Oiling wood

Nicholas123 said:
:eek: you have got to be joking.If I did that & followed that philosophy for all the jobs that I have got to do I would be bankrupt in no time & would'nt be able to enjoy the wonderful hobby that I currently enjoy.I'm afraid we live in two different worlds Tranona.
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I have no idea why you think we live in different worlds. I suggest a low cost way of providing long term protection for you valuable woodwork and you ignore it in favor of spending time and money on useless things. The key to running a boat on a limited budget as I have done more than 30 years is to look further than the end of your nose. Sort out what activities give the best outcome for the money and time used and concentrate on those.
 
Maybe its just his thing Tranona, fiddling about trying stuff driven by a desire for low cost outlay - it's one way of managing a budget. I am just refurbishing my Teak Cockpit Table and have ordered a tin of International Woodskin as a result of this thread.

Thanks,

BlowingOldBoots
 
Ariadne said:
and it's good for the wood as it 'feeds' it and it can still breathe.
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Does it 'feed' the wood? Linseed is a drying oil.

Teak oil 'feeds' the wood (if it needs feeding) - and does not dry.

However, if the OP is prepared to pay for copious amounts of teak oil, he may as well pay for one of the many alternatives suggested already.
 
Although it doesn't say so on the packaging the teak oil you buy in a chandler is diluted with cheaper linseed oil. Linseed oil is damaged by UV and eventually turns the teak black. I wouldn't use linseed oil on any wood.

If the wood you have is teak and you want the best finish then use pure teak oil, it's not cheap though. With grey wood sand it until the grey is gone then apply the oil.
 
Tranona said:
I have no idea why you think we live in different worlds. I suggest a low cost way of providing long term protection for you valuable woodwork and you ignore it in favor of spending time and money on useless things. The key to running a boat on a limited budget as I have done more than 30 years is to look further than the end of your nose. Sort out what activities give the best outcome for the money and time used and concentrate on those.
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I can't afford to spend 40 times more than is absolutely necessary to do this job so you are just going to have to live with it mate.
I am sorry to be so rude but you have forced me.I have owned several boats over a period of 50 years & I believe am considerably worse off than you judging by what you have posted so far.
 
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chinita said:
I look forward to the next thread:

'How do I get rid of sticky linseed oil deposits?'
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:D You have touched on one of my concerns that is why I propose to dilute it with varnish.Somewhere between linseed oil & varnish there must be a happy medium that is protective & does not cause you to get involved in the endless maintenance that varnish causes.(total cost of all this about a fiver).:)
 
KellysEye said:
Although it doesn't say so on the packaging the teak oil you buy in a chandler is diluted with cheaper linseed oil. Linseed oil is damaged by UV and eventually turns the teak black. I wouldn't use linseed oil on any wood.

If the wood you have is teak and you want the best finish then use pure teak oil, it's not cheap though. With grey wood sand it until the grey is gone then apply the oil.
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That is good information.I don't want my wood turning black.
Wilkinsons do a teak oil for the same price as boiled linseed oil or possibly even 10p cheaper,I shall have to look into it.They also do a "Danish oil" for about twice the price whatever that is.Obviously more research is necessary.
Thankyou for all your contributions :)
 
Nicholas123 said:
That is good information.I don't want my wood turning black.
Wilkinsons do a teak oil for the same price as boiled linseed oil or possibly even 10p cheaper,I shall have to look into it.They also do a "Danish oil" for about twice the price whatever that is.Obviously more research is necessary.
Thankyou for all your contributions :)
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This site gives good info on Danish Oil/Tung Oil/Linseed. I would use Danish Oil. Don't use "Teak Oil".
 
Nicholas123 said:
I can't afford to spend 40 times more than is absolutely necessary to do this job so you are just going to have to live with it mate.
I am sorry to be so rude but you have forced me.I have owned several boats over a period of 50 years & I believe am considerably worse off than you judging by what you have posted so far.
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You are a strange fellow! Why do you persist in seeing virtue in doing something that is no value to avoid spending money. You ask for advice on a proposed course of action to be told by everybody it is no good, but still want to do it.

Why bother to ask at all - when after 50 years you should know what is useless and what is not!
 
>Wilkinsons do a teak oil for the same price as boiled linseed oil or possibly even 10p cheaper,I shall have to look into it.

I find that surprising, double check that it is pure teak oil. It may be aldulterated with something else.
 
Tranona said:
You are a strange fellow! Why do you persist in seeing virtue in doing something that is no value to avoid spending money. You ask for advice on a proposed course of action to be told by everybody it is no good, but still want to do it.

Why bother to ask at all - when after 50 years you should know what is useless and what is not!
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I hav'nt been told by everybody it is no good you need to read this thread again without your blinkers on.Not just in another world but on a different planet!
 
KellysEye said:
>Wilkinsons do a teak oil for the same price as boiled linseed oil or possibly even 10p cheaper,I shall have to look into it.

