To sand & wax or...Not to sand & wax

That is a question that I get asked a lot!  And truthfully, it's a question I ask myself often after I have painted a piece of furniture.  For me, the decision is based on the piece itself and the overall look I want to achieve. And for me the question is not wax or no wax?...the question is clear wax or dark wax?

I was working on some old doors today and had a perfect opportunity to show you the huge difference that sanding followed by dark wax can make.  The paint color used is Florence by Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  I will note that dark wax over this color creates a pretty drastic color change - not the case for all colors.  I should also note that if you want to avoid a drastic color change you can first wax with clear wax and then come back over with dark wax.

Not only does the color change but the door with dark wax looks aged, shows the wood grain and imperfections more, and just overall has a bit more character.  I realize this is not the look that everyone is after.

Here are my completed doors.  Pretty neat to find two doors that match!