apply oil and varnish coats sequentially ?

10 years ago

Hello,

I would like to treat the wooden frame of a wine press. Left it outside overwinter untreated and it started cracking. So I have bought some linseed oil and I would like to purchase some lacquer as well to really protect it. However, the internet suggests mixing the two ingredients and applying them like that. What if I just put on 2 oil coats and only then, after some 24 hours, apply 2 lacquer coats ?

Same question for oil & wax: can I apply them separately or should I mix them first and apply like that ?

If I can go both separate and mixed ways, what are the pros and cons for the two use cases ?

Thanks!

Featured Answer

salex

10 years ago

Lacquer and varnish are not synonymous. And when you're dealing with two very different types of finish, they can be incompatible not only in liquid form (i.e., two finishes with different solvents), but also in "layer" form (e.g., don't put urethane over a normal, waxy shellac).

From the link you posted above, Marc (the Wood Whisperer himself) made this comment that succinctly introduces the major "families" of finish: "Hey Strolgen. This formula is for oil-based poly only. You also don’t
want to mix in shellac. In the world of finishing, we typically
confront 4 groups of finishes that are based on their respective
thinner. For best results, you don’t really want to mix one group with
another. The groups are water-based (thinned with water), oil-based
(thinned with min. spirits, naptha, paint thinner, turpentine, etc),
lacquer (thinned with lacquer thinner), and shellac (thinned with
denatured alcohol)."

If you want to know more, I'd recommend a book on finishing such as the one by Bob Flexner. Good luck!

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Comments (6)

mike_kaiser_gw
10 years ago
Mixing oil and lacquer doesn't sound right but maybe I'm wrong. Now there is a recipe for a wipe on finish that's roughly equal parts boiled linseed oil, mineral spirits, and oil based varnish. Commercially it's called Danish oil. It's an easy finish to apply but doesn't provide a lot of protection and wouldn't be appropriate for something outside. You can apply a coat or two of wax after the finish has dried and buff it out which will give the piece an soft luster. Again, the wax won't provide much protection. Use a wax for wood, not Turtle Wax. <lol>
PRO
Sombreuil
10 years ago
Where did someone recommend mixing linseed oil & lacquer? Never mix anything with lacquer except lacquer thinner, dye stains, or if necessary, "fisheye preventer". When in doubt, read the label, or call the customer service number..

Casey
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kelogs
Original Author
10 years ago
@Sombreull Sorry, are lacquer and varnish not synonymous ?

This link talks about a varnish recipe, basically the same as @mike_kaiser_gw described above:
http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/articles/make-your-own-oil-varnish-blend/
kelogs
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you @salex... missed that entirely. Err, sorry about the mistake, thought varnish and lacquer were the same.

So I have already applied a layer of linseed oil on the frame. I would not want to use the bee wax I bought for the frame as it is soft and the frame will not make contact with the grape juice anyway. I would really like something that better shields against moisture for the frame, something harder.

Also bought this lacquer, don't really know what it is - it says on its label made on "alchido-uretanice" resin base, and they instruct against diluting it with anything. So... can I apply this over the 24h-dried linseeded wooden frame ? If not, what else could I use there ?

As for that book, thanks but... meh, it is in English and I won't be making much wood craft anyway.

Thanks again!
PRO
Sombreuil
10 years ago
Linseed oil takes longer than 24 hours to cure. Unless you mixed Japan Drier into it. Lay a piece of newsprint on it and see if it absorbs any oil.