Protecting*

Once you have painted your piece it is time to protect.

Depending on where and what the piece will be used for will be the way you protect it. The amount of traffic, bumps, knocks and conditions where it will be placed.

If it is a table then the top will need something that will take the wear and tear that will be given. I like to make sure that table legs will be given a good protective coat. Mostly for pieces that don’t get a lot of wear and tear, then 1 to 2 coats of wax will be enough. But with a table where the chairs will be pushed in and out and the legs stand to get bumped and knocked then protect with 3 coats of wax or a couple of coats of a water based poly-acrylic. The water based poly will not yellow a white paint. The yellowing of white paint under a poly protection will happen if an oiled based poly is used.

I have only used the poly with pieces that are going on our patio and open to the weather. The patio is covered but the outside elements are still in play.

Although some people have found that yellowing does occur, this may depend on the brand of paint they started with.  I have not had a problem yet and have used the water based poly on several white pieces, these were done over 18 months ago.  Some have been outside under the pergola others inside.  If you are unsure, try a test on a piece of timber.  I have several pieces of timber that I use to rest what I am painting on and to try out paint colours, stencils etc.

The main thing is after you have put all the work into restoring a piece of furniture then protecting that piece becomes the next step.

I have used several waxes with my restoring and I will share them with you here

The polys I have used you can check them out here.