# Danish Oil finish opinions



## Ron_J (Sep 22, 2014)

So, a little while back I made a box for my wife and put Danish oil on it with the thought that I'd spray it with lacquer after I made a couple more boxes...rather than getting the gun dirty for a very small project. Fast forward, I have the other boxes finished and am ready to spray them all. I was looking at the one I did a few weeks ago and I'm kind of liking the looks of it. Obviously it doesn't get much abuse on her dresser, so I guess the oil will protect it just fine, but what will it look like in a year or 3 or 10? The other 2 boxes are for my grand kids, and they may get beat up a bit, so the lacquer may be needed for those.

Anyone have much experience with oils, danish in particular, as the only finish?


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## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

Hey Ron! I also like just Danish Oil. When I do scrollsaw work that is just about all I do.


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## Ron_J (Sep 22, 2014)

I like the pups!

How do you think the danish oil ages? Do you have to reapply every so often?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The wood plays as much into the success of a Danish oil finish as anything. A wood such as walnut does real good with a oil finish where oak doesn't do very well. With oak you have to treat it and treat it many times to complete the finish where one application on walnut would do the trick. I have a couple of projects I built in high school out of walnut 45 years ago that were finished with Watco and they look the same now as they did then. Of course the Danish oil finish isn't suited for a project that gets wet such as a table top.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

I’ve used Watco Danish Oil on some of my projects for over 45 years. It’s durable, easy to touch-up, and great for hard knock projects like children’s furniture. Watco brings out the natural grain of woods but has a very low luster. 
Many lacquers will yellow over time. Polyurethanes will crack and chip if abused. A good oil finish is tough but it will water spot. An icy glass left on any finish is a real no no, but it can be touched- up easily on an oiled finish. Not so easy with lacquer. 
I keep about 6 different shades of Watco on hand. I’ve used it on Walnut, Red Oak, Cherry, Mahogany, White Oak, Alder and Mesquite.


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## gmercer_48083 (Apr 9, 2016)

My understanding is that Danish Oil is a boiled linseed oil...with a finish added (like varnish). No matter what brand, the formulation may vary. Boiled linseed oil is a hardening oil that is thinned with turpentine to allow it to penetrate deeply into the wood and it takes a while to set...from overnight to days. The finish (like varnish) floats on the surface to provide protection. It will deepen in color over time from UV light...a good example is a 150 year old hard maple or basswood wooden hand plane started out blonde in color.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

gmercer_48083 said:


> My understanding is that Danish Oil is a boiled linseed oil...with a finish added (like varnish). No matter what brand, the formulation may vary. Boiled linseed oil is a hardening oil that is thinned with turpentine to allow it to penetrate deeply into the wood and it takes a while to set...from overnight to days. The finish (like varnish) floats on the surface to provide protection. It will deepen in color over time from UV light...a good example is a 150 year old hard maple or basswood wooden hand plane started out blonde in color.


I’ve never thought of Watco being made of Linseed oil. I keep Linseed oil on hand for certain things. Watco has been around for over 60 years. That’s a long time for any product. I don’t know if Linseed oil is part of the Watco formula or not, so I’m not saying it is or it isn’t. Watco is called Danish Oil, so let’s assume the formula originated in Denmark. 
Watco can be used as both a stain and finish all in one application. Watco soaks into the pores of the wood as well as most stains but it has a sealing build-up quality that’s not found in stains. If a project is made of beautiful wood to start with and properly prepared for the finish, Watco Danish Oil is a good choice for a final low luster finish. Watco will accept a clear finish of lacquer, shellac or poly once it has dried thoroughly. Watco also makes their own brand of wax.


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## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

Ron_J said:


> I like the pups!
> 
> How do you think the danish oil ages? Do you have to reapply every so often?


On those I just dip them in Danish Oil for maybe 5 minutes and put them on a rack to drip dry. You can do more if you wish.


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## Ron_J (Sep 22, 2014)

Thanks guys. I think I'm going to leave these in just the oil. Maybe also a coat of wax.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

A Danish oil finish is a blend of different ingredients. It does have linseed oil but it may also have tung oil and or varnish.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I attended a presentation on wood finishing at our local woodworking club meeting last month. Among other things, the speaker asserted that some tung oil finishes have no tung oil in them at all, and most are primarily boiled linseed oil (BLO). According to the speaker, that includes Watco Danish Oil. The speaker was very well qualified, but perhaps I misunderstood or misquoted him, so take it as rumor, not fact.


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

You can tell by the smell that Watco has BLO in it.

Sure there are other ingredients, but BLO is a major component.


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## Holiday121 (May 11, 2018)

Not meaning to hijack your thread.

But I am about to use some Watco Danish oil for the first time on a piece of Birch Butcher block wood for a table top.

Should I use Minwax pre conditioner before I apply to Watco?


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Holiday121 said:


> Not meaning to hijack your thread.
> 
> But I am about to use some Watco Danish oil for the first time on a piece of Birch Butcher block wood for a table top.
> 
> Should I use Minwax pre conditioner before I apply to Watco?


I recommend applying Watco with a small rag. A piece of old towel will work well. When applying this way, you control the color as you wipe on and wipe off. Start with a very light application. Need it a little darker, wipe more on. Dark enough, don’t add more. Doing it this way, I don’t think a Pre-conditioner is necessary.


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## Holiday121 (May 11, 2018)

Thanks I plan to use a rag for sure !


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Another note on oil finishes, when you get done put the rags in a bucket of water. Finishes with a lot of linseed oil in them are prone to spontaneous combustion. The only time I've seen this the rags were sitting in the direct sun on a very hot day but it can happen.


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## Holiday121 (May 11, 2018)

Wow. Thanks for the tip. I will do that for sure. Safety always first!!


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Steve Neul said:


> Another note on oil finishes, when you get done put the rags in a bucket of water. Finishes with a lot of linseed oil in them are prone to spontaneous combustion. The only time I've seen this the rags were sitting in the direct sun on a very hot day but it can happen.


Some places have a special metal safety trash can for rags that were used for finishing.


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