From the notebook of the parquet restorer:
Parquet wax has historically been used to finish parquet floors. It was supposed to prevent water and dirt from entering the wood, to facilitate the maintenance and cleaning of the parquet. It was also supposed to protect the wood from the direct effects of using the core soap that was used to clean wooden floors. Thanks to polishing, wax was used to brighten rooms and transport light into space. (We will return to the topic of gloss and room lighting in one of the following volumes of our Parquet Restorer’s Notebook.)
Previously, parquet wax was boiled directly in the home on the stove. The main components of these traps were yellow beeswax, potash and natural dyes or pigments. There are many floor wax recipes. By adding various additives to the paste, its properties were modified.
For example, a paste consisting of beeswax, rosin and turpentine was used for oak floors. This wax was applied hot and ironed into the parquet. After drying the wax on the floor and polished with brushes. Before applying the wax itself, it is advisable to impregnate the floor with, for example, glue impregnation, in order to preserve the original, natural colors of the wood. Less often, light oil was used as impregnation, because the floor then acquired a darker shade.
White wax paste in combination with alcohol was an option for light woods in parquets. The application is similar to the previous variant, however polishing with a woolen cloth is recommended. A mixture of wax, soap and lye was used for plank floors.
Later, the production of home waxes and parquet pastes moved from the household to the hands of druggists and „floor cleaners“. The production of wax thus acquired a more controlled course and it was possible to produce wax in larger quantities. Later, with the greater development of trade routes to the east, carnauba wax also began to be used.
Important!! for the application of waxes, the wooden floor should be treated with „iron“. This detail is essential for the perfect application of wax on historic parquet floors. We will cover the topic of processing with „iron“ in the next edition of Notes of a Parquet Restorer.
What waxes and waxing techniques do you use?
