There’s a lot of confusion about how, when and where to use wood oils. It’s no surprise, really, when there are so many to choose from: teak oil, tung oil, Danish oil, oak furniture oil and many more, some of which are specifically designed for certain types of wood.
We thought it’d be helpful to take a look at wood oils and how to use them, and answer some of the most common questions on the subject.
First, what is wood oil?
Oil is one of the most popular ways to finish wood. The protection delivered by oils isn’t quite as robust and effective as that delivered by 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.
Osmo Top Oil on a kitchen worktop
Types of wood oil and how to use them
Danish oil and teak oil dry faster than linseed oil, which is traditionally used on willow cricket bats. The finish they provide is also much more resilient.
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, Ronseal Teak Oil is a firm favourite with our customers.
- 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 between coats with fine sandpaper. You will probably find that 3 or 4 coats of oil deliver the best results.
Standard linseed oil 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 are needed, 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 is suitable for outdoor wood.
- 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.
An example of wood oil beading.
Mineral oil 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.
Tung oil is thought by many to be the finest natural finish for wood, with its legendary performance and stunning end results. As the Tung Oil website says:
“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). 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.
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 between each coat. If you’d like to attempt it, here’s an excellent video…
What is the difference between a wood oil and a varnish?
Oil is a natural product. Oils cure slowly and penetrate into the surface of the wood. Multiple coatings can be applied until the wood is unable to absorb any more. Additional coats can be applied if desired to create a surface build or coating of oil.
Varnish is a synthetic product made by cooking a natural oil like linseed oil, tung oil or even soya oil with a resin like polyurethane. It’s used to build up layers on the surface of the wood to create a plastic-like coating that gives a hard-wearing, protective finish or seal to floors and other wooden surfaces.
Can I varnish over wood oil?
In short, the answer is ‘no’. Because most modern varnishes are water-based, they are generally not compatible with oiled surfaces. The easy way to think of this is having water and oil in a frying pan – try to mix them and they separate. If a water-based varnish is applied on top of an oiled surface, it’s highly likely that it will not bond with the wood and will therefore peel off very quickly. Some types of varnish can be applied over an oiled surface, but the process is difficult and needs specific primers and varnishes to achieve this.
The easiest approach to varnishing a previously oiled floor is to use a floor sander to remove the surface of the wood, including the wood oil. Wood oils never penetrate more than a couple of microns into the surface of the timber, so it won’t require too much sanding to get back to clean, bare wood.
What is the best oil for oak furniture?
- Oiling oak worktops provides the best finish. It adds more depth and character than varnishes and lacquers, is easy to work with, and provides a water-resistant finish.
- For other interior oak, an oak furniture oil like Danish oil is a popular choice for preventing stains and cracking and providing a beautiful, lustrous finish.
- Danish oil makes an excellent wood floor oil, but modern proprietary products are sometimes easier to work with. If you’d like advice from the experts, feel free to call us.
- A common question is ‘What is the best outdoor furniture oil?’ We recommend using a high-quality teak oil or other specialist garden furniture oil to protect wooden garden furniture.
Can I use olive oil on wood furniture?
Yes, you can. Use a cloth to work the oil into the wood grain, rubbing back and forth. When the wood has absorbed the oil, leave it for ten minutes, then wipe the excess off with a clean cloth. Untreated wood tends to take 2–3 coats, but if you’re unsure, just stop when the wood stops absorbing the oil.
Although vegetable and other natural oils can be used, we would always recommend using a dedicated furniture oil, as these contain a specially formulated blend of oils and resins that provide additional durability and wear resistance. A great wood oil that can be used on most types of wooden furniture is clear Osmo Polyx Oil. If the additional colour of a stain is required, we recommend Osmo Polyx Oil Tints.
What is the difference between decking oil, decking preservative, decking paint and decking stain?
- Decking oil penetrates into the surface of the wood, protecting it from cracking, splitting and warping. It also helps to repel rain and moisture. Available in clear and coloured variants.
- Decking stains are usually coloured, varnish-like coatings that sit on top of the wood to provide colour and protection.
- Decking preservative is usually a spirit-based preserver that penetrates into the wood to protect against mould, algae, dry rot and insect attack, depending on the product you’re using. Many spirit-based wood preservatives are available in a range of colours that can be overcoated with a clear decking oil.
- Decking paint sits on the surface of the wood and helps keep moisture out. Decking paints are very similar to decking stains in that the paint produces a surface coating that sits on top of the decking timber.
Is there a substitute for linseed oil on a cricket bat?
Yes, but most cricket experts believe you can’t beat raw linseed oil. For a new bat with no finish, apply at least two coats of raw linseed oil to the front, back, edges and toe, using a soft rag. The face and edges of the bat should be rubbed down with fine sandpaper every 3–4 weeks during the cricket season and a light coat of linseed oil reapplied. When it has sunk in, wipe off the excess, then buff your bat to a sheen using a clean cloth.
How do I refinish olive wood bowls?
If you’re using the bowls to store or present food, never use a vegetable oil. All you’ll get is a horrible, smelly, sticky finish. Use a colourless, odour-free, light mineral oil instead, a safe and popular by-product of petroleum.
Olive bowl finished with wood oil
Tips for using wood oils safely and effectively
- If you want to stain the wood before you oil it, use a water-based stain. If you use an oil-based stain, it’ll block the pores in the wood and prevent the oil from doing its job properly.
- Never, ever leave an oily cloth rolled up. It can easily generate heat and catch fire. Dry it flat outdoors before storing it or chucking it in the bin.
Need help with choosing the right wood oil?
