# clear varnish on linseed oil



## sparkus88 (10 May 2012)

Can I varnish on top of boiled linseed oil? Probably a stupid question.

Mark


----------



## Mike.S (11 May 2012)

I haven't tried myself but it may be worth trying Tru-oil, which despite its name is a varnish, albeit a mix of mineral spirits and oils. The ingredients include 11% Linseed oil so, to my mind, it seems logical that the two would be compatible. See manufacturer's site here. 

More knowledgeable folk may be along to educate us both


----------



## Sgian Dubh (13 May 2012)

sparkus88":2wc92mhz said:


> Can I varnish on top of boiled linseed oil? Probably a stupid question. Mark


Not at all stupid because you can't put waterbased "varnish" over boiled linseed oil. But you can go over boiled linseed oil with oil based varnish-- that's the type of varnish that says on the can clean brushes with white spirit. Water based "varnishes" describe clean up using soap and water.

The real question is why put oil based varnish over linseed oil because the oil in oil varnish is either linseed oil or tung oil. So from a colour change point of view there's nothing to be gained really. On the other hand if you're looking to make something that gets heavy use and was mistakenly only oiled meaning the finish gets damaged easily and frequently looks scabby, then perhaps a tough oil based polyurethane varnish might be a good idea. Without knowing exactly what you're proposing and why it's difficult to give best advice. Slainte.


----------



## sparkus88 (13 May 2012)

Yeah it was from a colour point of view. I've just looked and the varnish I've got is water based, so I will go and buy some oil based stuff. Its for a desk so needs to be reasonable hard wearing.


----------



## sparkus88 (20 May 2012)

Would danish oil be durable enough for a desk?


----------



## SeanJ (5 Jun 2012)

sparkus88":2u6x5vt1 said:


> Would danish oil be durable enough for a desk?



A desk suggests regular work use, not that great with Danish Oil unless your careful, it'll work but you won't have something you can finish and forget about. I reckon you'll be recoating every 6 months or so, hot cups and scrapes will take their toll more with Danish Oil, but less so with a varnish, not much body with D oil either, nice and natural looking though on the upside.


----------



## CHJ (5 Jun 2012)

For use on a desk I would be tempted to make sure whatever brand it would be biased towards a Hard Wax Oil such as Chestnuts version. 
This from my experience gives a tough surface and the gloss level easily regulated by the number of coats, retaining the wood texture without that plastic look of some varnishes.


----------

