After much debate on the Woodworkers Institute forum, we put these two old rivals head-to-headin the ultimate test
It was a few months ago that I noticed some interest on the Woodworkers Institute forum regarding the use of hardwax and Danish oils. The gist being that some folk have a preference for one over the other, myself included. I should mention that I’ve used both products successfully over the years and, like many of the choices I make, I’ve long since forgotten the thought process which lead to the decision in the first place. I’m not happy with the idea of becoming a creature of habit just yet so it was time to ask questions and carry out some research. Within hours of asking for volunteers, four of you stepped forward and the process was under way.
It’s fair to point out that there are products other than the ones we’ve used in our experiment and for the most part I expect our findings to be representative of the two products in general. Danish and hardwax oils are suitable for use in many of the same ways but at what point do we need to know the differences and, more importantly, the benefits of one over the other. The answer is of course… before we reach for the tin.
Method
Having procured our samples we took three different timbers; maple (Acer spp), oak (Quercus robur) and walnut (Juglans regia) and asked our volunteers to prepare them in two different ways. The first were sanded down to 400 grit using a random orbital sander. The blanks were cut to 400mm x 200mm and masked down the middle to leave an equal area of unfinished material visible to compare colour change after application.
The second were turned on the lathe and sanded to 400 grit. Our volunteers were asked to use a brush to apply both products and to adhere to the manufacturers guidelines for drying times between re-coating. Two coats were applied for both the hardwax and the Danish and the average temperature in the workshops was kept at about 12oC.
The Test – Boards
First up are our two furniture makers who were asked to make their assessments on the flat boards
James Billings
James Billings is a bespoke furniture maker working closely with his clients to produce furniture for every room in the house. His choice of finish is wax or oil. No two pieces are the same and the construction methods along with the materials he uses are equally as variable.
Tom Buttler
Tom Buttler runs his own furniture and joinery business and takes on restoration projects as well. With this range of work his understanding of what works and why is almost second nature.
Hardwax: Osmo PolyX Oil
James Billings: Quite thick and sticky to apply with a bit of drag when brushing. Still wet at 50 mins. Osmo has the lowest odour but was the only one still sticky at four hrs.
Tom Buttler: This oil is thicker in viscosity than the other two oils. It’s more opaque in colour and takes longer to dry. Once dry, it gives a nice satin finish which is very durable and easy to repair by re-coating.
Hardwax: Treatex Hardwax Oil
James Billings: Again, this was quite thick and sticky to apply with a bit of drag when brushing and was also still wet at 50 mins.
Tom Buttler: This has a nice colour and viscosity and is easy to apply. I found that it lifted the grain on the first coat but dried smooth on the second coat. Once dry, it gives a matt finish which shows up marks that are easy to repair by re-coating.
Hardwax: Chestnut Hardwax Oil
James Billings: This is a bit thinner and was touch dry at 50 mins. Chestnut had the best scratch resistance when scribbled on with a masonry nail.
Tom Buttler: A nice colour and viscosity and is easy to apply, however it has more of a chemical smell than the other two hardwax oils. After the second coat the finish is smooth and has a lovely sheen to it. A durable finish and again, easy to repair if marked.
Danish: Chestnut Finishing Oil
James Billings: This was the thinnest so soaked in quickly, but it was prone to running.
Tom Buttler: A very thin oil and when applied lifts the grain on both coats and would probably need more than two coats to achieve a good finish. Gives a satin finish which does not mark easily.
Danish: Liberon Superior Danish Oil
James Billings: This is thin and didn’t form as many air bubbles on application.
Tom Buttler: Again, this is very thin when applied but does not lift the grain as much as the Chestnut Finishing Oil. It gives a matt finish which does not mark easily.
Danish: Mylands Danish Oil
James Billings: This had less open time than the others. The second coat was touch dry in five hrs while the others were still sticky.
Tom Buttler: Thicker than the Chestnut Finishing and Liberon Superior Oils, Mylands gives a nice satin finish which does not mark easily.
The Test – Curved Surfaces
Second up are our two woodturners who were asked to make their assessments on curved surfaces
Paul Hannaby
Paul Hannaby of Creative Woodturning is a professional. He achieves an excellent balance of practicality and artistic expression in his work. To do this, the finish he chooses must be fit for purpose be it resistance to wear and tear or for aesthetics.
