furniture flip: how to white wash with wax!
Here’s how I brought this outdated, orange chest into this beautiful pottery barn look-a-like coastal white-washed chest! an easy, budget friendly DIY tutorial using just a little bit of wax :)
My client came to me with this red cedar chest that needed a LOT of updating. It had been in her family for a long time now, but she wanted to spruce it up a bit so it would go better with her decor. Here’s how I did it!
step 1: i removed all the brass hardware & accents
this was actually a bit tricky since the hardware had been in place for gosh knows how many of years. I was careful to pry it off with a flat head screwdriver and i was able to pry it off! I like to put all the hardware & screws to the side in labeled zip-loc baggies so they don’t get lost! I cleaned up this old brass hardware with a little bit of brasso & steel wool. Works like a charm!
step 2: scraped off all the old varnish with my carbide scraper
i loveeeee my carbide scraper SO MUCH!!! i originally tried to sand off the varnish but it was so thick that it was taking too much time. i could've chemically stripped the piece but since the weather is pretty cold right now, I keep my garage door closed. my ventilation isn’t the best and that is NOT great for chemically stripping. Also, chemical stripping is a huge mess and kind of expensive too. So I opted to use my carbide scraper. I always get these same few questions about the scraper….
does it gouge the wood? NO…. unless you really try to do it wrong. I like to explain the use of a carbide scraper like using a razor on your body hair. The razor isn’t ripping off your skin, it’s just shaving down the hair. The carbide scraper works the same way. It’s just shaving down the old varnish. Now, if you hold the side of the carbide scraper against the wood, which I’m not sure why you WOULD do this, but yes, if you did that, you’d probably gouge the wood. So don’t do that.
do you need to put anything on it prior to scraping? NO. it’s a dry scrape. in the past when I’ve chemically stripped and still couldn’t get remaining paint off with my painter’s tool, i’ve used my carbide scraper to get the rest off. i believe it would be a waste of product to use this scraper in addition to a chemical stripper!
step 3: i sanded off the remaining finish with 120 grit, working my way up to 220
i used my festool sander attached to my surfprep POV-8 dust extractor. it’s important to work your way up in sandpaper grits to close the grain properly. i worked my way from 120, 150, 200, 220. If I was going to oil this piece instead of wax, I would’ve stopped at 150 so the oil would absorb into the wood. Since we aren’t sealing with oil, we can go up with a finer grit. my favorite sandpaper to use is 3M cubitron +. it lasts soooo long and goes so far! highly recommend.
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step four: i applied @realmilkpaintco wood wax into the inside of the chest to moisturize & renew the wood! It made such a difference!
Since this was red cedar, not regular cedar, it didn’t have any aroma so I felt comfortable sealing it with the wax. the RMPCo. wax is 100% natural wax made from plant-based materials, including walnut oil and carnauba wax, a vegan formula. VOC-free wood butter with no solvents or petroleum (mineral oil). I applied it in a circular motion with a lint free cloth to only the inside of the chest. it revived the wood like no other!
step five: for the pottery barn, white wash look, i generously applied real milk paint co soft wax in WHITE to the outside of the chest in a circular motion with a round bristle wax brush
this was really a “trust the process” kind of moment. it looked a little a scary at first. but don’t fret! i slathered it on and then buffed it out with a lint free cloth. ta-daaaaaaa! a stunner. a super easy alternative to a stinky white-wash stain or the mess of measuring out a paint wash. the wax will also harden over time with a matte finish, acting as a natural protectant and sealer. what more could you ask for?!?!
my advice: if this is something you want to do on a more high traffic area like a dining room table, i’d recommend applying a water based polyurethane prior to applying any wax. MAKE SURE IT’S WATER BASED! this will ensure the “raw” look of the wood will stay the same,
Now… what do you think?!?! This was a client commission but I truly love how it came out. It gives the white wash look but with more protection with less work AND cost. Talk about a life hack, haha!
List of Supplies
spark notes
removed all the brass hardware & accents
+ scraped off all the old varnish with my carbide scraper
+ sanded off the remaining finish with 120 grit, working my way up to 220
+ applied @realmilkpaintco wood wax into the inside of the chest to moisturize & renew the wood! It made such a difference
+ generously applied #realmilkpaintco soft wax in WHITE to the outside of the chest in a circular motion
+ I buffed off the excess white wax with a clean lint free cloth - an old teeshirt would work too!
+ I polished the old brass hardware with some brasso & steel wool
Make sure to DM me any questions & if you decide to take on this project make sure to send me photos of your final project! Follow me on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram for more home flips, tips, and decor ideas!
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.
