Oiling wood

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Nicholas123

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I read on a bottle of boiled linseed oil that it restores the natural colour of wood,does that mean that it returns the colour from weathered grey looking wood or is that just a myth & if oiling wood really protects wood why oh why did anyone invent varnish with all the endless maintenance involved.Anybody know?
 
While some people like oil, it is messy, can leave the wood sticky and attracts dirt. If used externally it has a limited life. So not surprising that most people prefer to use a product that does not have these major shortcomings. For the best combination of cost, ease of application and durability use a porous woodstain. However there is a vast choice of different coatings offering different features.
 
Tranona said:
While some people like oil, it is messy, can leave the wood sticky and attracts dirt. If used externally it has a limited life. So not surprising that most people prefer to use a product that does not have these major shortcomings. For the best combination of cost, ease of application and durability use a porous woodstain. However there is a vast choice of different coatings offering different features.
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I used that woodstain though I'm not sure it was porous & it was the biggest nightmare going.Almost impossible to maintain & when it bubbles up you get a horrible uneven surface.
Just as a matter of interest while on this subject;In 2000 pissed off with endlessly trying to maintain varnish I came across some stuff called low maintenance wood Finish by Ronseal & guaranteed to last at least ten years.It did actually do what it said on the tin & was fantastic.Unfortunately it disappeared from the market about a year after I bought 5 litres knocked down as the end of a range from Homebase.:(
To good to provide them with an endless revenue stream?
 
I use Sikkens Nova which is easy to apply and comes out top on a cost and durability basis but does not give a gloss finish. If I were starting again I would try International Woodskin.
 
Yes & no. Grey weathered teak will not become gleaming gold from the application of linseed oil. There are chemical ways of cleaning and restoring wood, usually a two part process, the first being to clean all the dirt out of the surface and the second bringing back the colour, but being an acid it has to be thoroughly washed off once the process is complete and the fresh appearance rapidly deteriorates again. This is the moment when an oil treatment can enhance the colour and preserve it, albeit requiring occasional reapplications of the oil.

It is worth bearing in mind that traditional varnishes (non-synthetic) were developed from oil treatments. The most enduring formulations are still based on blending linseed oil and tung oil - apparently with dryers added to improve their ability to form a skin. Le Tonkinnoise is a premium example and Deks Olje comes in two formulations, one apenetrating oil finish and the second a drying, soft varnish. My boat's internal joinery is finished with multiple coats of Deks Olje I, giving an attractive sheen, but it cannot withstand external conditions for more than half a season.

Rob.
 
Deks Olje?

rob2 said:
Deks Olje comes in two formulations, one apenetrating oil finish and the second a drying, soft varnish. My boat's internal joinery is finished with multiple coats of Deks Olje I, giving an attractive sheen, but it cannot withstand external conditions for more than half a season.

Rob.
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Does you mean that it has to be 'topped up' mid-season?
 
Yes, externally it needs a fresh coat mid-season, maybe two if you need to wash any dirt off first. Externally I have used Deks Olje II over it once the wood has taken all the oil it can. Looks great for a season, but its fairly soft and probably dioesn't take wear at all well. Not a problem on my boat as all the wood is largely cosmetic and whatever you use on the rubbing strake may have to be touched up from time to time. The cockpit grating is only oiled, though. Decision based on the number of days it took to scrape the time-expired varnish off it!

I haven't tried simply using boiled linseed, but it does make a good water repellant finish and is very easy to slap a fresh layer on from time to time, albeit needing drying time thereafter.

Rob.
 
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 :)
 
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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Why waste your time proving what is already known. Linseed oil is not a good finish for external woodwork on boats. Get into the back numbers of PBO or Classic Boat to find the tests on finishes conducted by Richard Hares and make an informed choice.
 
Tranona said:
Why waste your time proving what is already known. Linseed oil is not a good finish for external woodwork on boats. Get into the back numbers of PBO or Classic Boat to find the tests on finishes conducted by Richard Hares and make an informed choice.
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I don't have the sort of money that you & your friends have got Tranona besides I like doing things for myself & learning that way.
I have got a friend in Belgium who is making & trying to market his own stuff & I have just emailed him.It will be interesting to see what he says....Not that I have got the money to buy his stuff either! :D
 
It is not a question of money. If you follow my advice same as Richards and use Sikkens Nova Tech and Top available from Brewers your material cost will be about 40 quid. This will give you enough to treat all your woodwork 3 or 4times over. Each treatment will last at least 5 years. Sometimes you have to act rationally and spend a bit for long term benefit. Cost per treatment basis this is the lowest there is and the longest lasting.
 
Tranona said:
will be about 40 quid. This will give you enough to treat all your woodwork 3 or 4times over.
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: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.
 
I think that if I shied away from spending £40.00 for 15 years worth of wood treatment I would be seriously questioning whether I had selected the right hobby.
 
Has anyone ever tried Bee`s wax ? I am not a wood expert and am in the lucky position to be applying the first coat ever on my Bene 25.7.
Any advice appreciated. :)
Iain
 
Bash your linseed oil down 50/50 with white spirit and apply a few coats in dry warm weather. Add more coats using less spirit over a week or so and finish with a coat of 100% linseed. Oil every now and again as needed when it looks dull.

Yes it can get tacky but if applied right it shouldn't. It can and will collect dirt but unlike varnish, 2 minutes scraping with a Stanley knife blade its all off, then you can apply another coat of oil again and forget about it for a few months.

AND remember if you hit with a winch handle or drop something against it, it doesn't chip! So your not having to spend hours/days of work sanding back and applying 100's of coats of varnish again!

Been using it outside and inside for years, and it's good for the wood as it 'feeds' it and it can still breathe.
 
chinita said:
I think that if I shied away from spending £40.00 for 15 years worth of wood treatment I would be seriously questioning whether I had selected the right hobby.
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I think if I spent 10 times more than I have already spent & 8 times the amount I expect it to cost me when I have finished rebuilding my entire hatchway as you suggest I would think that I had lost my marbles & I don't spend my time looking ahead to fifteen years in the future.That is for fortune tellers & people that own crystal balls.
I try to keep my feet placed firmly on the ground ;) (but not when I go sailing of coarse) :D
 
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Ariadne said:
Bash your linseed oil down 50/50 with white spirit and apply a few coats in dry warm weather. Add more coats using less spirit over a week or so and finish with a coat of 100% linseed. Oil every now and again as needed when it looks dull.

Yes it can get tacky but if applied right it shouldn't. It can and will collect dirt but unlike varnish, 2 minutes scraping with a Stanley knife blade its all off, then you can apply another coat of oil again and forget about it for a few months.

AND remember if you hit with a winch handle or drop something against it, it doesn't chip! So your not having to spend hours/days of work sanding back and applying 100's of coats of varnish again!

Been using it outside and inside for years, and it's good for the wood as it 'feeds' it and it can still breathe.
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Sounds good to me.The only thing I am wondering is if I do what you suggest but end up with a 50/50 coat of linseed oil & varnish it would produce an even more durable surface?
 
LittleSister said:
Well, if saving money is important, leaving it grey weathered (with just occasional wash and light brushing to keep it clear of green growth) is the cheapest option (assuming it's teak, iroko or other durable wood).
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Some is some is teak faced ply.I think it is important to stop water ingress because it is that that has caused me to have to refurbish the whole hatchway & washboards etc.
 
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