Wood is a beautiful natural product, and each type of wood has its appearance. There are many tree species that all make their kind of wood. From softwood such as spruce to hardwood such as teak. You can protect the wood by treating it, primarily if it is outdoors. You can also stain wood with oil, but with which oil and how to apply it.
In short: Wood can be stained with oil. Transparent oil will maintain the natural look of the wood. Pigmented oil will give wood a different color while leaving the grain visible.
This is briefly explained how you can stain wood with oil. When it comes to color, each species of wood has its own characteristics. An oil can emphasize this uniqueness or provide a completely different look. How to do it and what kind of oil you can use per type of wood are all discussed in this article.
Which Oil to Stain Wood?
What is the purpose of putting wood in the oil? Usually, this protects the wood and highlights the grain structure well. In short, the grain of the wood should, as it were, stand out.
There are roughly two types of oils:
Oil with a lot of solvents
- Now there are also types of oil that can be rubbed out after 5-10 minutes. These are probably oil types with a lot of solvents. These solvents evaporate, and then they can be rubbed off. These oils can be applied in a thick layer because the solvent evaporates, so a thin layer is also applied. Most oils today contain solvents.
Oil with little/no solvents
- It is intended that the oil penetrates the wood. The oil that absorbs into the wood provides good protection. That is why it is vital to give the oil half an hour to soak into the wood and then rub it out, after which it starts to shine. This oil is applied in a thin layer.
In addition, there is another classification into oil types, namely:
Transparent oil
Pure oil protects the wood but does not prevent graying. The wood can gray outside and inside due to UV radiation. It contains no pigments, and this oil preserves the color of the wood.
Oil with pigments
Oil with pigments prevents aging. The darker the oil, the less the wood will age. With these types of oil, you can give wood a different color than the natural color of the wood.
The producers are, of course, not standing still, and there are now also transparent oils with a UV filter, so read the packaging carefully which oil you have.
There are many types of oil for sale:
Oil for indoor furniture, garden furniture, and fences and decking. So be well informed about the oil you want to use.
Staining Wood Furniture with oil
Before you get started with staining wood with oil, you must first make many preparations.
But first, a tip!
Not sure if you have the right oil and stain? Then make a test piece first. Find a piece of wood from your object that is not directly in it. Treat this piece of wood with oil and determine whether it has the right look. When satisfied, you can put the entire object in the oil. If it doesn’t work out, you can always order another oil.
How to stain wood with oil?
Follow the steps below to do the wood staining properly:
- Clean the wood from dirt and grease.
- Then the object is sanded with fine grit sandpaper, grit 240-280.
- Sand with the grain of the wood.
- Remove dust with a soft brush or soft cloth.
- Now apply the oil.
- If you want to color a table top with oil, you can apply the oil to the table top and then rub it with a soft cloth.
- After about ten minutes, rub the table top with a clean soft cloth and absorb the excess oil.
Note: Always read the instructions on the product packaging you are using.
Exterior Wood Stain with Oil
Different rules apply to exterior wood furniture. This furniture is exposed to weather influences and must be well protected. If this wood is not treated, it will eventually turn gray. This can also be beautiful, depending on what you think is beautiful!
The oil for outdoor wood has been given various additives. The most important is a UV filter and extra water repellency. These additions will work fine initially, but this effect will diminish over time. Therefore, you will have to repeat the oiling of outdoor wood at least every two years.
You can oil and stain garden furniture as follows:
- Clean the garden furniture with soap and water or a unique wooden garden furniture cleaner. Brush off all the dirt.
- Let dry for at least 24 hours.
- Sand the wood, or at least the bad spots with grit 240. And make it dust-free.
- Use a cloth to rub the oil on the furniture. Use a brush for hard corners. Always read the processing instructions on the packaging.
- Allow it for at least 10 minutes and wipe off excess oil.
- Apply a second coat of oil the next day if necessary.
Read more about Wood Oil for Outdoor Furniture.