Do you have any questions about interior or exterior wood oils? We’ll be more than happy to answer them. Just get in touch.
We love to see before, during and after photos of any wood finishing project. If you would like to share your decking project pictures with us, you can either send us some photos or share them on our Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram pages.
347 comments
Reply to Rod:
Hello Rod,
If you are applying to bare wood then you could consider the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/fiddes-hard-wax-oil). It’s very durable and will dry hard so not leeching or rubbing off in your hands. It is available in a 250ml sample tin and a little goes a long way.
If it is a hardwood you may need to look at the Extra Thin Oil (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-wood-wax-finish-extra-thin) from Osmo to get a better absorption.
If you have a read up of the product and feel free to let me know if you have any further questions.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hello Sam
I am going to install some French doors from one of the leading internet suppliers. The doors are oak veneered and will face south-west although in a fairly sheltered spot in southern England.
The suppliers will provide the doors and frames in ‘unfinished’ or ‘treated’. The treated ones (which cost quite a lot more) are apparently varnished and are guaranteed for 3 years.
My concern is that if I get the treated finish, it will eventually crack and peel off (probably after 3 1/2 years!).
Would I be better getting ‘unfinished’ doors and treating them with oil? If so, which?
Thanks for your very informative and helpful website.
Regards – John
Reply to John:
Hello John,
I would tend to recommend an oil over a varnish for exterior finishes. The reason being as you say varnishes can tend to peel and flake over time. It would be fair to say that a varnish will last longer in terms of protection and durability than an oil, however once it comes to the end of life or gets damaged it is likely to need stripping off in order to retreat.
With an Oil you can simply re apply a fresh coat if and when you feel that the wood needs it, without the need to strip it back to bare wood. You may also want to consider a preservative (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-wr-base-coat) to protect against mould, mildew and rot before the application of an oil (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-uv-protection-oil).
If you have a read up of the products and do let me know if you have any further questions.
Kind Regards Samantha.
Hi.. firstly may I say what a fabulously informative site this is. I have a pine dining room table which was untreated when I bought it and sustained some minor water damage following a leak through the ceiling above it. Having left the water to dry out over some months, the evidence of the leak still remains. What would be the best way to disguise these marks? I thought perhaps using an antique pine danish oil may work?
Reply to Julie:
Hello Julie,
There are a number of suggested ways to remove water stains, however I can not guarantee any of them as it is not something that we have tested here at Wood Finishes Direct. Generally these will only work for pale or white water stains but they are worth a go >>> Rub the area with an oily furniture polish, mayonnaise, or petroleum jelly, if this does not work try putting a little toothpaste on a wet cloth and rub the stain gently until the spot disappears. If the stain is still there, mix equal amounts of baking soda and toothpaste together to make a slightly stronger, yet still mild, abrasive and rub that mixture on the stain.
Try all the above with care and although I cannot endorse these methods as such many people have recommended them on various forums and websites. If the stain is a dark colour then this means that the water has soaked deeper into the wood and is a little harder to remove. You will need to try sanding back to remove the stain. I hope that helps and feel free to come back to me if you have any further questions.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hello,
What a helpful site you have!
I’ve just purchased a custom live edge wooden bench made of lovely reclaimed Yew. The wood has many different swirls and shades of colors. However in finishing the item, the furniture designer has used a heavy coat of natural oil which has tinted all the different shades of brown to various shades of orange. Can you please tell me what is the best way for me to restore the colors back to shades of brown?
Thank you so so much!
Reply to Lauren:
Hello Lauran,
To remove the current oil finish you can use White Spirit (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/barrettine-white-spirit) and a Finishing Pad (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/woodleys-finishing-pads). This should remove most of the oil. Any stubborn oil may need to be sanded out.
Once back to bare wood I think you may need to leave to dry out for a few weeks and see how the wood looks. Do you know if the orange area is heart wood ? And what oil it was originally treated with ?
I think in order to get a more brown finish to the wood, you will need to apply a stain such as Light Fast Stain (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/morrells-light-fast-solvent-stains). This will give a strong colour and should not raise the grain as a water-based stain may do. Test areas are very important, however, as the wood that you are applying to will have an impact on the overall colour that can be achieved. And the wood’s natural tones can be highlighted when treatment is applied.
Once you have the desired colour then a top coat of clear oil can be applied to protect, but again a test area should be carried out to see how the oil impacts on the stain. I hope that helps and if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to let me know.
Kind regards Samantha.
Could you advise me please what product would be best to protect the interior walls and ceiling of a newly built pine cabin from fingermarks/general wear and tear etc. Would like as natural as possible finish.
Many thanks
Reply to Lynn:
Hello Lynn,
You could have a look at the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/fiddes-hard-wax-oil). This oil soaks in to the surface of the wood and gives great durability and protection to the wood. It give a natural look and feel to the wood. And is easy to clean, maintain and repair over time. If you have a look at the product and our YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzuvYbTjO-E) and feel free to let me know if you have any questions.
Kind regards Samantha.
I have a pine table from Next which appears to have been stained with a furniture oil. I recently had an accident where a bottle of insect repellant containing deet leaked from the bottle. The liquid seems to have eaten through the finish on the table and caused a ring to appear underneath where the bottle was placed (my bad!). I created a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water and placed it on the stain for a few seconds, before wiping away, in an attempt to remove any acid in the wood. Would it be possible to restore the table by touching the area up with some wood oil or would I have to strip back the entire surface? I was told a neutral colour furniture oil was used but the colour of the wood where the stain is doesn’t suggest this when compared to the colour surrounding it. I have pictures if this might assist. I would be greatly for any help and suggestions :o)