Conservar Wax 4 fl oz

Conservar Wax is a soft paste of microcrystalline wax and resin in mineral spirits.

Although wax has been used for centuries as a wood finish and sometimes as finish for pictures, paste wax does not provide the same protection as a resin varnish. However, wax has used on top of a resin varnish film to reduce the gloss of the surface and to protect the varnish from dirt. It is also useful as a protective film on paintings that are not varnished, such as tempera.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Wax as a Final Coat

Wax is very resistant to acids. With strong alkalies it may form soaps and enable an emulsion. It does not oxidize, as do fatty oils, and it does not turn yellow and lose body. It has been found unchanged in very ancient remnants of paintings (Doerner 1949, 141). Of all surface coatings, it is the least permeable to water, water vapor, and gases (Rosen 1934).

Wax coatings scratch and mar easily. Because of relative softness that may occur at high ambient temperatures they may retain dirt.

Waxes of all types are very stable materials that remain soluble in their original diluents. Removal from the surface of another varnish film should not be problematical, provided that the resin varnish was not or no longer is soluble in petroleum distillates.

Wax has an indefinite theoretical lifetime. Shrinkage and brittleness of artifacts composed of beeswax has been reported (Clydesdale 1994) but such problems have not been reported for wax varnishes.

Many believe that pure beeswax is the best choice for use among paste waxes. Today, synthetic waxes provide a greater range of cost, color, slip resistance and hardness. Often natural and synthetic waxes are blended to make a paste wax that is harder and in many other ways superior to pure beeswax. Waxes like carnauba are much harder than beeswax, but are too hard to be used alone without blending with other softer waxes.

Use in Conservation

Since the 1930s, formulations of wax have been used as surface coatings on paintings that could not be varnished with solvent varnish solutions; as protective coatings (from dust and dirt) over spirit varnishes because of ease of removal with mild solvents; as local applications to even gloss of other varnishes; as additives to other varnishes to control (usually reduce) reflectance; as consolidants; as lining adhesives; as fill material (especially good for very shallow losses that are difficult to fill with other fill materials).

Appearance

Wax varnishes have a low luster sheen that can be somewhat controlled by buffing the surface and by the choice of wax used (i.e., generally, the harder the wax, the glossier the sheen; carnauba wax is the hardest natural wax and may be buffed to the highest shine of any of the natural waxes).

Wax is most often rubbed or wiped onto the painting surface as a very thin layer. They become opaque when dry. The drying time varies with ambient conditions but is usually of short duration. The surface is buffed with a soft cloth to attain the desired sheen.

Applications

Conserators recommend the use of wax as a coating on top of a resin varnish film to reduce the gloss of the surface overall or to protect the varnish from dirt. The wax may be removed and replaced if necessary without disturbing the underlying varnish. Wax may be used as a final coating for a paint film that has a rough conformation that was unintended and could not be eliminated by other means. The low luster appearance of the wax would eliminate the highlights on the elevations (Bradley 1950). Local application may be made with a finger or cloth to matte down overly glossy areas of a varnished painting (proprietary wax mixtures such as Renaissance® Wax may be used for this purpose).

A survey of painting conservators indicates that wax alone is little used as a separate final surface coating. It is, however, commonly used as an additive to the final spray coats of many natural and synthetic resins to create a matte surface or create a more even surface sheen. Conservators who occasionally use waxes alone as a final coating often use microcrystalline waxes to create a matte surface or even out already applied varnishes.

How to Apply Conservar Wax

1. Dip the center of a square of soft, lint-free cloth in the can of Conservar Wax. Fold the cloth into a pad so that the wax is at the bottom and clean folds are on top for gripping.

2. Rub in a circular motions, one small region at a time, moving across the painting until the wax is applied over the entire surface.

3. After the surface becomes dull, remove the surplus wax. Use another soft, clean cloth and turn it as often as possible.

4. Continue waxing and wiping until the whole furniture piece is done. In case you see a streak, continue wiping to get rid of surplus wax.

Helpful Hints

Conservar Wax is easy to apply and maintain. Here are a few helpful hints:

CLEAN: Before applying Conservar Wax, brush the surface of the painting with a soft-haired brush or a soft, lint-free cloth. If dirt and grime is not easily removed from the surface, please consult Best Practices for Cleaning Paintings.

APPLY THE RIGHT AMOUNT: The biggest mistake when applying paste wax is applying too much. Wax is very soft when compared to resin films, so it is easily abraded and when built up in thicker layers will produce a hazy surface.

USE THE RIGHT CLOTH: Using a clean, soft, lint-free cloth, apply the Conservar Wax by first dipping the cloth into the can of wax.

USE THE RIGHT METHOD: Rub the wax in a circular motion over the paint surface. Rub firmly but without excess pressure to spread the wax on thinly. Apply only enough to cover the surface of your painting in a thin layer.

Buffing Conservar Wax

After applying the wax, the next step is to buff Conservar Wax. When is the right time to do that? Wait for the solvent in Conservar Wax to evaporate. Conservar Wax contains fast evaporating solvents, so it usually can be buffed in about ten or fifteen minutes after application, depending on your local environment, such as the temperature, relative humidity, etc., all of which affect the drying time and how the wax buffs out. If all the conditions are right and the proper amount of wax is applied, you will know the wax is ready to buff when it looks dry or hazy.

When the Conservar Wax is ready, take another clean cloth and buff the surface. Buffing lightly will produce a satin sheen; while more vigorous buffing can produce a higher sheen or even a gloss. If you try to buff the wax too soon, before the solvent has fully evaporated, you will likely strip the wax from the surface. This is the reason a poorly waxed surface appears to have shiny and dull areas. If the solvent in the paste wax has not fully evaporated the buffing cloth will pick up the solvent and remove hardened wax as you attempt to buff the surface. If the paste wax is left on too long without polishing, it simply is harder to buff out. In any case, you should not be alarmed; this can easily be corrected in either instance by simply applying another coat of Conservar Wax.

How Often Should You Apply Conservar Wax?

That depends greatly on how often the surface is dusted and cleaned. Every time a waxed surface is “wiped”, minute amounts of wax are removed. Eventually, there is not enough wax on the surface to provide an even shine. This is when a new coat of wax should be applied.

Maintaining a waxed surface is easy. It needs only to be dusted with a soft-haired brush or soft, lint-free cloth. If the waxed surface becomes dirty, a slightly moistened cloth may be helpful in removing the dirt. If that does not work, apply a new coat of Conservar Wax.