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Yes.

End of post.

Okay, not really.  I will elaborate on this one.

When I shared my Antiquing Wax tutorial, a reader asked if you can repaint over a waxed surface.  I have heard a lot of people say you can’t paint over wax, but I’ve painted over wax numerous times, so let’s throw the “can’t” word out the window.

If you paint over wax that is “wet” (even though wax isn’t really wet) or hasn’t had time to cure, the chance of the paint resisting or reacting to the wax is greater.  This can be a positive thing with milk paint if you want chipping, flaking, crackling, etc.  If you want the paint to stick, though, it’s important to wait for the wax to cure.

The standard cure time to almost all paints and finishes is 30 days and that’s true of wax as well.

Once it has cured, you can paint over it, which is a nice option if you’re someone who is fickle or perhaps you just like to change things up now and then.

I would suggest giving the piece a light sanding, just to scuff up the finish and give the surface “tooth” for the new layer of paint to grab onto.  Wax can be a slippery surface for paint to grip.

The corner cabinets in my dining room and the buffet are all painted in milk paint over wax and there wasn’t a bit of chipping or trouble with adhesion.

I did notice the paint distressed a bit easier, because of that wax barrier, but that ended up working in my favor.

The first landscape dresser was also painted over wax.

The piece was originally painted in Schloss for the Look Book Two photo shoot, but after it hung around the studio for a while, I decided to paint it again.

We did end up with some chipping and crazing on that one, but that had more to do with the finish under the first coat of paint than the last coat of paint over the wax.  If you notice, it chipped all the way down to the wood.

So, just allow the wax to cure, give it a light sanding and you’re good to paint away!

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    19 Comments

    1. Emily @ 11gables.blogspot.com

      I was just researching this very topic a few weeks ago! Thank you for writing about it, Marian. I read that you can wipe the wax down a bit with Mineral Spirits prior to painting over wax. Have you tried that? Looking forward to hearing you speak in the morning at Haven! xox, Emily

    2. Mary-the boondocks blog

      Marian, you say the normal curing time is 30 days. Does that mean we have to wait 30 days after painting a piece before we can apply the wax? I love your landscape dressers.

      • Gilly @ Colour Saturated Life

        No she means that the wax takes 30 days to cure, you can wax as soon as your paint is dry.

    3. KT

      Is there a way to remove antiquing wax, or soften it? I have piece that I just waxed and a couple sections have dark overlap lines.

      • Allan

        May be too late now but if you use clear wax it will remove
        the dark wax if you applied too much.

    4. Nancy @ slightly Coastal

      I’m happy to hear you can paint over wax because I often find pieces of furniture I love that have already been painted in antique malls etc…the problem is, much of the time I find it hasn’t been done well but the piece has such good bones. I would think using quality paint to repaint would be important too.

      Thanks for the post.

      Nancy

    5. Lesleigh

      What about painting over hemp oil? I love love love your products, but I recently finished something in hemp oil, and now I may want to try a different color! ?

      • Shannon

        I was wondering about painting over hemp oil also.

    6. Jean

      When you bring something home, do you clean the items with anything, or just get to work? (after deciding on artistic part)I always clean with Murphy’s Oil Soap. I to am about to Milk Paint over something I stripped and hemp oiled, but I will rub it down with mineral spirits first.

    7. Mary mumper

      Where did you get that angel statue? I love it!

    8. Mary Crozier

      I love your home and especially, the little helper in the pajamas! Too cute! Thanks for sharing. I learn so much from you.

    9. MICHELLE

      Good to know…thank you, Marian.

    10. Lisa Nash

      I’ve painted over wax several times too and it was fine. As you’ve mentioned Marion, sanding the piece first does help. Thanks for this helpful information though – I learned by trial and error!

    11. Susan

      That’s good to know. I recently painted a small antique side table and the top chipped a lot more than I wanted it to. But I put the wax on top anyway. So I might paint over it. Thanks for all you wisdom!

    12. Naomi S.

      Oooh, there’s that yummy landscape dresser! I do love that scene with all the trees and the little sheepies.

      Thanks for the great information about repainting over wax. I am just the kind of fickle–or perfectionistic–person who would decide I had to start over!

    13. sandra

      I clean all furniture with denatured alcohol to grt wax off furniture unless it’s raw wood. it works. a tip from my husband.

    14. Bridget

      I too am wondering about painting over oil. I am planning to paint an old pine floor with your milk paint and finish with tung oil, in a few years if I change decorating direction, will I be able to repainted?

    15. Astrid

      What kind of paint is best to use when painting over the chalk paint and wax? (after sanding of course) Can I use a semi gloss latex paint? Or do I need to stick with chalk paint, or milk paint? We bought a home, and the previous owner painted the kitchen cabinets with chalk paint, in a color I don’t care for. I would like a smooth, semi gloss finish on my cabinets. Please help?!

      • Sadie

        I’d like to offer a warning that painting over wax does sometimes cause disastrous results. I painted a Ming coffee table that I bought at auction, not realizing it was waxed, and the paint peeled off in sheets. Maybe milk paint adheres to wax especially well. I used Benjamin Moore Advance. It took many, many hours of wiping with denatured alcohol, sanding, and finally a coat of shellac to seal the residual wax, before I could get paint to adhere.

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