Another Fool Proof Finish? – Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from Craig, The Ham Handed Wood Savage, who writes:
I’m trying this “fool proof” oil and wax finish that I learned from the Fine Woodworking site. I think I might have managed to mess it up. The boiled linseed oil seems tacky to the touch, and it doesn’t look so good. Any idea what might have gone wrong? I flooded the surface, waited approximately one hour and wiped the excess off just like FW said, but it just doesn’t look right.
The wood is mahogany, I was just doing a sample piece so I’m not committed yet. I think I know what your recommendation for a finish will be…an oil varnish blend? I’m not completely against this solution but I would probably prefer to go with 3 coats of Gen Finishes seal-a-cell wiped on and leave it at that. What do you think about this approach? I think it might just work being that the wood is mahogany and as such has its own natural beauty.
And this is my response:
Hey Craig. While oil and wax is indeed a very easy to apply finish, I don’t typically recommend it. Sure it makes the wood “look” finished for a time, but the reality is that the wood has very little protection at all. In my opinion, oil and wax is really just one small step above using nothing at all. And because the wax will eventually look dull, it will need some maintenance to keep things looking fresh. To make matters worse, the reapplication of wax can lead to wax buildup. And what do you get for all this extra effort? A finish that has no abrasion resistance and very little moisture resistance. A raw deal if you ask me. I’d rather go naked.
Now to specifically answer your question. Boiled linseed oil will remain tacky for quite some time and requires you to revisit the piece every few hours to wipe off any standing oil. Sometimes it likes to seep out of the pores in open-pored woods like oak and ash, so these woods require even more attention. Also, if you are working with a naturally oily wood like padauk, teak, rosewood, bloodwood, among others, the boiled linseed oil will have some serious curing issues.
I would guess that you are looking for a decent level of protection and durability, yes? But you obviously want things to be as simple as possible. You mentioned Seal-a-Cell and I would honestly say skip it. My recommendation would be to go right to the more durable big brother, Arm-R-Seal. Seal-a-Cell really isn’t going to bring anything extra to the party. If you wipe on a few light coats, you can still manage to get that close-to-the-wood natural look, while having more protection than you would ever get from an oil, wax, or even an oil/varnish blend. Not to mention it requires one product and a simple wiping application method. And best of all, no long-term maintenance.
*** A commercial from me :) *** Emails just like this one from Craig are what inspired me create my DVD, A Simple Varnish Finish. My goal was to demystify finishing by simplifying the process and showing you details that are typically glossed over in other videos. So if you are interested, check it out in our store.
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Marc,
What finish do you recommend for purple heart?
I want to keep the color but add durability.
I am considering making a desk and a dinner table.
The desk will be a corner desk in a library system but I haven’t found many plans for corner desks. They don’t tend to be in the “cookbook receipes” woodworking books. Hey, maybe a good idea for another Taunton hardback? “Woodworking Patterns” successful woodworking design examples.
Thanks,
James in Tempe
This comment responds to James’s comment.
James, in my experience, the color of purpleheart goes to brown over time, no matter what you put on it. It’s a reaction to UV light, so the only way to retard the change is to put a UV blocker in the finish or to use a finish that includes one. Even then it doesn’t work for long. Keeping it out of the sun will help some.
Purpleheart is a very hard wood, so it should be quite durable on its own. For most applications, I would say you don’t really need much of a hard-shell finish on top, such as poly, lacquer, etc. Finishes that produce this kind of shell sometimes get a little plasticky-looking while they protect. Since they are a desk and a dinner table, though, and the tops will see a lot of wear and tear, you might decide you do need a little more abrasion resistance. Arm-R-Seal is quite a good urethane top-coat. I’ve gotten good results when I’ve put it over a thinned tung-oil. The thinned tung oil absorbs deep into the wood, and the Arm-R-Seal makes a thin shell. It’s not so different than using an oi-varnish blend. I have sprayed the Arm-R-Seal for a smoother surface than wiping.
I hope this helps.
Todd
Sorry for not responding James. Its been a busy August! Todd took care of you though. :)