Wood Finishing
April 7, 2009
Oak Finished with Danish OilMany people think that Danish Oil is a finish which penetrates deeply into the wood. This, however, is not true. The oil does penetrate slightly deeper than other finishes but not to the extent many people believe it does. It is vital that Danish Oil is able to penetrate the wood effectively in order to produce an excellent quality of finish. This means that if your hardwood furniture has been previously finished with either lacquer or paint, Danish Oil will not be an effective method of finishing that item. Danish Oil is the best product for giving an attractive natural finish to your wood furniture. It has a soft sheen to it, rather than the high gloss that lacquers produce. This has several advantages, in that it doesn’t show up fingerprints or dust, and should the wood furniture be damaged it is easy to repair for novices and experts alike, as all that’s required is a light sanding and reapplication. A lacquered finish, by contrast, will need the whole piece stripping and refinishing – a very expensive job that should only be undertaken by a trained professional.
Mango Finished with BeeswaxBeeswax is a natural way of finishing wood furniture. It can be used on virtually every type of wood used for furniture, but is most effective on hardwood furniture, such as mango. It will create a perfect, highly attractive finish which also serves as a protective layer which will help to keep your furniture looking its best no matter what. Beeswax is a great product for people concerned about the environment as it is completely natural and free from any nasty chemicals which can often be found in household products, such as polishes. Beeswax can be used very economically as only a small amount is needed to gain the desired effect. It is also excellent at revitalising distressed wood. Beeswax brings out the fine grain of the wooden furniture and achieves a beautifully tactile silky smooth finish. The finish that both beeswax and Danish oil produce is known as an unsealed wood finish. Therefore it is not recommended that chemical cleaning products are used, as these will permeate the wood, drying it out and causing irreparable cracking. Feather dusting or the use of a damp cloth is all that should be needed to care for your wooden furniture.
Sprayed Lacquer
Sprayed lacquer achieves 100% adhesion with underlying layers meaning that it seals the wooden furniture and produces a high gloss finish. At first this sounds very desirable, it does have its downsides though: it can be quiet easily scratched and the slightest marks or fingerprints will be very obvious, making it a high maintenance finish. This can be guarded against by protecting it with mats, cloths, etc., but what’s the point of having beautiful hardwood furniture if you have to cover it up?
Polyurethane
Polyurethane is a common film finish for wooden furniture. This is another finish that seals the wood. It is relatively inexpensive and easy for manufacturers to apply. For this reason it is often used on cheap, inferior quality wooden furniture, such as pine furniture. There are many disadvantages in using polyurethane to finish wood furniture. It shares many qualities of lacquered furniture, but it is also susceptible to damage from ultra-violet light exposure. This can crack the finish leaving white marks that are impossible to remove. Because of this, polyurethane finished furniture should not be kept in natural sunlight – a serious disadvantage unless you are furnishing a room without windows!
In summary
By far the best finishes for high quality wood furniture are either Danish oil or beeswax. They bring out the stunning beauty of wooden furniture grains and leave wood satisfying to the touch. Steer well clear of varnish and polyurethane if you are after a luxurious piece of quality furniture. For more information on wooden furniture care, please see our guide to treating hardwood furniture.
I Have A oiled oak dining table and chairs which is about 2 years old, over this period of time it has sustained a few water marks which has leached out the colour, will I have to sand the whole dining set to achieve an even colour. If so i think I would prefer my oak to be sprayed with polyurethane, at least it resists water damage.
Comment by Paul Stiles — April 18, 2009 @ 12:15 am
Hi Paul,
I’m sorry to hear that your dining set has sustained damage. As I cannot see the damage it’s hard to know what to recommend. Sanding and refinishing may be the only option. I would, however, warn against the use of polyurethane. The reason being that it is not immune from water staining itself, and an oiled finish is so much more attractive. This is why all of our oak furniture is Danish oiled.
An oiled piece will not damage from spillages if they are wiped up immediately. Whatever the finish, I would recommend always using place mats and coasters.
Hope that helps,
Terry
Comment by terry — April 24, 2009 @ 9:40 am
Hi Sue,
All you need to do is lightly treat it with natural Danish oil. You can get this from most DIY shops.
All the best,
Terry
Comment by terry — May 11, 2009 @ 11:42 am
Hello Terry,
I have a solid Oak dining room table but have never treated it with oil, it has a some stains over the years and a few hairline cracks, after reading your advise on how to look after natural wood I would like to use the Danish oil, can I just remove the stains with a damp cloth before I use the oil or will I have to sand the wood first? Or will the oil clean the wood?
Kind Regards,
Gill
Comment by gill — June 9, 2009 @ 1:38 pm
Hi Gill,
The oil won’t clean the wood, it will nourish it. You will need to clean the wood yorself (don’t use harsh chemicals), but if they don’t come out you may well need to sand it with VERY fine sand paper. Make sure you don’t dig down into the wood, and blend the area surrounding the stains (maybe even do the whole surface). Then you can apply the oil sparingly, giving it a few coats over a period of a week, allowing it to soak in fully between coats.
Please note that if you don’t feel comfortable attempting this yourself then you should get an expert in. Any work you do is done at your own risk, and Oak Furniture Land will not be held responsible for any damage that may result.
Good luck,
Terry
Comment by terry — June 12, 2009 @ 10:27 am
Hi, I am interested in one of your oiled nest of tables, but am concerned that the oil may transfer
to carpets and other soft furnishings, is this likely? Can you please give me some advice
Thanks
Comment by Donna — July 9, 2009 @ 8:11 pm
Hi Donna,
There is no risk of oil transferring at all.
The oil is absorbed into the wood, and as such will not cause problems to carpets or soft furnishings (or anything!). Just be sure that when you maintain the furniture you do not put too much oil on there. Use small applications each time allowing the oil to be absorbed before placing anything on the surfaces.
All the best,
Terry
Comment by terry — July 10, 2009 @ 11:43 am
I have just purchased two lovely Alto coffee tables. Have they already been oiled before purchase n oiled or do I have to oil straight away. Also how often should this be
done?
Comment by pamela — August 9, 2009 @ 11:53 am
We bought our lounge furniture from your Rivendell range about 18 months ago. We haven’t treated yet and think it’s due but am unsure what to treat it with. Please can you advise. Is Danish oil my best option? Is that what it had already been treated with when I bought it?
Kind regards.
Neil
Comment by Neil — August 23, 2009 @ 12:10 pm