Waxes and Faux Finishing

Who said Monday has to be blue?  Let's get our shine on shall we!

Our product line, Faux Effects, offers five different waxes with different sheens and application properties. Most are appropriate for a variety of surfaces and one, Master Finishing Wax, is specific to cabinetry.  Before I get into the different waxes, let's go over why you would select a wax in the first place.

Waxes in faux finishing accomplish several things.  They offer a translucent to semi-opaque medium for adding a decorative layer to your finish. 

(Faux Color mixed with Aquawax and troweled over Brown Sapphire Venetian Gem plaster)

Because of the thickness of wax compared to glaze mediums, wax will hold everything from colorants, mica powders, glitter and beads-often in a trowelable form. 

(Aquawax with Silver Glitter over Foil and Lusterstones)

Waxes are an appropriate choice when you want to smooth a finish or fill in voids but still see the layers underneath. For example, Ashley and I completed a Lusterstone project in a loft that was long and narrow.  The single natural light source was a large window at the end of the "shoebox" space.  If the light was behind you or you stood in front of the finish, the walls appeared smooth.  But when you entered the space with only the natural light source, the wall application appeared uneven.  Our solution was to trowel a thin coat of O'Villa Wax. This "smoothed" the appearance of the surface but did not change the depth or color of the original Lusterstone technique.

(Combed Softex back filled and smoothed with O'Villa Wax mixed with pearl mica powder.)

Waxes may also be used as the finish medium and do not have to be layered with other products.

(Layers of tinted Aquawax)

Finally, many waxes are a topcoat adding a protective and decorative layer to your finishes in one step.

Waxes are particularly effective in wet areas such as kitchens and bathrooms or in children's rooms where scrubbing is a priority.

(Custom tinted O'Villa Plaster with O'Villa Wax in a young boy's room)

So what are the Faux Effects Wax options?

The first wax is a Silver Label product, Aquawax.  This acrylic wax is translucent in nature and may be tinted with a variety of colorants and mica powders.  It dries to a shiny sheen therefore it tends to look more contemporary.

(Aquawax mixed with metallics and Verdigris Colors)

Aquawax is a great choice for ceilings where you often want greater light reflection.

(Gold tinted Aquawax over Venetian Gem Plaster and Palette Deco)

It is a good medium for holding glitters but may fog if you are trying to create a build thick enough to hold glass beads. 

(Aquawax and silver glitter over a Wallovers Stencil)

It will also fog (white areas) if troweled thickly over a dark surface. Building your finish with thin layers is a better approach.  Aquawax dries quickly so multiple layers in a single day are easily accomplished.  Because it is thin in nature, it is a nice choice when you don't want to bury your previous layers.

(Aquawax mixed with MetalGlow over Sandstone)

Aquawax is considered a troweled product.  Because it dries fast, it is difficult to brush over a large surface.  I have thinned tinted Aquawax with So-Slow for a contemporary furniture finish that I am developing for a metallic cabinetry class.

(Aquawax mixed with colorants and So-Slow over a metallic base coat)

Faux Effects does have a wax specific to furniture, Master Finishing Wax. This is a Gold

Label product and does have some application nuances.  It is best applied by soaking cheesecloth or a terry towel in the wax and spreading on the surface in one direction following the grain.  It dries fast and may be extended with So-Slow.  MFW should set at least 30 minutes before applying additional coats.  It may be hand rubbed or lightly sanded with 600 grit wet paper on the final coat.  I like to tint the MFW with a dark color to tone and seal my furniture pieces in one step. Because this is a hand-applied finish I find it to be more practical for furniture then kitchen or bath cabinetry.  If a client wants a waxed look for larger scale cabinetry, I mix Satin and Dull Varnish Plus that I may spray or roll.

(Master Finishing Wax tinted black over my Krishna Blue Sample)

A favorite wax here at Surfaces is O'Villa Wax.  This is a Gold Label product that is a companion topcoat for O'Villa Plaster but is not limited only to this application.  We love O'Villa for the low sheen that creates a more traditional or old world look on many of our finishes.

