Why we love Oil Finishes

It is long debated what the best finish for your woodworking projects is. The Truth?
There is no one product that is superior to the rest. It all depends on what function your piece will have as well as personal preference.

We exclusively use an oil finish on all our projects because it is user / eco-friendly, easily maintained and a food safe formula. This allows our customers to easily look after their custom wood piece.

Oil finishes are made up of molecules that seep down into the wood rather than sit on the surface like other spray and lacquer finishes. This gives the wood a rich appearance enhancing the natural wood grain features. Making sure you are sanding to the correct grit is crucial. Before applying the oil, read the instructions of whatever product you are using. Different oils require a different grit for the piece to be sanded to. If you sand your project to a higher grit than the product recommends, you will be closing off the pores in the wood preventing the oil from seeping down into the grain and protecting the wood surface as it is meant to do.

Oil finishes are also very DIY friendly. They can be easily applied with a woven pad making it accessible for any ‘weekend warrior’ to be able to use the product at home. Most Oil finishes use a non-toxic formula using all natural ingredients that can be used in any environment. You do not require a respirator or mask when it is applied for most finishes. Having good air flow in the room will help it dry faster, but otherwise is not necessary if you are in a closed off environment.

One thing you want to remember about oil finishes is that most of them include a wax base. This means that this finish has little to no heat resistance. You will want to make sure you are using hot pads and protective coverings if placing anything hot on the surface. You can still place dinner plates and coffee cups on your table, but you will want to avoid placing hot dishes on your table directly from the stove.

Some Key features to why we love Oil Finishes: