Need help on Watco Danish Oil

[donnab]

Hi everyone, I have read where alot of you use the danish oil to finish your products with. Can someone explain this to me.Let me tell you what I'm doing first.
I have had a lady to ask me to make a lincense plate for her new truck.(This is new to me by itself) So I know I need to finish it with something that will hold up outside. I bought some danish oil and some Minwax indoor/outdoor Helmsman spar urethane. Will this work on the lincense plate and how is the best way to apply the danish oil?
Thanks for your help. Donnab

[f250]

Well from my experience, Danish Oil is not for something that is going to be touched or felt lots and definately not for outside use. If I use Danish Oil (and I do pretty often) I will use it on a piece to be looked at, but not touched.

You will need to put a clear coat of something tough on that...

Either wipe on and wipe off the Danish Oil or dunk the piece and let is soak a few minutes.

Tom

[Mick Walker]

DonnaB, I would use a marine spar varnish. You should be able to find it at a boat shop or paint store such as Mautz, Sherwin Williams, etc.

[groverd]

I agree with f250, , DO NOT use it for exterior items, , , I learned the hard way and now have a oak glider to strip and do the right way

[Barefoot1]

Definitely stick with the marine grade Spar Varnish

[Bill Wilson]

I'm going to throw this suggestion out there, having never tried it myself, so take it for what it's worth.

Consider using a clear base for an exterior, oil based paint. This is the product that they pull off the shelves before they add the color. Since no coloration is added, the finish ends up clear, if you select the proper base. There are different grades depending on what the final intended color is. For example, Brand X House & Trim paint may employ 4 different bases, numbered 1-4. If so, #4 is typically used for the darkest colors and dries the clearest. Lower numbered bases used for lighter colors and are more opaque. The advantage of using this product is that you get all the advantages of a good quality exterior paint (it contains the mildewcides, fungicides and UV inhibitors absent from some other outdoor finishes) at the same relatively reasonable cost. From that I've heard, true marine spar varnish, like what you would buy at a boat supply store, is very expensive.

As I said, I've never tried this, only read about it on another forum, but am intrigued about the possibilities. I haven't done any projects lately that require a clear outdoor finish, but when I do, I will definitely try this method.

Go to a good, specialty paint store and ask someone there about this. They may have never heard of using clear base like this, but the concept sounds very logical.

Good luck!

[donnab]

Thank you everyone for your help.Unfortually I don't live close to a marine shop to try that but the next time I'm in one I will buy some.Thanks Donnab

[greatdane2]

Marine spar varnish should be available at hardware stores, It is an exallent product that can be used on doors etc. Home Depot carries it here.
I use it a lot and have found the oil base expencive stuff works best and will last many years in full sunlight. as in my front doors are cedar and its been 12 or 13 years since I redid them and they still look great. I finish about half of my intarsia and segment pieces with this product, both for the look of it and also to protect the piece from dings.

Alan.