# New to using Danish Oil...



## JevWorks (Mar 25, 2014)

New to using Danish Oil, I am looking for a good oil product to protect the wood with out using shellac.

I started applying the danish oil onto some pine. I used a foam brush to apply and a 1 quart mixing tub. When I got about halfway done I noticed the oil in the mixing tub turned from a yellowish tint to a clear like substance. It appeared to me to be water as it looked like the oil was separating from the other liquid.

I continued to brush all the liquid onto the wood, having never used Danish oil. Immediately after, the wood looked great. After two days, the wood is very dry and rough. The luster that the oil brought out is gone and in only certain areas.

Anyone ever experience this? Any thoughts or solutions?

Thank you


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

JevWorks said:


> New to using Danish Oil, I am looking for a good oil product to protect the wood with out using shellac.
> 
> I started applying the danish oil onto some pine. I used a foam brush to apply and a 1 quart mixing tub. When I got about halfway done I noticed the oil in the mixing tub turned from a yellowish tint to a clear like substance. It appeared to me to be water as it looked like the oil was separating from the other liquid.
> 
> ...


On pine you may end up putting a half dozen coats over a period of a couple of months before you are satisfied iwth it. If the danish oil was pigmented the additional coats should be natural so you don't get the color too dark. At some point when you think you have the wood sealed then you might use some paste wax to keep the sheen up.


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

Your description of what happened is sure a mystery. I can't imagine why your liquid would have changed so much in the tub, nor why the wood would be so rough...any chance at all some water contaminated the finish? Danish oil is generally a mix of mineral spirits, BLO, and varnish. It's common to apply a coat, let it sit a few minutes, then wipe off the excess. You would then wait to apply another for maybe 24 hours. Regardless, let me ask: was that a purchased product (if yes, which one?) or one you mixed yourself?


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## JevWorks (Mar 25, 2014)

Fred Hargis said:


> Your description of what happened is sure a mystery. I can't imagine why your liquid would have changed so much in the tub, nor why the wood would be so rough...any chance at all some water contaminated the finish? Danish oil is generally a mix of mineral spirits, BLO, and varnish. It's common to apply a coat, let it sit a few minutes, then wipe off the excess. You would then wait to apply another for maybe 24 hours. Regardless, let me ask: was that a purchased product (if yes, which one?) or one you mixed yourself?


It was a purchased product Watco from Home Depot. Not exactly sure how long it was sitting on the shelf, if that matters. it was the "Natural" danish oil. 

Also, now that i think about it, when i did wipe off the excess, some of it was just beading off the wood like water would on a newly waxed surface. Could the sponge brush have something to do with all this? Should i only be using a rag to apply??


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I'm thinking that the mix just separated, and needed stirring. I wouldn't use a foam brush. A neatly folded 'T' shirt cloth into a pad and wiping on thin coats works very well.








 







.


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

When finish is beading on a surface the first thing I think of is some kind of contamination on that surface....usually a silicone product. Is the wood previously unfinished/unused wood? BTW, Watco has very little finish in it, the last time I looked at the MSDS it was listed as being about 70% or so solvent; meaning a lot of coats are needed to get a little build of the finish.


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

JevWorks said:


> After two days, the wood is very dry and rough. The luster that the oil brought out is gone and in only certain areas


 That is par for the course after the first coat , especially with pine .

Did the instructions on the tin say to use a foam brush , 
was it freshly cleaned , and was the timber wiped down ?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Other than being laborious there isn't anything wrong with applying Danish oil with a foam brush. It certainly didn't have anything to do with the product separating or what ever the yellowish tint was. More than likely the product was old or was contaminated with something at the factory that wouldn't mix with it.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

The secret to using danish oil is to wet sand the first couple coats into the wood. I use 32o grit wet or dry paper for the first coat wait 24 hours and then use 400 grit wet or dry for the second coat. If I am looking to get a real mirror finish I will wet sand the third coat with 600 grit and then it just becomes wipe on wipe off for as many coats as you think you need. Just one coat wet sanded with 400 grit will look much better than many coats that are just wiped on, wait and wiped off. Try it on a sample board and let us know how it works for you. :yes:


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

JevWorks said:


> I started applying the danish oil onto some pine. I used a foam brush to apply and a 1 quart mixing tub. When I got about halfway done I noticed the oil in the mixing tub turned from a yellowish tint to a clear like substance.


 What had been in the 1 quart mixing tub before you used it for this ?


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## Geoguy (Feb 22, 2008)

Rick Mosher said:


> The secret to using danish oil is to wet sand the first couple coats into the wood. I use 32o grit wet or dry paper for the first coat wait 24 hours and then use 400 grit wet or dry for the second coat. If I am looking to get a real mirror finish I will wet sand the third coat with 600 grit and then it just becomes wipe on wipe off for as many coats as you think you need. Just one coat wet sanded with 400 grit will look much better than many coats that are just wiped on, wait and wiped off. Try it on a sample board and let us know how it works for you. :yes:


Very good post, Rick! I've used the "wet sand" technique several times which also works well to fill minor imperfections, holes, joints, etc. with a mixture of sawdust, oil/varnish. I prefer danish oil whenever possible as a simple, almost fool-proof finishing method (although, you're limited on colors). When good and dry, I usually finish with oil polyurethane on top.


