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Saturday, December 1, 2012

DIY Beeswax Wood Polish and Sealant

Since I have mentioned  DIY Beeswax Wood Sealant in many of my posts, I figured it was about time I showed you how to make it! This polish will help protect the color of your stain, seal your wood from unwanted stains, and keep the wood from drying out and cracking. It can also serve as a standalone wood sealer and stain. 


DIY Wood Sealant and Wood Polish

I first discovered beeswax furniture polish a few months ago when I was looking for a varnish alternative. The main option for sealing most furniture projects is using commercial varnishes that contain harsh chemicals. The chemicals have strong odors that lead to indoor air pollution long after the varnish has dried. In an effort to improve my indoor air quality while still protecting my wood working projects I now use a DIY beeswax wood sealant exclusively on all of my indoor furniture.

Check out the instructions below to make your own!


The DIY Modern Life Beeswax Wood Sealant and Wood Polish

This beeswax wood polish/wood sealant is super quick and easy. For this recipe you will need the following supplies and about 20 minutes of your time: 

All of the Supplies Need for Beeswax Wood Polish 
  1. Olive Oil - I use the organic Whole Foods brand. You can use any olive oil you have. 
  2. Beeswax - Often found at Health Food Stores, Farmers Markets, and online at Dadant or Amazon. I would recommend small pellets vs a big brick as they melt down much quicker. 
  3. A medium sized pot or saucepan
  4. Pyrex measuring cup or Mason Jar
  5. Knife (or cheese grater) - if you don't have beeswax pellets. 

Beeswax Wood Polish Recipe

I use slightly more beeswax than other recipes out there as I think it helps to better protect the wood. 
  • 1 part beeswax
  • 3 parts olive oil 
Essentially, if you are making 1 cup of beeswax furniture polish you would add 1/4 cup beeswax and 3/4 cups olive oil. 

The beeswax I am using I found at Whole Foods. In the future I will probably pick some up at the farmers market. If I need more this winter I will just order it online. The first thing you will want to do is cut it up into smaller pieces. Some people use a cheese grater for this but I find that to be a huge hassle and instead I just use a knife. 


Beeswax from Whole Foods

You can cut it into really small pieces with a knife like I did in the picture below. However this will take some time and it will dull your knife.


Small Shavings of Beeswax

I  think the best way is to just cut it into a few medium sized chunks.  It might take a little longer to melt this way but it saves time and effort overall. 


Small Shavings and Medium Chunks of Beeswax

Next go ahead and put the beeswax chunks into the pryrex measuring container,  it's time to melt the beeswax!

Pieces of Beeswax

This is just a note on safety. Many people make beeswax wood polish in the microwave, but when doing so there is a potential danger that the beeswax could catch fire. That said, the microwave method can be done safely. Just make sure to carefully monitor the beeswax and heat it in multiple short periods - stirring in between - rather than one long time period. This will help it melt faster and it will be easier to check on.  

A safer way to make beeswax polish is to use the double boiler method. An easy DIY version of a double boiler can be made by using a Pryex container inside a larger pot or pan. Fill the pot about halfway full with water and heat it to the point just before boiling. The trick is to keep the water warm without letting it boil, this will prevent any possible combustion of the beeswax. 

Double Boiler Method for Melting Beeswax

Using the double boiler method I melted about 1/4 cup of beeswax in less than 10 minutes. Once it has completely melted you can remove the pryex measuring cup. Keep the water boiling as you will need it for a few minutes more. This is what it melted beeswax will look like.


1/4 cup of melted beeswax

Now that you have the melted beeswax, you can see what the wax melted down to in order to add 3 parts more olive oil. Conveniently enough mine melted down to exactly 1/4 cup. The next step is adding 3 parts olive oil (in this case it will be 3/4 cups olive oil) to make 1 cup total of the beeswax wood sealant.

Melted Beeswax with Olive Oil 

When you add the olive oil it will probably cause the beeswax to solidify a little. No problem! We still have the hot water in our double boiler, so just put the measuring cup back into the pot of water and give it a stir. It should completely liquify in a minute or two.

Olive Oil and Beeswax in Double Boiler

Once it has all melted down, remove the measuring cup from the pot and turn off the stove. You are almost done!

Melted Beeswax and Olive Oil 

All that is left to do is to transfer the beeswax to a storage container. I love to use the 1/2 pint wide mouth mason jars. If you plan on using all of the beeswax wood sealant in one project you could also just leave it in the measuring cup. I only needed a little for my project so I wanted to store the leftovers.

Finished Beeswax Wood Sealant and Wood Polish

Your beeswax wood polish and wood sealant is now ready to use! If you are using it as a wood sealant and stand alone stain it works best to use it while still warm. Just give it a few stirs and it should be a good consistency for a couple of hours. If it gets too firm you can always put it in the microwave for 30 seconds - 1 minute. If using as a beeswax furniture polish it works best when it has cooled and hardened a little. In this state it can be stored for about a year after making it. Just keep it sealed and out of direct sunlight.

