Ask Jacksons: Should I add chalk dust to cold wax?

Something to consider is that Gamblin Cold Wax reacts to temperature so it will be wetter, or slightly more melted, in warmer temperatures. If your work space is quite warm you could try creating a colder environment and you’ll find the wax will become stiffer when handling it. 

You can add chalk dust to cold wax, however, we suggest using marble dust rather than chalk as it’s less likely to affect the colour. If you do this, you would ideally be working on a rigid surface. Adding chalk or marble dust to cold wax can dry out the mixture and lead to it becoming brittle.

Over time, this can then loosen the adhesion and give it a crumbly appearance that is unstable. If the amount of chalk or marble dust included is low, then this problem is unlikely to arise, but I would test your ratio out on your chosen substrate first. 

From our range, you could use Derivan Matisse Dry Medium Ground Marble, as this is available in small amounts and is a transparent powder, meaning a mixture’s colour will be unaffected by its addition. Another option is Cornelissen Marble Dust Fine Grain which is white and available in larger sizes.

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