what is the best wood treatment for a victorian beech dining chair?
I have just bought 4 beech dining chairs that have been stripped and I need to treat them.
I need to know if waxes or oils are best, and which ones-danish, linseed, teak etc. I would wax them but I think it may leave marks on trouser seats (and the legs are heavily turned and it would be really hard work =/)
any advice appreciated
thanks
June 4th, 2010 at 9:00 am
Danish oil is actually just an oil finish that happens to be pretty durable. There are two types of oil finishes–long oil, or slow drying; and short-oil, or fast drying. I wouldn’t say that Danish oil dries quickly, but if you wipe on three coats of it, then wax it as needed, not only will it be virtually waterproof but it is very, very easy to touch-up and will echo the natural look of the wood. And you’re right about leaving marks, so make SURE SURE SURE that the oil is fully cured before having the family over or your dry-cleaning bill will be hellacious. (Test: Rub a piece of paper over the finish and see if it looks oily. Another test is to smell it–if it smells fresh, it’s still drying.) Sunlight and heat will help cure the finish quicker.