If you would like to see how the beeswax wood sealant looks when applied to a piece of furniture, check out this post where I apply it to a DIY coat rack that I made. 

315 comments:

  1. Evening,,, I am just a beginner in using a turn lathe,,, I plan to make some wood glasses to drink out of, plus some bowls of different sizes for food use,,, In your receipt, I can not see any thing that should harm a person by drinking or eating something from one of the above,,, Do you recommend using your recipe for the finish on these items,,,
    thanks
    Dave

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    1. Hi Dave,

      Thanks for your question. Neither the beeswax or the olive oil would be harmful to drink or eat out of, so I wouldn't be concerned in that regard.

      However, I am not sure that I would recommend this finish for drinking glasses or bowls. The main reason is that the beeswax finish can be affected by heat. So any warm drinks, soups, or even washing it in warm water could cause the finish to be changed.

      If you wanted to try it out, I would change the recipe to have only a small amount of beeswax in it or I would just use the olive oil. I think an ideal solution would be to use linseed oil (flaxseed oil), NOT BOILED LINSEED OIL, as that has added chemicals. You can usually find flaxseed oil at a nutrition or health food store. This is a natural oil that I use to season my cast iron cookware. I imagine it would work well for a finish on bowls and glasses as it a non drying oil and it holds up well to extreme temperatures.

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    2. I hope it's okay to chime in here, you would want to use only pure mineral oil for food related items. (Other oils can turn rancid over time!

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    3. I wouldn't use mineral oil on anything you're going to handle or have food in. It's a petroleum by-product. Mineral oil in the gut will bind to vitamins/minerals and prevent your body from absorbing them. It's not good stuff at all.

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    4. I have to agree with anonymous...mineral oil won't get used on anything at my house for those reasons. Another oil that can be used safely without fear of it going rancis is walnut oil.

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    5. You guys are probably thinking of mechanical grade mineral oil found in hardware/DIY stores that contains other aditives, Sheri Ohler on the other hand is referring to medical grade mineral oil that you can find at your local pharmacy and is taken orally to induce a mild laxative effect. When mixed with beeswax it makes a very good conditioner/sealer for chopping boards and is well known in the kitchen industry. Using olive oil or other vegetable oils will turn rancid over time... go on, ask me how I know! Petrolium by-products sounds scary, but we still use Vasalene safely on babies.

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    6. Sorry, but Vaseline isn't safe for babies either.. and petroleum bi-products are scary for good reason. There are so many effective natural options that can be used instead.

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    7. Hi can i use this on a pestle and mortar i made with ash wood or would olive oil or walnut oil on it own do thanks.

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    8. anonymous- you could try using pure tung oil to finish wooden cups etc as it is water resistant and non toxic.

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    9. The key to using the mineral oil is making sure that it is food grade. Food-grade mineral oil is considered safe and is an industry standard in commercial kitchens for treating wood on eating utensils such as butcher blocks and kitchen knives partly because it does not turn rancid as most other cooking oils do. But there are other cooking oils with long life such as coconut oil. Peanut oil may work as well though I believe coconut oil has a longer life. However even if you choose not to use mineral oil, you should NOT use olive oil or corn oil or any other "vegetable" oil that turns rancid over a given time on a utensil that you will use to handle food.

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    10. I simply use food grade sunflower oil to stain and seal my wood. It brings out the natural wood color and creates a nice, sealed finish. If the wood ever gets dirty or if you want it darker, just add more sunflower oil after the first coat has fully absorbed.

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    11. Jojoba oil is the thing to use. It is in fact a wax and has an indefinite shelf life and does not go rancid. For this reason it is used as a carrier for perfume. I stay away from mineral oil. Even the so called medicinal grade...

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    12. Cyanide is natural, People need to quit assuming that just because it's natural that it's more healthy. Please just figure out the reasons things are healthy or not. Petroleum products are not inherently bad because petroleum is a "chemical" every kind of matter that is around you is a chemical. water is a chemical. I could seriously sell people lead (under a different name) as an alternative sweetener because it's organic and natural. Especially if I it has "up-cycled" somewhere on the organic and quality looking packaging.

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    13. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    14. As rousing as this debate may be, It's all a moot point for any bowls, spoons, cups, portable cutting boards, or any other item that will get washed and lightly scrubbed on a regular basis. It's not varnish, remember. I've used beeswax based products for years on these types of items, and i can tell you that the polish will wear off long before the shelf life of the olive oil expires. You will need to reapply the polish anywhere between 2 and 6 times a year. Weather or not you use an oil that expires may affect the shelf life of the polish, but it will not affect the food safety of the item it was used on (unless of course you're using the already rancid polish)... hope that helps!