Keith Fenton
Keith is also a professional preferring to work with timber from native grown trees, the majority of which are chain sawn in the fields. His work is both utilitarian and artistic, occasionally combined. He sells his work through a number of craft galleries, a couple of fairs a year and also to commission. Much recent work has been coloured and the last year has seen a move towards oil and spray lacquer finishes.
Hardwax: Treatex Hardwax Oil
Paul Hannaby: Quite thick straight from the tin but not so thick that it was difficult to apply. All three samples appeared to be unaffected by either red wine or hot coffee in the spill test.
Keith Fenton: First impression was the milky opaque colour of the finish. In use, the consistency was thick and appeared to be absorbed into the end grain very slowly. Two coats didn’t give a final finish.
Hardwax: Osme PolyX Oil
Paul Hannaby: The oak sample appeared to be slightly darker than the others after application of the oil. The walnut sample still felt slightly tacky after 48 hrs. In its defence, the container suggests applying in an environment where the ambient temperature is 23oC. This oil appeared to give the highest shine out of those used. All three samples appeared to be unaffected by either wine or hot coffee in a spill test.
Keith Fenton: The liquid looked clear in the tin and was absorbed quickly into the open-end grain, particularly apparent on the oak sample. The grain raised significantly on all the samples and would have needed sanding off and a further coat to be applied.
Hardwax: Chestnut Hardwax Oil
Paul Hannaby: This comes in a screw top tin rather than the flip off paint tin used by the other two hardwax oils, so for occasional use of small amounts, this would be more convenient. Again, all three samples appeared to be unaffected by either liquid in the spill test.
Keith Fenton: Unlike the other finishes, I applied this with a cloth as the instructions indicated. I applied it liberally and the surplus wiped off almost immediately. This was by far the thinnest in consistency of the three products tested and was absorbed into the wood quickly. There was a noticeable odour. Two coats gave a nice satin finish. This was the hardest finish of the samples to scratch.
Danish: Chestnut Finishing Oil
Paul Hannaby: Probably the thinnest of all the oils on test, this appeared to be reflected by very quick absorption in all three of the sample pieces. This oil appeared to have the least shine out of all those under test. All three samples appeared to be unaffected by either liquid in the spill test.
Keith Fenton: Again, a thin consistency that covered easily and was absorbed into the end grain. The two coats gave quite a high gloss. This was the hardest surface to mark and the third coat really improved the finish noticeably.
Danish: Liberon Superior Danish Oil
Paul Hannaby: This showed slight yellowing on the maple in comparison to the other oils. In the spill test the maple sample lost its shine where the wine was applied but not where the coffee was. The walnut sample appeared to be unaffected by either liquid. The oak sample appeared to lose its shine where the coffee was applied but not where the wine was. None of the samples exhibited any staining.
Keith Fenton: My first impression was of the very thin consistency of the oil. It was absorbed the fastest of the products tested and took a good amount to obtain coverage, particularly on the end grain of the samples. There was a marked change in the colour of the oak as it became significantly darker.
Danish: Mylands Danish Oil
Paul Hannaby: The appearance of the oil was quite yellow in the tin and it showed slight yellowing on the maple. The walnut sample still felt slightly tacky after 48 hours. In the spill test the oak sample lost a bit of its shine after the coffee was applied but the other samples appeared to be unaffected by either liquid.
Keith Fenton: This went on easily and flowed well from the brush. There was a strong odour. The product enhanced and brought out the colour on all the samples. It refinished easily and the third coat improved the sheen.
Conclusions
All products soaked in within five mins except on oak. All were touch dry within four hrs on first coat. All have similar scratch resistance which is easily repaired to leave the scratch invisible. The different woods did take the finishes differently, I would choose Treatex and Chestnut Danish for walnut, whereas the maple finished well with all products. Mylands was slightly gummy when sanding the
first coat and difficult to de-nib on the second coat. The others were easier to de-nib but not as easy as the hardwax.
