What's Danish oil like on pine?

[Silly_Billy]

I'm part way through a piece that has oak and pine next to each other. I already have Danish oil for oak. Please could anyone advise what this would be like on pine? Would a different finish be better for adjacent oak and pine?

(Before anyone asks, I happened to have some pine around that I decided to use up.)

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've used it on pine many times, it's fine. It yellows a bit but that's D.O.

 

[Lazurus]

I've used it on pine many times, it's fine. It yellows a bit but that's D.O.

Same here, I used it on some garden benches last year with waney edges, looked great.

 

[MattRoberts]

It's just like this

 

[transatlantic]

I guess it depends on the brand. The danish oil I have, is pretty much clear and so doesn't really do anything to pine. I like to apply a stain first to darken it a bit. The Colron Refined Danish Oil is good stuff and can be bought in a few different shades.

One thing to note is that if you do try and add a bit of colour, it's very likely going to blotch. So you may want to apply a coat of sanding sealer (and then sand it back) first.

 

[marcros]

I would be more concerned about how pine will look next to oak

 

[Silly_Billy]

I guess it depends on the brand.

It's Liberon Superior Danish Oil.

I would be more concerned about how pine will look next to oak

I think you're right and I've now had second thoughts. However, I'll doubtless make use of the pine for something else, along with the Danish oil.

 

[ED65]

What's Danish oil like on pine?

To begin with it depends on the individual Danish oil. As touched on in another thread recently the commercial versions of this can vary quite a bit in colour. Then, how many coats?

It's your taste that will decide whether it's too yellow so as always the best course of action is to test it out for yourself.

Do remember though that the finish will yellow further with time, and the pine itself will also change to a more ochre-ish colour under the finish. That combination can result in significantly more yellow/orange than many people are comfortable with!

 

[Silly_Billy]

Thanks ED65 et al. What would be better finishes for pine then?

 

[ED65]

Uh I don't think the take-home message should be not to use a Danish oil on pine. Plenty of people do and are perfectly happy with how it looks over time too.

But better finish can encompass more than looks. What the piece will be used for is everything as far as a good finish is concerned, e.g. what's perfectly acceptable for a decorative turned item wouldn't be as suitable on a coffee table.

So if you wanted a finish that would give you better waterproofing than DO then straight varnish for sure, and it can be put on in exactly the same way as Danish oil if you like (many now think this is the way to apply varnish).

You could still use shellac followed by wax. They may be old, but they're not obsolete.

Other end of the spectrum, modern water-bourne finishes. These are great if you want to keep pine, and other paler woods, as natural looking as possible (and you don't have spray equipment).

 

[Silly_Billy]

Is Danish oil tough enough for a table top?

I’ve just made an oak side-table (my first hardwood piece!) and used three coats of Danish oil. It looks great and I’m chuffed! However, I’m worried that the table top won’t survive things like water spills or mugs of hot coffee being placed on it. Should I be worried?

Does the Danish oil harden with curing or require something like Polyvine Wood Lacquer on top?

 

[ED65]

Yes they can be, many people use their Danish oil on tables and working surfaces that see regular use (including kitchen worktops in a few cases). But Q.V. the point about products of this name varying. Typically the more varnish the specific one has in it the better the performance as far as water penetration goes, which of course you can't know, and the manufacturer's chosen dilution level is also a factor since the thinner it is the less actual finish (the part that stays behind after the solvent evaporates) gets applied with each coat.

Bottom line is you shouldn't expect the surface to withstand sweaty glasses and hot mugs without penalty. It might, or it might not. So it's safer to treat it as a "coaster finish" unless you're willing to do some testing to confirm either way (which should be done only on a fully cured finish, which takes 2-4 weeks after the last coat is applied).

 

[custard]

Does the Danish oil harden with curing or require something like Polyvine Wood Lacquer on top?

Don't put that lacquer on top of Danish Oil, it'll flake straight off.

 

[Silly_Billy]

Thanks guys. I'll avoid adding lacquer and use coasters instead!

 

[MattRoberts]

Thanks guys. I'll avoid adding lacquer and use coasters instead!

You can put water based poly on top of danish oil after it's had time to cure