I find that surprising, double check that it is pure teak oil. It may be aldulterated with something else.
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It does have linseed oil in it but sounds a bit more versatile than just linseed oil.
£5.60 for one Litre.I have bought a Litre & will be able to use it on the inside of my cabin also which is mainly teak faced ply so it won't be wasted.
To all of you who have contributed to my knowledge of oiling wood despite 50 years of boat ownership I say thankyou.Some of us are always learning & don't actually pretend to know it all! :rolleyes:
 
Nicholas123 said:
It does have linseed oil in it but sounds a bit more versatile than just linseed oil.
£5.60 for one Litre.I have bought a Litre & will be able to use it on the inside of my cabin also which is mainly teak faced ply so it won't be wasted.
To all of you who have contributed to my knowledge of oiling wood despite 50 years of boat ownership I say thankyou.Some of us are always learning & don't actually pretend to know it all! :rolleyes:
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It's just as well you can use it inside then, because it will be a waste of time and money using it outside, unless you are prepared to re-do it every 4 to 6 weeks during the sailing season, rig a cover over it when you aren't using the boat, and store the boat inside over the winter. Rain, heat, cold, frost, UV and oxygen will conspire to make short work of all the sanding and oiling.
Admittedly, it is easier to re-apply than varnish, but it doesn't look as good in many people's view. If protected a varnish finish will last much longer. But don't use varnish from B and Q etc - they don't sell stuff that is any good outside.
Best of all in terms of durability are the semi-porous wood finishes that others have mentioned like Sadolin and Novatech, but again they don't look as good as a true varnish. Ideal, though, for someone who wants to go sailing rather than being stuck on the end of a brush and glasspaper all season.
You seem to be asking for the holy grail of exterior marine finishes, and there isn't one. If there was, rest assured that the collective experience of the forum would have found it by now.
 
Just been down my boat & scraped off most of the varnish from the hatch cover with the aid of paint stripper,did a pretty good job & the hatch is wonderful & sound :)
Interestingly where the hatch cover slides inside a moulding the original 36 year old varnish was good!
Might just revarnish,heck a quid tin from the Pakistani Emporium is'nt to much to pay & I can think of worse things to do when you have got time on your hands :cool:
 
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Nicholas123 said:
All good info gents;I think I shall use conventional varnish for the surfaces that ar'nt exposed to the sun & try linseed oil where they are,maybe diluting it 50/50 with varnish after a few coats to prevent a sticky surface.
Cost is a consideration & I do get a kick from this development work :)
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Don't be tempted to use linseed oil on anything other than your cricket bat! It remains sticky for ages and will turn black as it oxidises.
For internal oil try OSMO Polyx oil. it is used commercially on floors and furniture, we use it extensively and it is available in a sort of gloss and a satin finish, it should work externally as it takes a fair battering when it is used for worktops (a derivative of the wax oil) we also colour it mixing it with their 'transparent wood wax finish' which is available in a wind range of colours.
The advantage is that it is easy to apply, wipe it on and rub it in and it is easy to recoat, requiring minimum preparation, it doesn't peel like varnish as it sinks into the wood.

Try it you will be pleased
 
davidfox said:
Don't be tempted to use linseed oil on anything other than your cricket bat! It remains sticky for ages and will turn black as it oxidises.
For internal oil try OSMO Polyx oil. it is used commercially on floors and furniture, we use it extensively and it is available in a sort of gloss and a satin finish, it should work externally as it takes a fair battering when it is used for worktops (a derivative of the wax oil) we also colour it mixing it with their 'transparent wood wax finish' which is available in a wind range of colours.
The advantage is that it is easy to apply, wipe it on and rub it in and it is easy to recoat, requiring minimum preparation, it doesn't peel like varnish as it sinks into the wood.

Try it you will be pleased
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Very good info,I will certainly look into that.
There are so many very contrasting opinions it is hard to make my mind up but I have decide to varnish the end grain to protect from water soakage & rot & experiment with oil to give a nice surface finish.If it dos'nt work out I can always varnish it.

The best protection I think for wood in all weathers remains that Ronseal "low maintenance wood finish for eves & guttering's" that I mentioned earlier.Last time I looked it was still going strong after 12 years & wears on the outside not the inside like wood stain.It was a cracking sort of rubbery substance.The only downside was it was coloured a not very attractive brown but I suspect a translucent version could have been produced.
Also as a matter of interest;A friend of mine who owned a boatyard told me about some stuff called I think Non hassel that he used to buy after the war in five gallon drums that was a by product of the coal industry & dirt cheap for protecting wood.He said it would soak strait through a 2" pitch pine plank & was fantastic......You can see that there are a lot of vested interests in not producing such stuff!
 
Nicholas123 said:
Very good info,I will certainly look into that.
There are so many very contrasting opinions it is hard to make my mind up but I have decide to varnish the end grain to protect from water soakage & rot & experiment with oil to give a nice surface finish.If it dos'nt work out I can always varnish it.

The best protection I think for wood in all weathers remains that Ronseal "low maintenance wood finish for eves & guttering's" that I mentioned earlier.Last time I looked it was still going strong after 12 years & wears on the outside not the inside like wood stain.It was a cracking sort of rubbery substance.The only downside was it was coloured a not very attractive brown but I suspect a translucent version could have been produced.
Also as a matter of interest;A friend of mine who owned a boatyard told me about some stuff called I think Non hassel that he used to buy after the war in five gallon drums that was a by product of the coal industry & dirt cheap for protecting wood.He said it would soak strait through a 2" pitch pine plank & was fantastic......You can see that there are a lot of vested interests in not producing such stuff!
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It is not a good idea to mix the finishes adjacent to each other, varnish of whatever type is actually quite labour intensive, if it is going to be kept up to scratch. (no pun intended)
The problem being that it cracks easily and let's water behind, especially in freezing weather. Once the wood beneath turns black it is the devil of a job to get back, involving bleaching etc.
Modern oils will soak in and dry to a hard finish that will not crack and let water behind, they have all the appearance of a satin or semi gloss varnish finish and they let the figuring or grain show through unlike the Ronseal that you mention which is little more than an ugly brown gunk, Cuprinol is similar, I personally wouldn't put either on my fence never mind my boat. Sadolin have a good range of finishes that allow the grain to show through and International wood skin which has been mentioned before got a good right up last year in PBO.
Teak oils and Linseed oils have been the subject of many threads on the forum over the years with almost universal disapproval and pretty much should be rejected. But that is my opinion
 
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