James Billings
From my observations of the hardwax oils, the Chestnut Hardwax Oil gives the nicest finish, the downside being the smell whilst being applied. Of the Danish oils the Mylands gives the best finish of the three. Overall I would use the hardwax oil on furniture as opposed to the Danish oil.
Tom Buttler
When it came to scratch resistance, none of the finishes appeared to withstand the scratching any better than any of the others. It looked like the only practical solution would be to sand flat before refinishing. When it came to shine, Osmo takes it, but if it’s a flat finish you’re after then the Chestnut Oil was preferable. I’d be inclined to use different products for different purposes.
Paul Hannaby
As I might have expected, the oils appeared to penetrate all the samples faster than the hardwax products. Only the Chestnut products gave what I would have considered a final finish after two coats. They all looked better after the refinish with fine wire wool and the application of a third coat.
Keith Fenton
Glossary of Terms
Danish oils
Danish oil is a generic term used to describe wood finishes where the base constituent is either tung oil or polymerised linseed oil. Some use a mixture of both of these oils along with a mixture of natural and synthetic waxes, resins and other such items in addition to driers known as siccatives, to create this durable finish. Danish oil is water resistant and easy to apply to wood.
Tung oil
An extract from the seed of the tung nut, it’s an oil which also hardens on exposure to air but takes a considerable amount of time to do so. It’s a very light coloured oil which is considered the most water resistant and durable of all the natural oil there is and it has the distinct advantage of not darkening the wood as much as some other oils. Tung oil can be heat treated to form polymerised tung oil, which causes it to cure faster and form a harder film surface. Tung oil is used a lot in combination with other items, both natural and synthetic resins, to create inks and paints and so on.
Linseed oil
An extract from the dried seeds of the flax plant. In its raw state it’s a yellow colour and will cure into a hard surface on exposure to air but, like tung oil, takes a long while to do so. It has some water resistant qualities. To cause it to cure faster and form a harder, more durable finish, it’s often heat-treated, to form polymerised linseed oil, or metallic dryers are added to it. Linseed oil is often used as part of a mix of natural and synthetic resins to create various finishing products. Boiled linseed oil is darker than raw linseed oil and both have a distinct darkening effect on the wood it’s treated with.
Wax oil
Wax oil is often referred to as hardwax oil. Usually these are a blend of natural waxes and oils that are intended for use on internal bare wood. They are quick drying and form a flexible, semi-durable surface finish, which is resistant to moisture, scuffing and has a good degree of wear resistance. Whilst these products can be used on floors and kitchen tops, they can also be used to great success on furniture too.
Manufacturers
Osmo PolyX Oil
Price: Around £16.63 for 750ml From: Osmo UK
Tel: 01296 481 220
Web: www.osmouk.com
Chestnut Finishing Oil
Price: £8.95 for 500ml
From: Chestnut Products
Tel: 01473 425878
Web: www.chestnutproducts.co.uk
Treatex Hardwax Oil
Price: Around £19.57 for 1L From: Treatex Ltd
Tel: 01844 260416
Web: www.treatex.co.uk
Liberon Superior Danish Oil
Price: Around £11.76 for 1L From: Liberon Ltd
Tel: 01797 367555
Web: www.liberon.co.uk
Chestnut Hardwax Oil
Price: £10.50 for 500ml
From: Chestnut Products
Tel: 01473 890118
Web: www.chestnutproducts.co.uk
Mylands Danish Oil
Price: £8.24 for 500ml
From: John Myland Ltd
Tel: 020 8670 9161
Web: www.mylands.co.uk
One Response
I’m concerned about the application, there is no mention of wiping off the surplice after application nor drying times between applications. Applying with a brush is not uncommon but to speak of a thin product ‘running’ suggests again, an inappropriate application.
Your survey makes no mention of resistance to spillages of varying fluids after say…two coats or maybe three/four. Then how the sheen develops – if at all – after several applications.
My perception is, producers are trying to turn ‘oiled furniture’ into an unnecessary science for the sake of breaking into an established market. I’ve been oiling my commissions for 30 years and despite trying ‘modern’ oils, I keep coming back to the tried and tested ‘Liberon Finishing Oil’, it’s one of the fastest drying – 3 coats in a single working day – very resistant to kitchen detritus and repairable, building to a satin sheen if you wish.