The Framers Forum

I'm doing a frame at the moment that will have parts painted (black), parts with metal (gold) leaf and parts left as natural wood on the same piece of moulding (bare wood). I am wanting to wax it but want the paint and natural parts to be matt.

Has anyone got any suggestions or knows of any clear/neutral matt wax products that can go over all these finishes?

I don't do a lot of hand finishing but all the waxes I use, whether staining or finishing, need to be buffed, so that will produce at least a slight shine. Maybe a matt varnish would work?

Depends how matt you want it. In my exp, dead flat matt black paint is so delicate that it can't even be touched without leaving a mark. Try to remove a mark and you get a shiny spot. There are varnishes that are sold as 'matt'. But in practice this means 'not very glossy'. They produce a finish like matt photo prints. Sort of satiny.

Thanks Guys,

Yes I came across Artist's Matt Varnish last night and have ordered some to try out. After reading around the net, it seems there isn't any such thing as a matt wax

I'm now wondering if an oil would be better for the natural part of the wood, that will protect it but not be shiny...but which one?

Its an original I have bought so once its painted and on the wall (a distance of 8 metres), it will not get touched, so I should be ok with the matt finish. And I could always touch it up with it being mine.
The slip is matt black but will be behind glass so I know thats going to be ok

http://www.lionpic.co.uk/product/FINISH ... 826,0.aspx

I've used finishing oil on oak and it gives a low lustre as described.

Thanks David, I'll give that a go too

You can de-gloss varnish to some extent by gently stoking with fine steel wool. Don't rub or it will get shinny.

There is Decorator's Varnishing Wax which is basically a clear acrylic medium. One coat on obeche will sink in and not appear too glossy, but should be enough to seal the surface of the wood.

I use the Polyvine dead flat matt, but as Prospero mentions in reality it has a slight sheen.
Plaka do a silky matt varnish in spray can or water based brush on, similar finish to the Polyvine.
The Lascaux UV 3 protect spray comes in matt, semi-matt, and gloss. The matt version is matt.... but it is very difficult to get a good finish, luckily a forum member warned me about this before I used it - it often gets a white bloom if sprayed/built up too quickly and this don't look good

As already suggested, matt (picture?) varnish is probably as good as anything.

Thanks Prospero, framemaker,

I was just reading up on the polyvine dead flat varnish, and its possible defects over dark paints, ie misting up etc.

I think I will try the artists matt varnish and see how that goes. If that fails, I have my current method to fall back on.

Also, any tips for masking, as using masking tape the paint seems to still get under the edge of the tape. I need a really sharp edge where the paint meets the chamfer of the moulding. Do the more expensive masking tapes work any better?

There is a masking tape called Frog tape, claims to give a perfect bleed-free line every time... I have not tried it though! easily available though from DIY mega barns.

I've used a brand of sign writers tape called The Edge which is better than typical masking tape.

Thanks...will get some

Frog Tape is good but it is designed to work with water based paints. Google the company site to see how it works.

With any masking tape burnish the edges especially where the tape might cross. Then seal the edge either with the the same colour paint as any under-finish (any bleed will not show) or with a clear coat that can be overpainted with your top-coat colour.

With Frog Tape I do the above but first give the edge a brush with clean water, let it dry and then finish.

Yes, I'll be using water based paints so frog tape seems the way to go. A good tip with the coat of clear water first...will remember that.