Oil and wax blends

Overview

An oil and wax blend combines a drying oil, which soaks in and hardens, with a wax, which sits at the surface and gives feel and a little water repellence. The class overlaps with Hardwax oil; here it covers small-maker products that call themselves natural, and traditional home recipes such as oil and beeswax. Examples in this entry: Tried & True Original Wood Finish (polymerized linseed oil and beeswax), RMP Wood Wax (carnauba wax and walnut oil), and Odie's Universal Oil, which the maker says uses a processed tung oil in a blend of oils and waxes. Wikipedia notes walnut oil is often mixed with beeswax at about one part oil to two parts wax.

Pros

• Easy wipe-on, buff-off process; very low odour for most.
• Pleasant, natural, low-sheen feel.
• Easy to renew by adding more product.
• Several makers state no solvents or no metallic driers (their claims) and low or zero VOC.
• Usable for bowls, toys and cutting boards when the label supports it (see Safety).

Cons

• Light protection: moderate water resistance, little heat or chemical resistance.
• Over-application leaves sticky or smeared residue; all excess must be buffed off.
• Waxy surfaces can interfere with later coatings.
• Marketing-heavy: claims like "waterproof", "20 times the coverage" or "food safe" are not independent data.
• Cost per square foot can be high.

Suitability

A good fit for White oak, Hard maple, Black walnut, European walnut and Black cherry on furniture and kitchenware. Tried & True limits Original Wood Finish to three coats. Oily woods like Teak may resist cure; test first. For dining tops with real wear, a harder film (Wipe-on polyurethane) is a better choice.

Coats and application

Sand to 180 to 220 (Sanding schedule). Odie's instructions on its page are to wipe on sparingly, wait, then buff until no product remains and a finger swipe leaves no mark; use the piece within 24 hours, expose it to liquids after 3 to 5 days, and wait 24 hours between further coats. Tried & True's Original Wood Finish: allow 60 minutes of penetration before wiping, at least 24 hours of cure, burnish with 0000 steel wool before each coat, do not use a brush, and do not use mineral-oil polishes before or after. Example schedule: coat 1 wiped and buffed, wait 24 h, coat 2, wait 3 to 5 days, light use.

Compatibility

Put on bare wood; wax inside the product makes it a poor base for other coatings. Do not put varnish, lacquer or water-based finishes over it without stripping or testing. It can be topped with a harder wax (Paste wax). Do not layer different oils over each other without checking maker advice: RMP, for instance, warns not to put tung or hemp oil over its non-drying cutting board oil (Walnut oil and other food oils). See also Hardwax oil and Polymerized linseed oil (stand oil).

Care and repair

Renew with a thin coat after a clean wipe; the surface can be refreshed without sanding. Sand locally for stains. Avoid soaking; wipe up spills quickly. Tried & True says its finishes are water-resistant, not waterproof.

Safety and environment

Oily rags can ignite spontaneously as the drying oil in these blends cures. The USDA Wood Handbook says to immerse oil-soaked rags in water and seal them in a water-filled airtight metal container; Tried & True advises a jar or bucket of water and then sealing; see Oily rag safety.

Food claims, separated by source: Odie's says "food safe" on its product page; RMP calls Wood Wax "food-safe"; Tried & True states that its products comply with FDA 21 CFR 175.300. All are manufacturer statements. 21 CFR 175.300 lists permitted ingredients for resinous and polymeric coatings acting as a barrier on food-contact surfaces, including raw or heat-bodied drying oils, but it is not a certificate for a finished board. Beeswax is listed as generally recognized as safe as a food additive in 21 CFR 184.1973 and carnauba in 184.1978. The Wood Handbook says to check that any finish for food items is recommended for that use. See Food-safe finishes. Gloves are sensible; Tried & True notes linseed products can cause mild skin dryness.

Related

• Hardwax oil: industrial-strength relatives.
• Beeswax and carnauba: the wax components.
• Walnut oil and other food oils: oils for kitchenware.
• Polymerized linseed oil (stand oil): the oil in Tried & True blends.
• Oily rag safety: fire hazard.