linseed oil

[fireant]

I posted the question before but never got an answer.
Has anyone used linseed oil on wood and then varnish on top of it.
With wooden handles knifes walking canes, anything wood for outdoors I always used linseed oil with great results. I also noticed that linseed oil makes the wood harder, last longer under use.
But will it work on boats on all outside wood?
Our boat need all extrior wood to be sanded down. We can go with the traditional sand down stain and two three coats of varnish or oil the wood and a couple of coats of varnish on top.
Which should last longer and look better?

Thank you

[Orion Jim]

Your best bet is to always strictly follow the manufacturers application procedure for the best results. I still use boiled linseed oil on the stocks of a couple old firearms with oiled wood finishes but the salt water environment is not forgiving.

[flyingfin]

NEVER! the purpose of using linseed oil on wood is to eliminate the need for varnish final coat. On the interior, linseed oil keeps moisture out of the wood and reduces condensation. On the exterior linseed oil prevents sun damage.
We always re-stored wood work on older vessels during the winter, heat the linseed oil on the stove, then apply it with brushes or clean rags. No need to put varnish over that. I doubt it would even stick!

[fireant]

Thanks OrionJim

Flyingfin It don't make sense. First you said NEVER then you said you do use it.
From reading your post I understand that using Linseed oil is a good thing and better then varnish?
I want to sand the wood down and then brush the oil on it till it penetrate nice and deep.
I know that spray on varnish will stick to it very well . I made my dad a walking stick that came out amazing.

[MikeHoncho]

Originally Posted by flyingfin

NEVER! the purpose of using linseed oil on wood is to eliminate the need for varnish final coat. On the interior, linseed oil keeps moisture out of the wood and reduces condensation. On the exterior linseed oil prevents sun damage.
We always re-stored wood work on older vessels during the winter, heat the linseed oil on the stove, then apply it with brushes or clean rags. No need to put varnish over that. I doubt it would even stick!

BLO cut 50% with paint thinner. 3 or 4 coats cured between then top coat with varnish or wipe on poly. The BLO makes the grain pop and gives a ton of depth to figured woods. Use it all the time with wood working finishes. It has terrible water resistant longevity by itself. Cutting it allows it to flow and cure in a decent amount of time . It will take weeks to cure without it. The only thing I follow on the container instructions is the disposal of the materials due to self combustion. It’s real.

[Reefmagnet]

I don't think it's worth while varnishing over linseed oiled wood. You need to go one way or the other otherwise you just counteract each other's benefits. Imo, linseed is great for wood that will be left to naturally silver as it protects below the surface and the wood's natural colour can be restored with regular re-application. On the downside, the oil tends to leach out so applying it to wood near painted or similar surfaces isn't necessarily a great idea. On the positive side, it's a lot easier to apply linseed than fresh coats of varnish even if you need to do it a lot more frequently.

[MikeHoncho]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

I don't think it's worth while varnishing over linseed oiled wood. You need to go one way or the other otherwise you just counteract each other's benefits. Imo, linseed is great for wood that will be left to naturally silver as it protects below the surface and the wood's natural colour can be restored with regular re-application. On the downside, the oil tends to leach out so applying it to wood near painted or similar surfaces isn't necessarily a great idea. On the positive side, it's a lot easier to apply linseed than fresh coats of varnish even if you need to do it a lot more frequently.

Linseed oil cures and does not “leach” once cured. Like all finished , you have to verify treatments are compatible but BLO, once cured is a great visual enhancer. I wouldn’t use it for a protective measure like some are implying unless it was for interior use. Exterior it requires a top coat.

[PaulCrawhorn]

A top coat of what though? When outdoors

[Benz]

Traditional varnish is made out of linseed oil with other additives. I would be comfortable giving the wood a coat or two of BLO, give it a week or so to dry nicely, then varnish over with some form of traditional varnish (perhaps not polyurethane). I'd be more comfortable trying a sample first, although Pop's cane might just be the sample you needed.
But you could be all the way safe and do the same varnish throughout, thinned down for the first 2-3 coats, then built up. Is there a specific effect you're looking for? Or does it just seem like you can save some labor?

[Phantom Jim]

Linseed oil is used as a pre paint treatment of plywood to prevent the checking of the finish later. Once linseed oil is cured, paint or varnish over it if you wish. I have not seen any comments about epoxy or urethane finishes over linseed oil, so check that out before doing so.

[sailorfred]

According to my “bible” for varnishing my teak on the exterior “Brightwork. The Art of Finishing Wood” by Rebecca J Wittman....she recommends a great way to seal wood before you apply the first coat of varnish is to wet-sand oil into the bare wood using 360-grit (for teak). I have followed this technique using Tung Oil and then coats of Schooner varnish with great results for many years.

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by MikeHoncho

Linseed oil cures and does not “leach” once cured. Like all finished , you have to verify treatments are compatible but BLO, once cured is a great visual enhancer. I wouldn’t use it for a protective measure like some are implying unless it was for interior use. Exterior it requires a top coat.

Yes, it probably doesn't leach once cured. It's the bit between that and application that causes issue. I must confess that I use thinned linseed in a couple of external areas of my boat on very dense hardwoods and they probably don't quite soak up the stuff like I imagine a softwood would.

[Spot]

Subscribed...hoping to learn as I do not have experience with bright work to support any claims of my own.

I have notions in my head from decades ago (house painting and art school) that one does not use linseed oil without japan drier as it never dries. Along with that there is 'oiled' and there is varnished' and they do not work well together.

I am curious about under coats of epoxy followed by varnish or other clear with UV protection topcoats.

[fireant]

Our boat don't have a lot of wood. The few pieces it does have all need to be redone.
My goal is to make something last with as little work as possible in the long haul.
That means I would rather spend extra time doing it the right way the first time around.

The only problem I had with linseed oil was to make it work I would use multi layers to make sure it would go in all the way, that took weeks.
The results on the knife handles, walking sticks were incredible. Wood seems to get harder it felt denser as a way to describe it. Also seemed to last forever with reapplication once every few years on the knife handles.

That what got me thinking about using it on the boat.

[JPA Cate]

My goal is to make something last with as little work as possible in the long haul.

If this is really your goal, there is a different approach. If you really want that nice, varnished look, stop reading now.

The other approach is sand it back, give it 2 coats of real varnish, not polyurethane. Then paint it come color (with exterior grade house paint.) I have seen teak color used to good advantage, but also a grey color (the color of aged teak), and one maroon that all looked good. It lasts a very long time, (maybe longer than you would keep the boat), and it is easy to remove with a heat gun and a scraper, because of the two varnish coats keeping the paint out of the wood. So you could go back to varnishing whenever you wanted to change the appearance. Paint protects better than the varnish, and lasts a lot longer.

Ann