One of the projects I’ve gotten the most comments on is updating an oak kitchen, where I did not paint the cabinets but rather used Briwax on them. I did this trick at both the Skinny House and the Split Decision. You can check out the waxing post here.
Waxing brought new life to cabinets where finish was worn. It also mellowed out the orangey-ness of the cabinets, making them feel a little more modern. And it enabled me to update the kitchens without ripping them out.
Along the way, I’ve been asked about whether I’ve ever tried the liming wax. I’ve seen nice pictures of oak bath vanities and entire kitchens when searching for liming wax, but I have yet to find any that show that they actually used liming wax and how it turned out.
When I started the Plain Jane, I considered using wax on the wood cabinets again, and then I thought back to the liming wax. It was time to give it a shot.
So I ordered some (used this one) and tried it on one of my spare doors. I was hoping that it could help the grain meld away and lighten the cabinets to give them a softer, lighter, almost coastal feel. That isn’t what happened.
The white got so far into the grooves that the door looked like it was really old and in need of serious refinishing.
So then I thought I would try using a clear wax to help fill in the grain, with the liming wax over it. My hope was that the whole door would be lightened up, but without all the white in the grain. This was also a fail, as the clear wax underneath made very little difference.
Here is my test. For comparison purposes, the top left quadrant is the original finish. The bottom left is with Tudor Brown Briwax. The liming wax is on the right, with the bottom using only the liming wax and the top is with the clear wax underneath and the liming over the clear.
So kitty and I agree; we are not fans of the liming wax on oak. I would love to hear from someone who has had success with it, as it would be a nice tool to have in my arsenal. And I do think the the liming wax could work on other wood species. But for now, I’m keeping it off my oak.
UPDATE: I did some experimentation with liming wax as well as other Briwax colors. Check out my results here.
Hope this helps in your project planning 🙂
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Thanks *so much* for posting this. We have those '90s dated orangey oak cabinets, and I'd been looking to see if anyone had tried this to tone them down. The before/after photos were super-helpful.
Vanessa - so happy you found it helpful!
Do you think doing a lime was first to remove the orange tone from the cabinets and then using the Tudor brown Briwax overtop would make the cabinets lighter and less orange but still would bring out the natural grain in the wood?? I really can’t stand the orange hue of my cabinets haha
Hmmm...Not sure but definitely worth a try! I have an extra door in my garage I can try that on. I will let you know!
I’m anxious to see these results also!
Same! I'd love to see a poat on that.
I would also like to see. I keep circling around to your kitchen cabinet posts. What do you do about cabinets with laminate ends? I think putting bead board or shiplap on the lower cabinets is great, but it seems like it would be awkward on the uppers with laminate ends. Wish I could replace the uppers with open shelving, but it’s not an option right now.
Hi Christa, The laminate ends do create some issues. If they are not terribly different, it may not be noticeable since they are at right angles to the cabinet face and the light hits them differently. The other option would be to add a new face to the sides. Depending on your cabinet, you may need to add a bit of trim too. Check these end panels out. You would need to do a bit of experimentation with stain to get it to match your current cabinets, and then you can wax over the top. Hope this helps!
Have you tried this yet?
I did! Check out the link above under where it says My Conclusion.
Better late than never! Check out my post from today on the liming wax.
Removing an orange tone requires thinking of the color wheel to neutralize the orange color so check out the color opposite of orange on the color wheel which would be a bluish green stain (requires experimenting). I had a french country oak cabinet that was literally finished antique orange. When the finish was removed, the oak had retained the orange pigment. The refinisher stained it first with the bluish green pigment to counterbalance the orange, then applied a neutral darker brown stain (could only go darker). It came out as a dark mid-tone whiskey color. It looks great.
I'd like to see the brown wax as well!
Hi, we love the look but are concerned with how it wears over time. Did you need to put anything over the briwax to preserve it? Does it leave fingerprinting or show use or wear over time? Can it be wiped and cleaned around the high use greasy stove areas? My son is concerned that briwax is only good on furniture that is not touched daily. Can you address or show photos of how it wears over time?
Thanks you for your response! Janelle
Hi Janelle, I've sold both houses with the briwax on the cabinets, so I can't personally speak to its longevity, but I did research it before using it and others spoke of how well it lasted. The wax makes a really smooth, buff surface, so it becomes easier to clean, if that makes sense. And quite honestly, if for some reason you did have issues with high touch areas, you could simply rub on some more wax. Hope this helps and good luck!
Hi, love your very helpful posts. I was looking to update my oak kitchen cabinets. Saw your ideas and I'm interested in doing the same. My question is on the wax color choice. I want my grain to come out really dark to make the black handles pop. What is the best color wax? Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi Jesse, thanks so much! I liked Tudor Brown and thought it did a good job of getting the grain to pop. You could also try dark brown, although I wonder if it might make the other portions darker too as as to not highlight the grain as much. Tudor brown will darken the grain well. Good luck!
Would you be willing to show pictures including the floor? We are remodeling and like this combination. Husband was wondering what it looks like. 😄