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    15. What happens if you switch the Olive Oil for Linseed Oil in your recipe?

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    16. You do not want to use Linseed Oil for anything that will come in contact with food. Yes, Linseed Oil originally started out as Flaxseed oil, but then it is processed to enhance its drying properties and therefore rendering it not yummy. Please, at least in the United States, the names of these two oils are not interchangeable.

      Of course, if you're using the same logic that people use for mineral oil "eeeewwww its derived from gross crude oil therefore its evil," then you can use similar logic for linseed oil: "it's derived from yummy flax seeds therefore its safe."

      -Atalanta

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    17. You do not want to use Linseed Oil for anything that will come in contact with food. Yes, Linseed Oil originally started out as Flaxseed oil, but then it is processed to enhance its drying properties and therefore rendering it not yummy. Please, at least in the United States, the names of these two oils are not interchangeable.

      Of course, if you're using the same logic that people use for mineral oil "eeeewwww its derived from gross crude oil therefore its evil," then you can use similar logic for linseed oil: "it's derived from yummy flax seeds therefore its safe."

      -Atalanta

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    18. But olive oil meltes at a relatively low temp. So it wouldn't be the best if you expected it to stay in the wood

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    19. Walnut Oil is what I would use. If you have nut allergies you probably wouldn't want to use it. Walnut oil has been the preferred oil used in French kitchens for centuries.

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    20. Pure boiled linseed oil is 100% safe, but you won't find that in your local hardware store.

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    21. Mineral oil, olive oil will go rancid and cause big problems in the long haul, guaranteed

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  2. Thanks so much for this article! I had all of the supplies already, so this made it a snap to whip up a batch. :)

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  3. One of the best finishes for your furniture is beeswax. This finish is ideal for any indoor furniture and has the great advantage of allowing the wood from darken with age. Your method is helpful in making beeswax wood polish.
    Beeswax Wood Polish and Sealant

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    1. Thanks. I have never used the products you have provided in your link. One reason I like the DIY option is the ability to control the materials in the product. How do the products in the link you provide stack up concerning chemicals and VOC's?

      On another note, I have noticed that the wood I have applied the beeswax sealant to has aged quite beautifully.

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  4. Thanks for this - exactly what I wanted to know. What about treating floors though, will it be too slippery???

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    1. I have never used it for flooring and would guess that it might be a little slippery for floors. It takes a while to "dry out" and would probably need to be reapplied occasionally if your floors see heavy use. If you do try it I would suggest applying a small amount on a test piece of your flooring and see how it holds up to you walking on it. Hope that helps!

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    2. Thanks - I just tried this to apply to wooden doors I just finished staining and to a table - the oil-wax worked well and I added a few drops of lemongrass oil (pure) to scent it - appears to work fine. I will try a small patch of floor in a corner - many people here use just olive oil - but maybe I can weaken the wax content a bit.

      I also tried the homemade scrub - and added lemongrass oil to that mixture as well - its excellent! Glad I came across your site.

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    3. I am re-doing this old 1960s Soviet era apartment in Ukraine - the original hardwood floors are darkened I think from just oiling and age - in any case, I mixed the oilve oil and beeswax - but just made it slightly more olive oil:beeswax - the paste turned out great and I tested part on the floor - was not slippery at all - this might also just be the wood texture after so many years - and actually, it went on great, soaked in over night, and I am very happy with the results. As noted above, I put in a few drops of lemongrass oil to scent the paste - which made it much nicer to put on - and even after cooling - it was still a very workable paste.

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    4. Glad it worked for the floors! That's good to know. The essential oil addition is a great idea. I believe that lemongrass is also antibacterial and an antiseptic so it might help keep your floors nice and clean and ward off mold and mildew as well.

      I often play around with the ratio of beeswax to olive oil depending on the project I am doing. For furniture or materials that will be seeing a lot of handling or contact I use more olive oil and less beeswax. When I want to give something an especially glossy finish I will increase the beeswax ratio.

      Good luck with the renovations and thanks for your comments!

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    5. Barrie B F Hebb do you have picture of the doors that you used the oil wax on? I would love to see one. Thanks.

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    6. I would love to know how the floors are holding up, I'm thinking of doing this same thing to my floors this week. Please let me know!

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    7. I too would love to know how the door and floors are holding up. We are getting ready to buy reclaimed wood for our flooring. I thought we were going to use Bona to seal it, but long story short...they have Green Guard Cert. GG CEO is on board of NFPA, who sets "flame retardant" standards. Essentially the product *may* be green enough to get the Green Guard Cert, but not green enough for my standards.

