Selecting an effective timber finish is key to prolonging the lifespan of your wood, keeping its fresh appearance. Selecting the appropriate finishing treatments is paramount in keeping it looking its best!
At times, minor touch ups will suffice; but for complete restoration to take place, cleaning and drying times must also be factored into consideration.
Oils and Waxes
Oil or wax finishes offer enhanced wood protection without diminishing natural beauty, so they’re an ideal choice when searching for an environmentally-friendly finish solution. These products protect timber against moisture damage from sun and rain as well as fungal infestation, while simultaneously improving texture and appearance. Easily applied using cloth, sprayer or brush – oil and wax finishes provide physical as well as environmental safeguards that won’t compromise natural beauty!
Drying oils like linseed and tung are popular choices for interior timber finishing, offering both an odorless, tasteless, cost-effective option. Both oils must be thinned to facilitate their application; depending on the product used they may even contain additives to speed up its oxidation/dry/cure process faster; there’s even polymerized linseed oil available that has an even quicker cure time!
These oils penetrate the grain to protect and enhance it, creating a glossy sheen on your woodwork’s surface. Your desired finish will determine whether you use raw linseed oil (which requires thinning), boiled linseed or tung oil as food-grade finishes; both options are food safe; for faster curing times tung oil may be the better choice than linseed.
Varnish is another popular wood finish option, using multiple coats of varnish to form a protective film on timber surfaces. It usually has a clear hue but may feature yellow or orange tinting depending on your choice of shade or tinting agent; varnish can protect timber against sunlight exposure or water intrusion for an extended period. Application should ideally take place using either sprayer or brush as using cloth can result in uneven coverage.
If you’re seeking an extremely durable and long-lasting timber finish, try an oil-varnish blend. Similar to varnishes but easier to apply than both options, oil-varnish blends combine rub-in oils’ ease with stronger formulation. They may even include additional components like driers, dyes/pigments or diluents for extended wearability.
Water-Based Finishes
Water-based wood finishes dry and cure much faster than oil based ones, making them an excellent option for projects requiring quick turnaround times. Furthermore, their lower VOC levels make them safer for indoor environments as well as less intrusive to those with allergies or sensitivities to strong smells. Furthermore, water-based finishes tend to yellow less quickly while keeping their color more permanently.
Water-based finishes typically consist of resin spheres (usually acrylic and polyurethane) suspended in an evaporating solvent that slowly evaporates over time, softening wood surfaces to form protective coatings and clean up easily with water. They’re suitable for most timber species including softwoods like larch, cypress and cedar as well as hardwoods such as teak, iroko and afromosia.
Water-based finishes offer many advantages over their solvent counterparts, including being odourless and quick drying times; application with brush or roller is typically easy; cleanup after prolonged use can also be relatively effortless; they tend to work best with soft wood species such as oak than harder ones like maple; suitable products include MUROBOND Woodwash water-based colored washes as well as RUBIO MONOCOAT Precolor Easy wood stains.
Water-based finishes often strip away dyes in timber, creating an overly pale and washed out appearance. This can easily be addressed by sealing with de-waxed shellac to both protect these dyes and ‘warm up’ the final product’s appearance.
All of these finishes have been developed to protect exterior timber against various threats, such as weathering, UV rays and fungal attack. Some offer softer, more natural looks than others if staining your timber cladding to complement interior decor aesthetics.
Danish Oil
Danish oil is a penetrating wood finish similar to boiled linseed oil but with additional varnish resins added for increased durability. It features an attractive natural low sheen, drying to an impervious hard finish which resists water while remaining water resistant; conforming to The Articles in Contact With Food Regulations 1995 as well as Toys (Safety) Regulations 1995 as well as BS:EN71 Part 3.
Danish oil finishes should be applied using a damp rag, left to soak in and any excess oil removed using a dry rag before wiping off any surplus. Once dry, Danish oil finishes may be further polished using 000 or 0000 steel wool for increased sheen if desired. Its easy reapplication means any worn or damaged areas can easily be treated without having to sand and repaint an entire piece.
Danish Oil seems to have originated when Scandinavian furniture with an attractive low sheen finish was exported around the world following World War II. Danish Oil serves to protect and enhance its natural beauty by protecting timber.
Efficient finishing treatment options that can transform wood are found here, such as polyurethane varnish. You can use it on either raw or stained timber and create beautiful soft sheen on doors, furniture and turned woodwork while also protecting exposed structural timbers and paneling from exposure or exposure to weathering and dirt accumulation – it is the ideal choice for kitchen surfaces and door frames which need high dirt-resistance levels.
As with all oils and varnishes, care must be taken when applying these materials in order to utilize proper application techniques and follow manufacturer guidelines. Due to potential fumes that could potentially cause respiratory issues without adequate ventilation, it is advisable to wear both a face mask and NIOSH respirator when working with them.
stain your timber beams or furniture to match the color scheme of the room in which you are placing them, for optimal results. Not only will this create a natural flow between furniture and timber but it will also protect it against moisture damage that could shorten its life span or discolour its color over time.
Boiled Linseed Oil
Boilled linseed oil is an economical oil treatment option that gives wood a wet look with just the right amount of sheen – popular among woodworkers across the UK and often available from specialist shops.
Boilled linseed oil should be applied using a rag that has been submerged in oil, then gently rubbed across the wood surface in either straight lines up and down grain or slow, circular strokes. Gloves should always be worn during this process as linseed oil can be toxic – take special caution!
Oil absorbs into surfaces quickly and then starts drying out, creating a soft finish with minimal to moderate sheen levels. For best results and to extend protection while looking its best, regular reapplication of oil should be performed to maintain protection and keep looking its best.
There are various varieties of linseed oil on the market. Pure boiled linseed oil is often used to protect timber surfaces against water damage, fungus growth and UV radiation, while it’s also popularly used to coat tools or wooden utensils such as chopping boards in order to resist swelling due to humidity and moisture absorption.
Stand linseed oil is a special form of boiled linseed oil that has been heated to thicken, then left out in the sun to harden into an elastic finish. While not generally used for wood treatment purposes, stand linseed oil may come in handy with paint techniques or popping the grain before applying film finishes such as shellac varnish or polyurethane film finishes.
Danish Oil is another extremely popular form of linseed oil finish, consisting of a blend of boiled linseed oil and tung oil that’s usually fortified with resins, dyes/pigments and driers for extra durability. This finish is often used on outdoor furniture to protect its surfaces – serving as an effective varnish alternative!