(O'Villa Wax tinted the darkest shade over tinted O'Villa Plaster)

O'Villa Wax is translucent and trowelable like Aquawax but spreads thinner and melts into the surface. In the living room picture above, the O'Villa Wax allowed us to apply the darkest shade over the plaster adding depth but not hiding the underneath colors. It also highlighted the trowel lines in a soft manner.

Because O'Villa Wax has these properties, it is not our first choice for holding beads or glitter particularly over stencils.  O'Villa Wax is a good enhancement for Lusterstone finishes because this wax plays nicely off the fabric look of Lusterstone.

(O'Villa Wax mixed with Gold Mica Powder troweled over custom Red Lusterstone Colors)

We love our Venetian Gem product line because it covers well and we can get rich dark colors. Some clients do not want the classic high sheen of a Venetian Plaster but they want a sheen and depth to the plaster. We find that O'Villa Wax is a good choice in this case.  It also works well when the client wants a metallic but "Not Too Shiny!"

(Cracked custom blue Venetian Gem with O'Villa Wax in pearl and silver)

Another wax in our line-up is the RS Water Wax.  Although this is part of the RS Series it is not an "activated" product. This is a true paste wax and looks slightly yellow in the container.  Unlike O'Villa, Aquawax, and Master Finishing Wax, the RS Water Wax will not dry clear-so it should always be tinted!

It also dries significantly lighter but will darken on the highs when buffed.  I find tinting RS Wax deep shades to be difficult-the colorant turns the wax soupy.  It is also a soft topcoat.  For heavy use areas, I wait 48 hours and then roll Color Seal over the cured RS Waterwax.

The water wax is a pretty finish when mixed with metallic colorants or MetalGlow colors. It has a low luster sheen and feels soft.

(RS Water Wax mixed with MetalGlow over Lusterstone)

I select RS Water Wax when I want a more opaque wax that will more thickly fill the voids in a finish but still allow the under layers to peek through.

(RS Water Wax over Sandstone)

I did use the RS Water Wax over Lusterstone in our Master Bedroom last year and noticed that the color has faded even though the room gets little natural light.  I can only assume that my tint was too light and cured down in the finish over time.  I will try rebuffing first to see of that helps. I have used RS Water Wax for client projects and have not received calls alerting me to this issue.  I did use a neutral colored RS Water Wax in a kitchen and needed a more aggressive topcoat.  The Color Seal Satin I applied did enhance and darken the overall appearance of this wax. 

Our final wax is our only petroleum-based product in the Faux Effects Line.  Old World Venetian Wax is used primarily with lime-based products. It may be tinted with Mineral Pigments and Faux Creme Color Concentrates for darker shades and Faux Creme Colors for lighter shades.  It will burn out Faux Color.

(Old World Venetian Wax over Stucco Lustro and burnished in Gold Mica Powder)

Like most lime-based products, this wax buffs to a beautiful glass-like sheen and feels the least "plastic" or artificial of all the waxes.  Some people find the smell strong and unpleasant so wearing a mask may be in order.  The smell dissipates as the wax dries and cures. Also wear gloves-this wax is irritating to your skin.  When I apply it to ceiling finishes and it is hot, my face breaks out in a slight red rash that itches.  The wax looks so wonderful that I have gone through this several times-the sacrifices we make for clients!

(Old World Venetian Wax over Stucco Lustro)

But I do it for myself as well. I love this look so much I used in our Master Bedroom (above photo) and...

Our Staircase wall and...

Our lake house fireplace wall. 

The OWV Wax is the key to all of these finishes.  The OWV Wax is applied over StucoLustro in the lake house picture above. This is a flammable product! Do not use near an open flame.  All tools need to be cleaned well with water prior to storage and rags/cheesecloth should be soaked with water before disposal

Dry time is important to polishing the OWV Wax. If you polish it too soon, the wax will actually dull.  If the wax color is offloading on your polishing device, then it is too wet. And speaking of polishing...