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## HowardAcheson (Nov 25, 2011)

Are you using a pre-mixed consumer "danish oil"? or one you mixed up yourself? If premixed, what brand are you using? If you mixed it up yourself, what did you use and what were the proportions? How did you apply it? There is a particular technique to the application.


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## RNrunner (Dec 12, 2019)

I just put one coat of danish oil on. It says to wait 30 minutes and then apply another coat and then wait 24 hours to apply next coat. Do I just wipe off and apply the second coat or do I wet sand first and then apply the second coat? Kind of confused about the best application process! Thanks.


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

RNrunner Did the oil tin say to wipe it off after 30 mins ?


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## RNrunner (Dec 12, 2019)

Yes. It did. I did this, but I have heard people applying different ways as far as sanding, application process. I wasn't sure if I should sand after I wipe off the first coat or just after the second and third? So far I applied one coat and wiped it off after 30 minutes. Not sure where to go from here.


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

RNrunner What wood are you working with and what are you making ?
Also , what brand of 'danish oil' is it ?


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## RNrunner (Dec 12, 2019)

It's Watco natural danish oil. It's a pine tv stand that I was going to keep natural and paint the rest.


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

Carry on with this, Wet Sanding . 

Here is a cut'n'paste off the net 
"Immediately after the Watco Danish Oil has been applied (while it is still wet on the surface) wrap a piece of 320 paper around a sanding block and start to wet sand with the grain. Continue to oil and wet sand until you feel enough of the paste has been worked down into the pores"
SUPER SMOOTH OIL FINISH - antique restorers.https://www.google.com/search?ei=RG...&ved=0ahUKEwiyjfb3uvroAhXrxTgGHZwKBkkQ4dUDCAw 

Some woods suck in the oil fast and unevenly, wet sanding and the final coats will see to that


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## RNrunner (Dec 12, 2019)

I tried wet sanding for for the third coat. Didn't notice a big difference. I am not too excited about the finish, but I tried it because polyurethane looked plastic too me. I only applied it to the shelves, not the base. Will it take on a richer look over time or with more applications?


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

Thats' a nice wee table , I like style, love the knotty grain 
What species of pine is it ?

Perhaps it needs some yellowish oil. 

The top photo on the left is raw linseed oil brushed a short while ago today onto part of the Monterrey pine board.

The photo below is raw linseed oil brushed a short while ago today onto part of the the Rimu pine board,
the turned Rimu platter has had many coats of raw linseed oil slathered over it for some months. 

And the old weathered glue-lam beam is Monterrey pine too.


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## RNrunner (Dec 12, 2019)

Wow! That platter looks so rich looking! What do you mean by yellow oil? Do you think the look will change much if I keep applying the danish oil? It looks pretty plain right now but I'm trying to be patient! I'm not sure what kind of pine it is because someone else made it.


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

Raw Linseed oil is yellow. I would test it out underneath. 

Without touching the edges, I'd wipe some of that danish oil on and let it soak in and dry. 
Then put linseed oil over it and let it soak in and dry.


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## RNrunner (Dec 12, 2019)

But, I really don't want it to get any more yellow....or orange. The one board is really problematic. It has areas that look orangey. I'm actually not sure if I love this "natural" shade. It does give a nice finish but just not so sure it's going to look great when I paint the base white...my original plan was to stain and paint the base, but the stains just didn't go on great. I'm not sure if I could add anything to make it more of a light brown/walnut color without removing all of the danish oil. I know that Watco has a light, medium and dark walnut, but when I tried applying medium walnut by itself, didn't love it. Not sure how it would look over the natural or if it would even show up at all?


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

I didn't know that you were using 'danish oil' with stain in it ? You said it was Watco natural danish oil. I don't use stain.


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## RNrunner (Dec 12, 2019)

It is natural. I just am not loving the look.


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

A plain clear natural oil based finish will bring the wood up to approximately the same look as it would had you coated it in fresh water.


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## RNrunner (Dec 12, 2019)

I tried the polyurethane and it looked plastic like. What are you referring to?


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

Polyurethane is plastic. 

I'm talking about the vegetable drying oils, linseed and tung.

The oil I'm using on the Rimu fruit platter is pure raw linseed oil. As each coat soaks in to the wood it hardens to a tough, solid film, a 'varnish'. 
And with drying oils, wet sanding is a breeze. So is cleaning up, hot soapy water washes your brushes and your hands at the same time. Sometimes I don't even use a brush, I just use me hands 

Look into it, Linseed oil is magic.

And also, 
look into inflammable linseed oil soaked rags and spontaneous combustion. 
That is why that I do not use cloth or paper, ever. 



Polyurethane is a cheap and nasty imitation of a drying oil finish.


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## Griz (May 4, 2020)

My goto finish is equal amounts of satin Spar and Teak oil. I have about 12-cans of Danish oil of various tints, I scored from the local auction house for cheap. Can I/Should I mix Spar with this DO or just use it as is? I prefer that addition of the Spar because most of my stuff is usually of the porch furniture variety and I get some sun protection from it. I like the Teak oil for the grain popping and protection. I like them together for the satin, non-plastic finish I achieve and the simplicity of brush on, wipe off. 

Thanks!


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