Hard oil, a natural finish for your chairs

Posted on , by Bruno DUVAL

Vernis and painting

Paints or varnishes are frequently used to protect and decorate the structure of an indoor wooden armchair.
These products leave a film on the surface on the wood. This film ages over the years and goes into dust or chips. The entire structure should then be sanded before a paint or varnish.
This protection is also difficult to repair if it is scratched.

A damaged varnished wood.
A damaged varnished wood.

Oil or wax

An alternative is to use an animal wax or natural vegetable oil that will penetrate the wood without forming a film on the surface. This solution provides average protection, can degrade rapidly in wet conditions and requires long and restrictive drying conditions.

Hard oil

Natural hard oils help to remedy the disadvantages of natural oils. They contain compounds of vegetable origin that offer the following characteri
stics:- vegetable oils that harden quickly when applied, without adding siccative: we preferably use wood oil from China and flaxseed oil
– derivatives oilseeds conferring a fluidity adapted to optimal impregnation of the support while freeing itself from the use of petrol
eum solvents – additives of the type vegetable wax providing resistance to
abrasion after drying. These different raw materials will help stabilize the oil, reduce its application time and provide wood protection equivalent to that of most petrochem
ical solutions. The wood is maintained simply with a soft cloth and occasionally ironing hard oil.

Chair in oiled MDF panels.
Chair in oiled MDF panels.

Did you know that?

Unlike a rapeseed oil flaxseed oil dries quickly. It therefore plays at first the role of a classic oil and then that of a glue. If you put on a screw the tightening will be easier and hold much better. That’s why it’s used to radiate a bike wheel: the ray heads are soaked in flaxseed oil before being put in place and tightened.