Hi everyone, I’m brand new to the forum.
I’m finishing some walnut with Danish Oil and having some challenges. As the pieces dry after being treated with the oil, certain dry/dull looking patches are appearing. At first I thought it was because I wasn’t applying enough oil and it wasn’t sinking into the grain. However, I have applied 4 solid coats and the same thing happens each time. Light sanding between coats doesn’t help either. My concern at this point is that these areas will still show up after I apply a topcoat of Varathane. Anyone experienced something similar and/or have any ideas how to fix? Thanks.
Replies
You don't say how long each coat was allowed to dry before the next or how long all 4 coats together have dried. Another factor is how well each coat was wiped down before it was left to dry. When applying danish oil, you must apply it liberally, let it soak in for 15-20 minutes and then wipe the surface of all excess until there is no liquid left on the surface. I always let it dry at least 48 hours between coats. Some folks go longer.
If all 4 coats have dried for about a week, you might try one more coat, but use some 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper to "rub" the liquid into the wood. By doing this, you will create a wood/oil slurry that will tend to fill the pours of the wood better than oil alone. When it starts feeling a little tacky, either wipe it off going cross grain, or add a little more oil and rub some more. Do this in small areas until you have done the entire surface. Then let it dry for about a week. In the mean time, particularly in the first few hours, check to see if any of the oil is weeping out of the pours. If so, wipe it off.
After that, 2-3 coats of Varathane should work just fine. I would recommend that you use the oil based rather than water base in this application.
Here's a photo to show what I'm talking about. The piece in the foreground is showing the dry patches which catch the light.
I followed instructions on the Danish Oil can (and also from some YouTube videos). Each coat was applied liberally (shop towels) and allowed to dry for about 30 minutes before wiping. Additional coats were done anywhere from 4 to 8 hours afterwards. At the moment, the pieces have been drying for about 36 hours and are still showing these dry patches. I'll try a couple more coats of oil and see what happens.
And thanks for the Varathane tip - the can I have on hand is water based, so I'll pick up some oil based!
What I see is rough end grain, this needs to be sanded down further, almost polished and saturated with oil as it will absorb much more than the top surface. Danish oil is in essence diluted varnish, why would you not just use an oil based varnish?
Yeah, walnut end grain is like a sponge. It takes more of any type of finish to seal end grain, and a LOT more oil.
Keep at it.
Except on rare occasions I only use oils, have been for 15+ years. My customers love the soft appearance & feel.
That being said, if your pictures are indeed showing end grains there is a solution. It takes a lot of time & patience. It's always worked for me but I have time.
Anyhow, what I'm talking about is an oil bath, a 3" deep aluminum pan & the oil of choice for the job.
Remember, oils soak in, they're not film finishes. So, after deciding how far I want the oil to penetrate I tape the piece to the side of the pan, leaving an 1/8" between the bottom and side of the pan and the wood for full penetration. With the piece horizontal the oil will only penetrate as far as the oil is deep, unlike water.
The absorption rate depends on the density of the wood and room conditions. Thanks to a dehumidifier the humidity in my shop never goes above 30%.
Using pine on one end and Gaboon ebony on the other end of the spectrum, complete absorption times go from 3 hours to a day. You don't need to monitor the wood until after 4 hours unless you're impatient. Just make sure you have plenty of two-faced tape.
I don't recommend this method because if it fails the only recovery option is cutting the oiled wood off. Trust me, I ruined enough wood to know.
Mikaol
All can instructions and most user reccos are assuming application to the face of the board, not the end grain.
Mix up a slurŕy of oil and wood dust, let it dry to a paste and rub it into the end grain agressively. Give it a week to set up and a light sanding. Then apply a light coat of oil to see if it sealed up. 50/50 odds.
End grain can be tricky. I would apply more oil and wet sand with 400 grit.
Thanks everyone. End grain is one thing; my main concern was on the surfaces (couldn't get a clear photo with my cell phone of those areas).
However, since posting, I have applied a couple more heavy coats and really brushed it in. Seems to be working! My understanding with Danish Oil was that I would only need a couple of coats, hence my concern. Maybe I needed to sand a bit more before the oil went on.
I'll let everything dry for a few days and then finish it off with a couple of coats of oil-based varnish.
It takes me 4 coats to get an even gloss on teak mid century tables, I use circa danish oil which turns out to be mostly mineral spirit. When I run out of Circa I will blend my own, one third of each mineral spirit, boiled linseed oil and spar varnish.
Gulfstar, Great, tried and true formula. One that can be tinted to your own choice of colors - "Natural", Golden Oak, Cherry, Light or Dark Walnut, etc.
Update: a few more coats of Danish Oil did the trick, and things are looking great after a couple of coats of varnish. First time working with walnut, so lesson learned: it's a thirsty wood!
Great news, thanks for the update!
And here's the finished product: speaker stands. 6 coats of Danish Oil followed by top coat. Managed to get some nice live edge happening on the top shelves.
Nice!
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