{"id":1653,"date":"2014-08-28T16:02:34","date_gmt":"2014-08-28T15:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wood-finishes-direct.com\/blog\/?p=1653"},"modified":"2025-06-05T14:23:51","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T13:23:51","slug":"wood-oils-best-used","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wood-finishes-direct.com\/blog\/wood-oils-best-used\/","title":{"rendered":"What are Wood Oils and Where are They Best Used?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There’s a lot of confusion about how, when and where to use \n\nwood oils<\/a>. It’s no surprise really, when there are so many to choose from: \n\nTeak <\/a>oil, Tung oil, \n\nDanish oil<\/a>, Oak furniture oil and many more, some of which are specifically designed for certain types of wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We thought it’d be helpful to take a look at \n\nwood oils<\/a> and how to use them, and answer some of the most common questions\u00a0on the subject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, what is wood oil?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\n\nOil<\/a> is one of the most popular ways to finish wood. The protection delivered by \n\noils<\/a> isn’t quite as robust and effective as contemporary wood finishing products like varnishes. But on the plus side, oils tend to bring out the character of the wood better, they’re made of natural products, plus they’re very easy to apply and maintain.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Osmo Top Oil on Kitchen Worktop<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Types of wood oil and how to use them<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\n\nDanish oil<\/a> and \n\nTeak oil<\/a><\/strong> dry faster than linseed oil, which is traditionally used on willow cricket bats. The finish they provide is also much more resilient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your wood already has linseed oil on it, it’s best to carry on using it. But if it’s a new project, something that hasn’t been oiled before, steer clear of linseed oil. While Teak oil delivers a slight sheen, Danish oil leaves a more lustrous finish. As you can imagine, \n\nRonseal Teak Oil<\/a> is a firm favourite with our customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Apply Danish and Teak oil with a soft brush or cloth, being careful not to use too much at a time or it won’t sink in. Sand the wood in between coats with a fine sandpaper. You will probably find 3 or 4 coats of oil is your optimum, delivering the best results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Standard linseed oil<\/strong> takes ages to dry, at least two or three days per coat, and you need multiple coats when applying it to new wood, normally three to five coats but in some cases, as many as fifteen to twenty coats can be applied. Boiled linseed oil, on the other hand, ‘only’ takes a day to dry.  But neither are suitable for outdoor wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    • Apply the oil with a cloth and rub it in well. Leave a day between coats and once you’re happy with the finish, buff it to a lovely sheen with a soft cloth<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
      \n
      \"wood-oil-beading\"
      An example of wood oil beading.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

      Mineral oil<\/strong> is actually a very effective laxative, which you should be able to buy at your local chemist. While it doesn’t give you the same sheen as the other oils we’ve talked about, it’s perfect for things like kitchen chopping boards where you need a non-toxic finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Tung oil<\/strong> is thought by many to be the finest natural finish for wood, with its legendary performance and stunning end results. As the \n\nTung Oil website <\/a>says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      “In over 100 years of development of synthetic resins and varnishes, no one has developed a coating that surpasses the overall performance of natural tung oil.
      Tung oil is a drying oil obtained by pressing the seed from the nut of the Tung tree (Vernicia fordii<\/em>). As a drying oil, Tung oil dries upon exposure to air. The resulting coating is transparent, waterproof, and flexible, a property exploited in most of its applications, which include wood finishing and the composition of traditional oil paints, caulks, mortar and India ink. Tung oil is used on wooden toys as it is naturally non-toxic when dry and is not affected by mould like linseed oil. Tung oil is able to move and flex as wooden surfaces expand and contract with age and changing temperature.
      The Chinese have utilised the properties of Tung oil for hundreds, if not thousands, of years for caulking and painting of their boats, treating leather and waterproofing paper and cloth.”
      The Tung tree originated in central and southern China, concentrated around the Yangtse River, and it appears in the writings of Confucius from about 400 B.C.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      You need to apply Tung oil using a special method called wet-on-wet burnishing, more complex and involved than many other oil application methods. Most amateurs find this process difficult. While you apply Tung oil just like linseed oil, you need to sand the surface after each application of oil and it usually takes at least 3-5 coats plus 2-3 days drying time in between each coat. If you’d like to attempt it, here’s an excellent video…<\/p>\n\n\n\n