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    8. Hi Ben, how long does it usually take to "dry out"? I've used your recipe for a pine table, and 24 hours later it is still slippery. Is this normal? Thanks! Martine

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  5. I have an old pine kitchen table that I'm thinking of repurposing as a kitchen island. I'm assuming if I sand it down a little, clean it real good, and apply this DIY sealer, it will be good enough to withstand the vigorous life of a kitchen island. Am I correct to think that? Can I even use it to seal a piece of wood I buy at a hardware store to make a cutting board? Thanks for posting this!
    Johanne

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    1. I use this exact sealant for my kitchen island. It holds up quite well. Your application description is exactly what I did. The only issue I have noticed is that extreme heat and water may cause water rings to form. In the few instances where this has happened I have just lightly sanded the area and reapplied a small amount of the beeswax sealant. Whenever I make a batch of beeswax sealant I usually make extra and store it in a small bottle for whenever I need to do quick touchups.

      As for a cutting board I would image that it would also work. It will not hold up too long to heavy washing and high temperatures, but you could always just reapply the sealant. I would not recommend sending a cutting board with this sealant through a dishwasher as beeswax is flammable and may not do well with high heat. Also the beeswax could come off in the high temp wash and gunk up your dishwasher.

      I have never made my own cutting board but, but perhaps using a piece of hardwood instead of any stock building lumber may be better. The hardwood may hold up better to the frequent cutting and the stock lumber may have been treated or had glues applied to it. Perhaps a DIY cutting board should be one of my next projects!

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    2. Thank you so much for answering my questions. I LOVE the things you've been figuring out and then sharing! Please continue. I would also be so grateful if you did a cutting board project. I'm trying to live as natural as possible in my typical suburban neighborhood and your blog is right at the top of things I wish I knew. I'll be trying your facial cleanser soon on one of my children.
      Johanne

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  6. Hi there, I have a wooden bowl that I bought in Africa. I was told it was rose wood - I don't think it actually is. I think it is some sort of wood that has been stained a really strong red colour. This stain however doesn't seem to be colour-fast. Do you think your bees wax method would help to seal my bowl and make it colour fast?
    Many thanks,
    Mollie

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    1. The beeswax sealant will help to seal the bowl. If the color is fading from usage this might help keep the stain color fast, although I don't think it will do much at all if the color is fading from exposure to sunlight.

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    2. I would seal the bowl with dewaxed shellac which is known as the universal sealer, as all finishes will adhere to it. It is a food safe product and is used in the coatings of pills and candy.l

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  7. I'm going to try this to seal the wood on the inside of my daughter's dresser. It has a heavy woody smell that is penetrating her clothing. The furniture itself is Greenguard Certified, so I didn't want to use a chemical sealant and defeat the purpose of that. I will let you know how it turns out.

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    1. If your are using this sealant on the inside of the drawer I would perhaps slightly lower the ratio of beeswax. This will help the sealant dry faster so that you don't have to have your clothes piled up outside of the drawer for a day or two.

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  8. Would I want to stain with coffee before or after using this method?

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    1. You should apply any stain or coloring BEFORE you apply the beeswax sealant. Once you apply the sealant the wood will be protected and it will be difficult to add any color.

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  9. This is very interesting!!! I will surely give this a try. I love DIY stuff and making this is so exciting. I hope this will work well on our hardwood floor. Thanks for posting this. -www.permalac.com

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  10. I was thinking to use the method you proposed, and prepare natural wood sealant for raised garden beds. How effective wood it be if applied on pine wood?

    Thanks,
    Ronen

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  11. Love your site. Someone told me that using olive oil would make the wood furniture go rancid - even mixed with a beeswax paste. I want to try this DIY, but just wanted to know if you came across this issue?

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    1. Olive oil can go rancid. There is no reason not to mix food grade mineral oil with Bees wax.

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  12. Wood adding acetone make this waterproof?

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  13. Thanks so much for this article, this is very interesting.Top quality furniture company

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  14. Would you recommend this for sealing a child's "treehouse style" loft bed?The top, where he will be sleeping is mostly enclosed (looks like a treehouse), so there won't be much air circulation (something we failed to consider before building) and he is very sensitive to chemicals (has allergies and autism, chemicals affect his neurological functioning). I have already oxidized the wood using steel wool and vinegar solution. I just need to seal it. I would prefer something that won't change the light gray color and won't add a sheen.Thanks for your help! Great blog!

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  15. I'm building a hedgehog cage and want to seal the wood against any "waste". By using this product will it totally seal the pores of the wood so nothing will ever soak In? Would I have to apply multiple coats to achieve this level of sealant? Thank you

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  16. Looking to seal bookcase shelving, what ratio should I use? and can I use coconut oil instead of olive oil? Love the smell of coconut with beeswax...

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    1. If your finishing book shelves then I would mix the bees wax with food grade mineral oil. one bees wax oil to four parts mineral oil.