You are crazy if you do not own one of these brushes! We carry them here and I use them to buff my RS Water and Old World Venetian Waxes and all my polish plasters ( Stucco Lustro, StucoLux, RS Plaster, RS Stone, and Venetian Gem).  You'll think that the stiff bristles will scratch the surface but no, no, no. It will save your arm.

A few final words on waxes.  I always consider how easy it will be to color correct or change a finish both as I am working on it and down the road.  O'Villa Wax, Aquawax, and Master Finishing Wax may be glazed although the glaze will bead some on the wax (it will dry down and adhere). These waxes may also be primed out and re-painted. 

The RS Water Wax is more difficult to glaze and re-paint.  If an area of RS Water Wax is too dark, we have used a wet cloth and rubbed it down but this needs to happen the next day before the wax begins curing.  This also worked if the wax was applied more heavily in some areas.

If your color is off on your Old World Venetian Wax then you are in trouble. This is very difficult to remove and must be done chemically.  It is also difficult to paint, prime, or re-glaze.  Again, you must strip the wax-so explain this to your clients ahead of time and have them sign off on this in your contract.

Now go Wax On-Wax Off Grasshoppers!

(The Karate Kid, 1984 Columbia Pictures)

Faux Effects RS SERIES vrs. EVERYTHING ELSE

Brenda McPeek’s recent class featured the RS Line. These products vex finishers. “What does RS mean?” “Why is it different then the other products? How can RS Sandstone be that different from regular Sandstone?” “Why is the line Gold Label?” In later posts, I will compare a single RS product with its closest relative in the Silver Label line. But I thought it might be helpful to know a little about the RS line as a whole.


“Why is it called RS?” RS stands for Reactive Series and it is what makes the whole product line unique. An activator is used with the products that gives you the ability to tear, tighten, pop, and manipulate your finish all while the material sets very slow. RS also happens to be the initials of Faux Effects founder, Raymond Sandor.

“How many products are in the RS Line?” There is the RS Activator, RS Stone (in several different grades from coarse to extra fine), RS Plaster, RS Glaze, RS Low Viscosity Glaze, RS Crete (also in several grades), RS Sandstone, RS Sandstone with Flakes, RS Travertino, and RS Water Wax. There is a RS Granite but it looks more like speckled sandpaper then granite.

“Do all the products “react”?” No. We don’t use the RS Activator with the Water Wax or the Crete. The RS label was attached to expedite the copyright and patent process.

“Can you use the products without the RS Activator?” First, don’t get the RS Activator confused with our Activator II which smells strongly of alcohol. RS Activator has no smell or taste (I know because I drank some in Vero thinking it was water!) We use several of the products without the RS Activator. We like the RS Plaster for shaped finishes because it dries really slowly and the RS Stone finer grades make nice tight trowel backfills for many finishes. RS Travertino is another one that we don’t activate much.


“So why use the RS Activator?” This is what separates the line from everything else. It may take 3 coats of the regular Sandstone to create the depth achieved by 1 layer of RS Sandstone. You may manipulate the application method of the RS Activator to create a variety of effects just within one product.

While most products flatten on a wall while you work them, the RS products thicken with the RS Activator. This allows them to “stand” over the surface making them a good choice for orange peel or light knock-down surfaces.

I find that the RS Activator gives me a similar look as the addition of Lime Slag-where it cracks and crumbles. But my bottle of RS Activator has a longer shelf life then the Lime Slag and the RS mixed product has a 3-day shelf life (we’ve kept it alive longer) while my lime slag mixed stuff turns to rock within a day. I can use the RS Activator without mixing it into my product giving me more control then the Lime Slag mixes.

RS products are Gold Label because there are tricks and techniques to making the line work.

