Soak the pieces of driftwood in a bucket of clear water for an hour. Submerge them so any insects deep inside the wood float to the surface and any sand sinks.
Lift the wood from the water and brush the crevasses with a bristle brush to dislodge any rotten wood or dirt.
Use a chisel to scrape out any soft rotten wood.
Sand the driftwood with a 120-grit sandpaper to smooth down the surface, especially around the areas you just cleaned out with the brush and chisel.
Change out the sandpaper to a finer 150-grit paper and blow out the cracks where the sanding dust has accumulated. Increase the grit to 180 and then to 200-grit sandpaper for your final sanding.
Rinse the driftwood. Use a garden hose with a spray nozzle to rinse off the piece of wood, and then set it in the sun to dry.
Mix 1lb. of melted beeswax, 1pt. of odorless turpentine and 1 pt. of linseed oil. Dip a clean rag into the warm mixture and apply to the surface of the driftwood. Let it dry for a few minutes.
Buff the waxed wood with a wool cloth to bring it up to a high luster.