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  17. Is mineral oil a viable alternative to olive oil? I'm concerned that the olive oil will add color to the wood that I don't want.

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  18. This is great blog. I was searching for the same information you have put on the blog. Thank youso much for such a nice reponsive blog.competitive prices of beds and mattresses

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  19. If you plan to use wood utensils and containers for serving and eating, you can protect your projects better with three coats of USDA food grade mineral oil, which saturates the wood, followed by a coat of the beeswax to seal that in. Safe to hand wash but not dishwasher or microwave safe.

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    Replies
    1. No thanks, I prefer to keep petroleum derived products out of my food.

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  20. Does the Beeswax prevent the olive oil from going rancid? Its typically not recommended to use olive oil (or any vegetable or most nut oils) to seal wood because as a non-drying wood it will go rancid after a while, even when soaked into wood. But maybe the Beeswax prevents this? Have you had any problem with the things you've finished having an off small after some time? Tung oil could be an alternative, non-toxic option.

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    1. The bees wax will not prevent the olive oil from going rancid. If you use Tung oil, make sure you use oil labeled "Pure Tung oil" as it does not contain any harmful solvents or metals which are added to make the Tung oil dry quicker.

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  21. Worried about the wax rubbing off on clothing. Just sealed my kitchen island.

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  22. how long will bees wax last if I apply it to unfinished pine sideing interior room.

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  23. Using homemade beeswax polish and sealant seems like a good way to reduce indoor air pollution. Thanks for posting.

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  24. I came accross your website while looking a natural way to seal a live wood plank (elm) that I bought. I am planning to used for a bar area in my kitchen. Will this mix of oil and beeswax work for that project? Thanks

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  25. Interesting, I think I'm going to use this on my homemade pipes.

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  26. Awesome you confirmed my thoughts... I am sanding my office floor by hand (nightmare for my allergies since every mask I've tried has caused my face to hive out), the previous owner neglected the wood terribly and had carpet covering it, I hate carpet. Anyway there was paint, old varnish or laquer, some sort of other junk possibly a primer, grey stuff, and what appears to be water damage or maybe even black mold (?). I have been using a 40 grit paper (using a variable speed sander), then I'll be using two more grits to buff. I purchased a stain Penofin FOVEBGA Penetrating Oil, Verde ~ Ebony, as it was marked to be 0 VOC. Haven't opened yet but said it seals/ is penetrating I believe (I've looked and researched for hours to find something that hopefully wont kill me with chemical odors/ off gassing). And have thought to do up a beeswax and oil blend to seal further. And read that lemon oil is best to clean with (guessing you cut it in some other oil maybe jojoba or olive oil). Am still reviewing the cleaning part, but wanted to thank you for the informative information. I am thinking of adding some cedar oil to the stain, or the beeswax. It bothers me greatly how many people mistreat such a natural and beautiful thing! I'm hoping to do the living room next if this turns out as I Hope. Thanks again for sharing!

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    1. Did it turn out ok? Thinking of doing this to my floors this week.

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  27. Oh! Also, I have used much the same recipe for a natural all purpose salve/moisturizer steeping calendula and chamomile flowers in it, and adding grapeseed oil and Jojoba... did a couple years ago and poured into some metal containers that screw closed. The mixture hasn't gone rancid at all and I still use it without problems so, I'm guessing if it's properly stored the wax should hold up well, heck I guess some lemon or lemongrass essential oil may even assist in it's shelf life. I think I found the answer for redoing my kitchen prep table too!

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  28. Can you give me advice how to polish wooden beads for nursing necklaces and baby teethers? can I polish them bulk? Any advice? I have a beech very pale wood beads , do you have any idea how to diy it in darker colors, to make apple wood or plum wood from beech wood? May be use a manganese potassium? I need it for bay teethers.

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  29. I love the idea of using beeswax and olive oil for a stain and sealer. A guy up on the mountain built me a knotty pine farm table with benches. Nice. I've been wracking my brain and looking all over the internet to find something to finish it with that will allow me to breathe while using it. At 64 I have grown quite fond of breathing and I was wondering - how well does this hold up on a table top and will I have to repeat it again and is there a way to add a dab of color to it? I was thinking maybe some Rit dye added to the mixture, just a dab of course. Thank you and I love your ideas.

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  30. Just finished my kids' play kitchen with this, looks gorgeous! Thanks for sharing the recipe :)

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  31. Could I use this to waterproof a table for use outside?

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    1. If you don't want to use a finish that encase the wood in a hard skin, such as polyurethane or varnish, then I would use pure Tung oil. Pure Tung oil dries with exposure to oxygen and was used by the Chinese to water proof their boats.In its pure state it is safe to use on wood that comes in contact with food. Make sure it is labeled "Pure", which means that it does not contain any solvents or other additives, to help it dry quicker. Do not use Minwax's Tung Oil Finish as it consists of mineral oil, boiled linseed oil and varnish, and no Tung oil. I don't know how they get away with calling it Tung Oil Finish.

