What's the difference between the various oils for woods - Danish, Tung, Teak , etc. I've made a wooden item for Xmas presents and it could well get left out so if any finish an oil would be best but which one ?
Thanks Rob
WD40
;-)
Teak oil doesn't have driers in it, so ittakes an age to stop being sticky, unless you wipe of all the surface oil. I would use Danish oil.
Jonathan
Some "dry" and form a varnish, some don't. Of those that dry, some take longer than others - some are assisted by "driers" (additives). Some are toxic (mostly because of toxic additives). Some are "food safe" (apparently, some non-toxic oils can react with stuff in food to produce toxins, so non-toxic is not necessarily safe for prolonged contact with food).
For a drying oil, to be ready for Christmas, use Danish oil. Leave wrapping it until the last possible moment so it has as much time to cure as possible, and doesn't have a smooth surface in contact with the finish for long (else you'll tend to get shiny spots where there was contact).
Starting now for Christmas 2012, I'd use Tung oil in many coats with plenty of time between coats to produce a deep lustrous coating that doesn't change the colour of the wood much and provides a very durable finish.
For a non-drying oil, use something like caster oil or baby lotion.
And for something in the middle, walnut oil. It dries naturally, but only very slowly.
Note: drying is a term of art. Chemically, it is polymerisation and cross linking.
I would too. Especially since I have a bit left on the shelf.
Although I would probably have applied it a month or two back to allow plenty of time for it to dry/polymerise before wrspping it up. Teak oil might be better if it is to live outside permanently in the elements and the oil is applied in situ.
Oh and the OP should remember that any rags soaked in this stuff can release heat on polymerising and if you are very unlucky spontaneously catch fire after a while.
Regards, Martin Brown
This how to apply danish oil to open pored timber:
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