.
In terms of composition, wax impregnations can be in the form:
- Wax oils … Dense impregnation for parquet, which contains a certain percentage of oil, in addition to wax. Has better performance than regular oil or just wax. It hardens quickly enough and makes the surface of the wood matte with a slight sheen. You need to renew the oil-wax about twice a year.
- Polish … This wax contains no oil. Besides wax, it contains water and polymers. There are such types of polishes: matte, glossy and semi-gloss. It is possible to apply this substance to the parquet even on a monthly basis.
By color, parquet wax is divided into the following varieties:
- Colorless … It is used only to extend the life of the parquet base and give it a beautiful look. Does not change the color of the wood. Typically, this wax is used for dark woods.
- Dark … It imitates the shade of oak, cherry. Suitable for processing oak parquet and rare varieties, except for guatambu.
- Bleaching … Available in gray, silver or white. It is customary for them to process light wood species: maple, birch, ash, less often oak.
Note that the cost of colored polishing wax mixtures is much higher than conventional colorless products.
Preparing the substrate for waxing
This stage is very important, because if you do not clean the parquet from the old layers of impregnation, primer or other mixtures, then the pores of the panels will close, and this will prevent the penetration of wax into the structure of the wood.
We carry out the work in this order:
- If the floor covering has already been varnished or polished, the top layers must be removed with solvents. Residual solvents must be removed with warm water.
- You can get rid of traces of polish using sandpaper.
- Next, we use a brush with stiff bristles, which will help clean the gaps between the wooden boards from dust and debris.
- It is necessary to grind the surface well - we carry out the procedure first in the direction vertically to the fibers. Next, we carry out grinding parallel to the fibers, so all irregularities will be smoothed out, and the texture of the wooden panels will become more pleasant to the touch.
- Sanding is best done with a special machine, as sandpaper can severely scratch parquet boards. After grinding with a drum, grain machine, the floor surface is perfectly flat.
- After completing this step, remove dust from the floor surface.
- After polishing the parquet base, it is polished using a surface grinder and wheels with a grain of 60-80.
- In order to slightly change the color of the floor when waxing, it must be pre-treated with a stain.
In order for the woody structure of the parquet to be better expressed, wax must be applied immediately after the grinding and polishing process, because it is after this that all the pores of the wood open.
Preparation of impregnation for wax-based parquet
You can also make a polish for wood parquet based on natural beeswax with your own hands. There are many recipes:
- Wax and turpentine polish … This is the most common combination. For its preparation, we take wax and turpentine in equal parts. The wax must be crumbled and melted by steam or in the microwave. When working with turpentine, observe safety rules, as it is a fire hazardous agent. Gradually add the turpentine to the hot wax, stirring constantly. Leave for a couple of hours to cool completely. It is necessary to stir the agent before cooling it, as if you do not do this, the wax will curl up and the mixture will not be suitable for use.
- Wax mixtures without turpentine … Such funds are also beginning to gain popularity these days. The dangerous substance is replaced with more modern solvents - nut, olive, coconut or citrus oil. These substances are hypoallergenic and will not cause burns if they come into contact with unprotected skin. The simplest recipe for polishing material includes beeswax (2 tablespoons) and olive oil (7 tablespoons). Crumble the wax, add oil to it. The container with the ingredients is placed in a water bath or in a microwave oven to completely dissolve. You can also add various plant extracts to the mixture, which will give the parquet a light smell, jojoba oil. To control and change the consistency of the mixture, if necessary, use additional doses of oils or wax. This composition is especially recommended for treating the floors in the nursery.
This parquet polish with wax should be stored in glass or metal containers. Shelf life of the mixture: if olive oil was added to it - 12 months, if plant extracts - 24.
Waxing methods for parquet flooring
There are two main ways to apply wax and impregnate it to a parquet board. These are hot and cold methods. As a rule, beginners for independent work choose the latter option. It is simpler and does not require special equipment.
Cold method of waxing parquet
Before starting the application procedure, select the right tool. If the wood panels are made from soft woods, a lint-free piece of cloth or a soft wood brush is the best choice. For coarser woods, you can use regular brushes and medium-hard fabrics.
The procedure for applying wax to parquet is simple, just follow some rules:
- Apply the mixture in a thin layer to the entire floor surface. If you are using a wooden brush, then cover the boards in the direction of the grain.
- A few minutes after the first application, using a soft piece of cloth, wipe off any drops and excess product.
- If there is a flat polishing machine, then we process the surface with it.
- If not, rub the floor with a cotton cloth.
- We leave the parquet for 3-12 hours, depending on the instructions for the product.
- If during the drying process more drops form on the surface, we also wipe them thoroughly.
- Repeat the waxing procedure if necessary.
- After a while, we remove excess funds from the floor. And the last time we polish the surface.
- Leave to dry for several hours (depending on the type of wax).
If you want the floor to have a glossy sheen, apply the wax to the parquet again. With this application, the product will not be absorbed into the wooden boards, but will remain on the surface and form a thin protective film. This layer of wax does not need to be removed, it is simply polished with a cloth.
Hot waxing of parquet
To obtain an optimal result when processing parquet with a hot method, you need to use a special technique: a flat polishing machine and a thermal pad. You can buy them, but they are easier to rent.
Before waxing the parquet, you need to warm up the floor and the mixture. Note that from the point of view of material consumption, this method is more economical. The hot composition is well and quickly absorbed, no excess remains. As a rule, it is not necessary to apply a second coat. The only exception can be rooms with a high level of traffic.
We carry out work according to the following instructions:
- Wax (preferably oil-wax) is heated in a water bath to 80 degrees.
- We treat the floor surface with a thermal pad until it becomes warm. Oil-wax will not absorb well into cold wood.
- Apply the first layer of wax to the warm floor with a spatula. You don't have to wipe off the leftovers, as the product is usually absorbed without a trace.
- If necessary, apply a second layer after a couple of hours. Rub in with a thermal pad until completely absorbed.
- After three hours, we carry out the polishing procedure in the same way, using a thermal pad.
Complete drying of the wax occurs after 1-2 weeks. However, even after this time, the carpet should not be laid on the parquet for the first month after treatment. If you are installing furniture with metal legs, then make stands for them.
How to wax parquet - watch the video:
Waxing parquet flooring is a versatile and budgetary procedure that will help protect the floor from damage, moisture, and also give it a spectacular appearance. All components of the product are environmentally friendly, and the diluents are prepared on a natural basis. The process of covering the parquet does not take much time, since the substance is quickly absorbed into the wood structure.