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  32. Nice information about wooden stuffs to do Buy Drawer Online

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  33. I love that this is a natural sealant, and it is so easy too. It is great to not put so many chemicals in your home. I have been trying to find ways to go more green, this is a great addition to what I have been doing.

    Alena | http://www.rivergumfloors.com.au

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  34. Hi there, I'm making a bamboo bike kind of, bamboo is stronger than aluminum but the sun and rain will crack it so did u ever use you're recipe on bamboo? Thanks in advance.

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  35. It has been some time since I visited website with such high quality information about regarding .Thank you so much for providing such helpful information

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  36. You can purchase high quality material like kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets, counter tops, baseboards trim etc. at very low cost.
    Kitchen Cabinet Davie

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  37. Hey I'm looking to seal a gun stock naturally and I'm wondering if this would be the best option?

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  38. HELP! I used this awesome sealer but now my wood is very oily- day two! I have wiped it down twice... any tips?

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    1. I think it needs to be buffed like a polish - I put it on my axe handle and had to buff it pretty well to make it not slippery

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  39. Hey man, I would probably use a mineral / nut oil with the beeswax - most non-nut food oils can go rancid and give you funk.

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  40. Hello,

    I'm looking for a beeswax sealant to use on brick "tiles" that are made from the same material as "real" bricks, just 1/2" high instead of the regular brick size. I would like to have a warm dull and glowing finish as opposed to something harsh and shiny. Our house was built in the 1920s and it is time to rehab the kitchen and tear out all the ugly stuff that has been done to it over the last 25+ years. Please let me know what you think about using this on the soon-to-be new brick floor. Thanks!

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  41. would this be okay to seal a wood bowl that i plan to use for yarn or would it be greasy and rub off on the wool

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  42. My wooden bedroom furniture keeps goin mouldy. I have cleaned it with mould cleaner and totally dried it with a dehumidifier. Iv varnished the inside of the draws and carcuss. Would waxing the outer stop the mould coming back ???

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    1. It will probably help and wouldn't hurt to try. Use some vinegar and thyme to clean the wood first. Once it's dry apply this sealant.

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  45. See my blog i for the sapele harp I made. I used your recipe for the finish and it looks amazing. http://sapeleharp.blogspot.com/

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  46. I am really impressed in your blog…..and Thank you for sharing this information…It is Very interesting..Tile Stores In Miami

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  47. How much coverage do you get per cup of this?

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  48. An alternative to olive oil is coconut oil - mixed to the same ratio as before 3:1

    I am fortunate to live on the wonderful island of Borneo where we have the widest diversity of honeybees and an abundance of coconuts.

    I buy natural wax combs after they have taken the honey out (but they are still sticky and sweet!) and the 'low' grade cold-pressed virgin coconut oil from the local kampungs.

    It makes for a wonderful sealant and polish and smells soooo good :)

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  51. I made some of this finish yesterday with wax from our bees. My 2 year old daughter and I used it on an old wooden high chair that my husband sanded down and then we used some as lip balm! Dual purpose!

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  52. Hi .... thanks for all the great information. What would a person do if they wanted to darken the wax? Is there an additive that would give it a darker color?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you want to darken the wood you need to stain it before sealing it with this recipe. I stained a wood board using coffee grounds and turmeric in vinegar. I also had good results using rust. If you soak a fine steel wool pad in vinegar for a few days you can get a dark finish. It was a fun little experiment. Good luck with your project!

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  54. Great post! I love beeswax but I hadn't realise you could make it into a home made polish!

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  57. Could I use this in my bamboo cooking utensils. Or do you have any ideas in what I could use to make them a big darker. But chemical free?

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  61. I'd it okay if I melted the beeswax and oil together? Why melt the beeswax before adding olive oil?

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    Replies
    1. Beeswax has a higher melting temp so it's much harder to melt down. You could do them together but it takes a lot longer.

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  62. I plan to use this ratio on an unfinished play table. I've only used these ingredients to make skin care products. Thanks for the recipe!

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  63. I am looking for a natural sealant for some wooden containers that I use for my shampoos and lotions. I noticed that the colour of the wood was leaching and staining the lotions and I am wanting to seal the wood to prevent this. Would you recommend this sealant for the job?

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  65. Hi. Thanks for your recipe. I'm actually working on a jewellery project with some slices of branch, thus making wood beads. Do you think the beeswax polish would also help keep the bark on? And if not, do you have another suggestion??

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  69. Hi
    I just found this and I am not sure if it is exactly what I am looking for but you may be able to help. I have outdoor play equipment, I am looking to protect the wood without chemicals will this work for exterior wood?
    Thanks

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  72. Food oils will turn rancid. Nut oils and mineral oils will not.

