Getting gloss finish with danish oil

[Wilson joinery]

Hi everyone

It’s rare that I work with real timber so I’m looking for some advice on how to achieve a glossy finish with danish oil, specifically with some ash shelves I’ve made.

I remember a long time ago I believe my process was to oil, leave to dry, rub with 00 grade steel wool. Repeat 3 times then buff with all my might with a soft cloth after the final coat.

Does this sound ok?

Cheers
Pete

 

[Phil Pascoe]

D.O. possibly isn't the best finish for ash as it yellows - it might be better to use a water based p.u. or Osmo. By the bye. Yes, you can polish it to quite a high gloss, it needs to be very dry - leave it for a few weeks. If there is the tiniest bit of stickiness or drag when you abrade it, it's not dry.

 

[TheTiddles]

Danish oil on ash goes very yellow

A faster and non-yellowing approach is sanding sealer then wax, you can control the gloss level and it’s done in a few hours

 

[Wilson joinery]

Thanks for the replies. Is it just danish oil that yellows or do others too?

For the sanding sealer and wax method do you need to give it a really good buff once the wax has dried to achieve the glossy finish?

 

[MF1000]

I’ve had good results with the Mikes Magic mix I found on here. One 1/3rd pure tung oil, white spirit, satin outdoor varnish - to enhance the grain even more add in some pure linseed oil too.

 

[bilspe]

Thanks for the replies. Is it just danish oil that yellows or do others too?

For the sanding sealer and wax method do you need to give it a really good buff once the wax has dried to achieve the glossy finish?

I find that most finishes usually colour the wood....either nasty orange or yellow. I sometimes use 'white tinted' Osmo oil. Doesn't change the colour of the wood with just one coat but more coats and you start to see the white tint.

Sanding sealer and wax : yes buff the wax when dry. Tends to give a soft sheen gloss. Depends on the brand of wax, and how long you leave to dry before buffing. Some specify 15 mins before buffing, others (Briwax I think) you can buff soon after applying

 

[Robbo3]

Danish oil on ash goes very yellow

A faster and non-yellowing approach is sanding sealer then wax, you can control the gloss level and it’s done in a few hours

Which type of sanding sealer please, cellulose, shellac or acrylic - or doesn't it matter?

 

[bilspe]

I generally use shellac sanding sealer before wax. Dries very quickly, you can apply several coats in a short time, and of course it sands nicely, giving a nice smooth base before waxing.
Having said that I've also used wax over varnish and even Danish oil. Just make sure it's fully dry and hardened first

 

[TheTiddles]

I use shellac based. As also noted, for a really hard finish satin varnish plus wax makes a controllable level of gloss finish. But for ease of use, sanding sealer can be sanded back however many times it takes to get the quality of finish you want

 

[Robbo3]

Thanks bilspe & The Tiddles.