How to Paint Wax

Co-authored by Tanglewood Sue and Eric McClure

Last Updated: April 27, 2024 References

Whether you’re getting into candle making or you’re refurbishing some furniture with chalk paint, you may be wondering if you can actually paint wax. The good news is that you can, so long as you prep the wax for painting. Wax isn’t porous, which makes it hard for the paint to stick to it without some kind of assistance. Luckily, there are a few easy hacks here that you can use to give your candles, wax melts, or furniture a fresh splash of color!

Question 1 of 7:

Do you need to strip chalk paint wax before repainting?

Download Article

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/93\/Paint-Wax-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Paint-Wax-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/93\/Paint-Wax-Step-1.jpg\/aid12428494-v4-728px-Paint-Wax-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":259,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":410,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\">\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. \n<\/p> \n<\/p><\/div>"}
If you’re repainting chalk paint furniture, you don’t need to strip the wax. So long as the wax layer has had a few weeks to cure to the furniture, the chalk paint wax will hold any chalk paint you put over it. ^{[1]
X
Research source} This is one of the reasons chalk painting has become so popular over the past few years. There’s no sanding, stripping, or prep work involved, and you can easily repaint your furniture as you please. ^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Chalk paint has a tacky texture and it wears away quite easily. You always need to apply a chalk paint wax after your chalk paint dries, but you don’t need to strip that wax if you’re repainting.
- The only thing you may want to do before painting over the wax is clean your furniture. Use warm soapy water and a lint-free cloth to wipe any dust or grime away. Make sure the wood is thoroughly dry before you get to work. ^{[3]
 X
 Research source}

Question 2 of 7:

How many coats of wax do you put on chalk paint?

Download Article

One coat is fine, but two coats is best for heavily-used surfaces. Use a wax brush or lint-free cloth to apply the wax after your chalk paint has dried. Work in one section of the furniture at a time. Once you’ve covered a section, wipe the excess wax away with a clean cloth and move on to the next area. For tabletops, knobs, or flat surfaces that people may touch, adding a second layer of wax will help maintain it. ^{[4]
X
Research source}
- You can always reapply more wax in the future if you ever notice your previous wax finish is wearing down. ^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
- You must use a chalk paint wax for a chalk painting project. Regular kinds of furniture wax may not work.

Question 3 of 7:

How do you strip wax to paint wood?

Download Article

Use mineral spirits, acetone, and vinegar. Throw some gloves on and soak an abrasive sponge in mineral spirits. Scrub the surface thoroughly to break the wax up, and repeat this process with acetone. Then, mix 1-part white vinegar with 1-part water. Soak a cloth with your vinegar mixture and wipe the wood thoroughly to absorb and break up any remaining wax. Dry the surface with a clean cloth. ^{[6]
X
Research source}
- To clean the wood after removing the wax, dampen a rag with a solution of 1 cup (240 mL) white vinegar and 1 tablespoon (10 g) of cream of tartar. Wipe in the direction of the grain. Rinse the surface with a water-soaked cloth and dry it thoroughly by hand. ^{[7]
  X
  Research source}
- If you plan on re-waxing the surface in the future, removing the old layer of wax may increase the risk that your future wax finish doesn’t adhere completely.
- This will work for chalk painting wax as well as any other kind of wax finish. ^{[8]
  X
  Research source}

Question 4 of 7:

How do you prep wax melts and candles for painting?

Download Article

Pour a dab of rubbing alcohol in a lint-free cloth and wipe the wax down. Dry the wax by hand with a clean cloth. This will make it easier for the paint to stick once the wax absorbs the alcohol and dries. ^{[9]
X
Research source} You can paint directly on the wax if you’d like, but the paint job won’t look especially clean. ^{[10]
X
Research source}
- Wax melts and candles are both made out of paraffin wax, beeswax, or soy wax. This means that they’re functionally identical when it comes to painting.

Question 5 of 7:

What kind of paint is best for wax melts and candles?

Download Article

Acrylic and candle paint are great, but you must use a medium. Purchase candle-painting medium at a crafts store and mix a small dollop with whatever acrylic or candle paint you’re using. This will give you rich, opaque colors that will adhere to the wax. ^{[11]
X
Research source} ^{[12]
X
Research source}
- The medium is a colorless gel. It won’t impact the tone or shade of the paint you’re using.
- You cannot burn anything oil-based, so stay away from oil paint, spray paint, and enamel. ^{[13]
  X
  Research source}
- If you don’t use the medium, your brushstrokes are going to be obviously visible and the paint won’t be totally opaque. It will also rub off of the wax very easily once it has dried. ^{[14]
  X
  Research source}

Question 6 of 7:

Can you use food coloring in candles?

Download Article

It’s safe to do this, but you probably won’t be happy with the result. Food coloring is water-based, but candle wax is oil-based. Once you add food coloring to your candle, it’s going to break apart in flakes and chunks and it won’t blend into the wax. When the candle solidifies, you’ll see chunks of food coloring specks inside of the wax, but the color of the wax itself isn’t going to change. ^{[15]
X
Research source}
- If you are looking for an alternative to candle dye, mica powder is a really neat option. Just add 1-2 spoonfuls to your wax once it’s melted and mix it in. You’ll get this really unique, swirly coloration in your candle. ^{[16]
  X
  Research source}

Question 7 of 7:

Can you spray paint a wax candle?

Download Article

You can, but you won’t be able to burn the candle. You can use any kind of spray paint to turn your candles into unique decorations. ^{[17]
X
Research source} However, spray paint contains propane and butane, and your candle may combust if you light the wick. On top of that, burning propane and butane may release dangerous fumes into the air. ^{[18]
X
Research source}
- If you do decide to spray paint a candle, just keep in mind that it may take 2-3 coats to get a perfect, opaque finish. ^{[19]
  X
  Research source}

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

Log in

How to Paint Wax

Steps

Do you need to strip chalk paint wax before repainting?

How many coats of wax do you put on chalk paint?

How do you strip wax to paint wood?

How do you prep wax melts and candles for painting?

What kind of paint is best for wax melts and candles?

Can you use food coloring in candles?

Can you spray paint a wax candle?

Expert Q&A

Tips

You Might Also Like

References

About This Article

Did this article help you?

Quizzes

You Might Also Like

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Featured Articles

Featured Articles

Watch Articles

Trending Articles

Quizzes

Explore Categories