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  73. Can you apply this to painted wood furniture?

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  74. Great article! I've been looking for a good natural beeswax recipe ro a while now. Thanks for taking the time to share this with us!

    I build guitars, and was looking at making my own beeswax polish to coat the instruments after applying shellac. My question is this - having read a number of reviews of people saying that olive oil goes rancid, does it impact the finish in any way? Do you know if it would be detrimental to the shellac under it?

    Anyhow - here's the recipe I'm going to be giving a shot if I hear from you regarding the olive oil --

    1 part beeswax
    1 part Carnauba wax
    3 parts olive oil (originally Turpentine)


    cheers

    Karan

    ReplyDelete
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  76. Hi Benjamin - thank you for the article! I have a few questions for you:

    1. Would this recipe work okay for sealing wood that is to be used outdoors in and Mid-Atlantic East Coast climate? (i.e. with harsh winters and harsh summers)

    2. How well would this work as a wood sealant if I didn't use any olive oil and instead just melted down the wax. Wouldn't it make it a stronger, more durable sealant than diluting it with olive oil?

    3. I was thinking about coating my sanded pine wood table with Thompson's water sealer first, and then the beeswax - do you think this would help with sealing the wood against weathering and keep the wood from drying out? Or would the Thompson's water sealer end up keeping the beeswax from bonding to the wood and doing its job? Basically, is this a good idea, or a bad idea?

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  77. What do you recommend if the sealant still has not dried after 7 days? I don't want to throw my project away! Help!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Emma, I'm pretty sure that the finish is not supposed to dry completely. For it to dry, the oil would have to polymerize (think of nail polish drying) and olive oil doesn't do that. If I can advise you, just wipe off the excess finish, since it has had a chance to sit for a while now. If you are worried that it isn't thick enough, you can reapply the sealant, wait for 30 minutes, then wipe again. This process can be repeated until you are satisfied with the coating. I hope that helps!

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    2. So I used this over stained wood, and 5 days later when I buff it there is wax and stain color coming up. Will it always be like this then?

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  80. Hi I've built a snake cage out of a dresser an its made of particle board an my snake need humidity in her cage so in which I spray down the inside with a squirt bottle an as well as a basking light which puts off heat an I was wondering if I could use that bees wax recipe to seal the inside of her cage or know of another natural non toxic recipe to seal the wood I don't want to use a wood sealer cause of the chemicals most likely bein toxic to her?

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  81. This is awesome! I have a walnut vaneered desk that was stripped sanded and finished with natural tung oil. But to get natural tung oil to provide a level of protection, it requires numerous coats...the can says as many as 15. Waaay too long. So this is great.

    I have a couple of questions. First, I presume this DIY beeswax polish can be used over tung oil? Second, isn't there a risk of the olive oil going rancid after some time, and if so, how would you prevent? My wife wants to keep this in our bedroom as a make up table, so we don't want any nasty odours.

    Thanks.!!

    ReplyDelete
  82. Would this sealant work if using over painted wood and be food safe? I would be applying this over a wooden painted cake stand. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  83. If I am making fresh cut (tree has been down for three years) tree slice cutting/serving boards would I need to condition the surface, or apply straight oil before this beeswax finish? Or will this suffice as both a conditioner and final polish?

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  84. Would almond oil be ok for furniture? I have some which is used as a carrier for diluting essential oils to make massage oils etc. Will it go rancid in time too?

    ReplyDelete
  85. My pretty wooden bowls started splitting so I was looking for something food-grade. Also all my bamboo and wood cutting boards are pretty rough. I made some with beeswax from other projects plus 4x flaxseed oil from the wife's last diet (it was in the fridge so NOT rancid) and this works great. Thanks! Sure didn't want to use mineral spirits...

    ReplyDelete
  86. Oxidation is rancid and it causes the hardness or drying needed when oil is used for this. Do not get concerned about oil going rancid when used in this application. Olive oil is not what you want, flax seed grapeseed, walnut oil are all drying to semidrying.

    ReplyDelete
  87. Hi!!!
    Great advice!!!

    Question - I have a mini-cask to age whiskey and the like - I've got a small leak in the cask. Can I use this to seal it up - not worried about discolouration or staining just need something that can seal where the leak is thats not harmful to ingest.


    Thanks!!!

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  90. Could you use this as a floor finish on high-grade birch plywood?

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  91. Ben,

    I have a wood project with CNC-routed numbers & letters. Would applying the beeswax mixture inside the routed areas protect the natural color when I apply a dark stain to the surface?

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  92. Thank you for this, it was just what we needed to finish my son's chopping board he made in a homeschool woodworking class. It's beoootiful!

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  100. Can we use Beeswax and Olive Oil mixture on to the Kitchen Counter for sealing and bring back some mat shininess ?