“If this is so great why would you use the Everything Else?” To our eyes, some of the RS products are not as “refined” looking as their counterparts. For example, the RS glaze doesn’t have the subtly of a Faux Crème Clear mix. None of the RS products come pre-tinted. Because of the slow dry time, it may take overnight to proceed to your next finish layer. This is very true working on an exterior facing wall in winter-we often had little cracks from the top drying faster then the underneath. Some people like the cracks or they can be back-filled with a tight skim. Because stuff dries slow, people that putz with a finish may not know when to stop-rub on/rub off. If you add too much RS Activator, you have a new bucket doorstop. The per gallon cost is the same as other FE plasters but you have the additional expense of the RS Activator (although a little goes a long way).

We love the RS Series for:

Unique Finishes like the Travertino and the RS Sandstone with Flake.

Crumbly Old Wall Treatments with cracks, pits, and tears.

The ability to float colors and powders in the Low Viscosity Glaze that create realistic ceramic, glass, and stone finishes.

Products used in combination with traditional FE products to enhance a finish.

Product Smack-down: Venetian Gem vs. StucoLux

We built both Ashley’s Party Bath finish and Mary’s Lower Level sample on a dark based plaster (Dark Brown for Ashley and Black for Mary). In the Faux Effects line, we have two possible choices: Venetian Gem (Tiger’s Eye and Black Onyx) or StucoLux (Delta Brown and Midnight).

StucoLux is a mineral-based creamy smooth polish plaster. The lime and minerals are non-toxic, durable, and washable. It comes in a tint base, 21 colors, 10 metallics, and 5 Hi-Lite Colors. It comes in Quart and Gallon Sizes. Non-Metallic Colors are available in a 5 gallon.

Venetian Gem is an acrylic and ground marble polish plaster that is non-toxic, durable, and washable. It comes in a tint base, 19 colors, and 7 Hi-Lite Colors. It comes in Quart and Gallon Sizes. Non-Hi-Lite Colors are available in a 5 gallon.

So far the two products sound very similar. Here is how the two products stack up against each other based on our needs to achieve our particular finishes.

Need one: A plaster base that could go over a previously painted surface. Ashley’s walls needed Setcoat but Mary had a quality dark latex paint on her walls. In our experience, because of the lime in the Stuco Lux, we recommend either Setcoat or Quartz Primer under this product to avoid small eggshell cracks. We have great success applying Venetian Gem over 2 coats of quality paint so Mary could save a prep step by using the Venetian Gem.

Need Two: Opaque Deep Color. StucoLux dries about 20% lighter then the bucket color. If we were tight troweling the same StucoLux color over the base, we would get a pretty undulation of darker and lighter shades. For our projects, we just want to pull lighter colors over a darker base. The Venetian Gem will dry more opaque and true to the bucket color.

Need Three: A high/low base that is semi-thick. We may build the Venetian Gem with a sea sponge roller, a regular sea sponge, or a trowel without any cracking. StucoLux is best applied with a flat trowel technique and low graceful trowel lines.

Need Four: Only the plaster “tips” need to be polished. StucoLux has a more “glass-like” polish that would be buried by the glazes, Palette Deco, and Lusterstones, and Waxes we pulled over our finishes. It makes more sense for us to stack our products over the “denser” polish of the Venetian Gem.


Need Five: The base plaster is part of the finish-it is not the finish. StucoLux is slightly more expensive then the Venetian Gem. If we wanted a high shine plaster in a beautiful color then StucoLux is certainly worth the money-it gives a look similar to more pricey Italian Lime Plasters. The Venetian Gem is a more economical way to get the good solid base we needed for both finishes.

In the end, we selected the Venetian Gem Tiger’s Eye and Black Onyx. We have an easy to apply plaster that has color depth, is very durable, may be applied to a medium thickness in one coat, and is economical. Using the ‘rough roll” method, 1 gallon will cover 200 square feet (80% plaster and 20% of the base paint showing through) for one layer. We will show you other projects in the future where the StucoLux is the better option.