Synopsis: We test 21 brands of wax to see which ones are best for furniture makers. Mark Schofield used the waxes to get a moderate sheen on cherry test boards finished with a washcoat of shellac and three coats of wiped-on polyurethane. He also tested the waxes on a mirror to see how easily they spread and buffed out. There wasn’t a substantial difference in the final appearance of the test boards in the end, but there were significant differences in the elbow-grease required, the odor, and the price.

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On almost every piece of furniture I’ve made, the final step has been to apply a coat or two of wax. Nothing beats its slippery feel, the luster is just right, it hides minor imperfections in the finish, and hands down it is the easiest finish to work with. So when Fine Woodworking asked if I was interested in testing more…