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  101. Is the beeswax/olive oil combo weatherproof? I am looking for a inexpensive but durable sealer for my raised garden beds, which will be made of wood.

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  102. Is the beeswax/olive oil combo weatherproof? I am looking for a inexpensive but durable sealer for my raised garden beds, which will be made of wood.

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  104. Does this do anything to fill the pores of wood? We are using a walnut wood tabletop and would like to keep things as natural as possible since our toddler eats right off of it sometimes. I would, however, like something that will fill the pores enough to where tiny pieces of food don't get stuck in it

    ReplyDelete
  105. We are remodeling our kitchen. I found some old cedar or cypress shutters that I wanted to make into pantry doors. I plan to try your sealant on them. I am also having a stove hood made out of reclaimed cypress to tie in the shutter doors to the rest of the kitchen. I would like to seal the hood using your beeswax mixture but I am concerned about the heat from the stove top. Should I use beeswax or something else? Any ideas?

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  109. Here is a really interesting article on Beeswax that people may find interesting, also natural Gum Turpentine. http://www.penandturner.co.uk/wordpress/?p=493

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  114. I was wondering if I could use either grapeseed or avocado oil instead of olive oil?

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  116. hi Ben,
    This is the best online post I've found about using bees wax, thank you. I have built a shed/cabin and the inside is clad in unfinished pine. I am keen that it smells great [bees wax would be ideal] because I'll be in there a lot. Have you any thoughts about the merits of bees wax as a great aroma, and does the lush smell last?

    ReplyDelete
  117. I would just melt the beeswax IN the oil. Then there's no need to worry about the cooler oil solidifying the wax. (I've never made furniture polish, but I've made lotions, hard lotions, etc. in my aromatherapy classes.)

    I find it amusing that the same people here who are making a big fuss over petroleum-based products being safe are the ones who flipped out over the idea of rancid olive oil. There's an inconsistency of logic there. "Safe" does not equal healthy. Petroleum-based products are not healthy for use in/on human bodies, although they may be safe. And rancid olive oil is not unsafe, even though it isn't particularly healthy.

    ReplyDelete
  118. Hmm...here's a question. Jojoba oil isn't really oil; it's a liquid wax. So I think it has a considerably longer shelf life than true oils. Would it perhaps work as an alternative to the olive oil?

    ReplyDelete
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  120. Really very cheap and natural idea is given here for polishing the wooden. I am agreed with that because i have try that trick and its very helpful.

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  121. My friend just told me about this method, so i searched the internet and found this article! Thank you very much for this - I plan to use it for my cedar live edge kitchen counter top! Thanks.

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  124. Hello,
    I am chemically sensitive and looking for a wood sealant for popple floors (only wood I can tolerate) that I am having installed in one room of my home. I have made beeswax furniture polish myself and love it, but I read that using olive oil would make the sealant go rancid. How about using coconut oil with grapefruit seed extract to stop it from spoiling?

    ReplyDelete
  125. Hello,
    I am chemically sensitive and looking for a wood sealant for popple floors (only wood I can tolerate) that I am having installed in one room of my home. I have made beeswax furniture polish myself and love it, but I read that using olive oil would make the sealant go rancid. How about using coconut oil with grapefruit seed extract to stop it from spoiling?

    ReplyDelete
  126. Thanks for the tip, great work!

    ReplyDelete
  127. Beeswax with pharmaceutical grade mineral oil is what I found is safest. my research found other oils will go rancid. I have not found any articles stating walnut oil is on list of oils that go rancid, but if it's a nut like olive, flax and linseed: one wonders if it's on the rancid oil list? Suggestion-the first week apply the beeswax daily with a non- terry small rag, prior to going to bed to let it absorb overnight the solution. Wipe down in the morning. After the first week, apply it once a week for one month, them after a month elapses, apply it once a month for the first year. After the first year, apply it every 6-12 months. Doing this will create a lusturious sheen, if you find any liquid is not beading up, like a water resistant coat should be, apply some mixture of beeswax. You can store in a ziplock bag the beeswax clothe,. Discard or wash the rag you clean the countertop with. You can purchase in bulk the cheese cloth and wipe up food messes with mineral oil and dispose of the cheese cloth as this will protect the wood from moisture. I emphasize getting some trivets, to protect counters from heat from pots, and cut on a cutting board so you need not have to sand and re- do the sealing process. A little care upfront will enhance the beauty for years of enjoyment.

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  130. Thanks for sharing this diy, it worked great on some pieces of driftwood!

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  134. Is it safe to seal jars of this stuff (ie. canning jars in a hot water bath)? To seal you would put a lid on the jar and put in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Is this safe? It would be underwater the whole time.

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  135. Do you know of a recipe for a diy(and more natural than most storebought) sealant for exterior use?

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