Best 'natural' finish for bare timber.

ThisIsWeird

Hi.
I'm trying to make a vanity unit out of an oak desk, with the preferred finish a shoe-banged one - Ie, blowtorched to both enhance the grain texture, and add a near-black finish. An initial trial is promising, and the grain looks lovely.
If it works out, I'll need to protect it using, I guess, an oil or wax, or possibly a modern product that'll be superior.
In essence, I think I'm after the lowest of sheens - matt, or just above - and the grain texture to still be very obvious. Ie, have it as unaffected as possible, tho' it will need protection from splashes and stuff.
I've tried a wipe-over using Danish oil, and it's nice, but I'm pretty sure it'll be too shiny after I've added the necessary few coats of this.
Any thoughts on what could be suitable, please?
Thanks.

FreeBear

I used linseed oil on a solid oak post that supports one corner of my bay roof. A semi matt finish.. But linseed oil takes a very long time to dry and harden, so may not be best for furniture.

bjorn_toby_wilde

Check out Osmo Polyx Oil. It’s not cheap but it’s very good and hard wearing.

I used two coats on an oak door threshold on the carpenter’s recommendation and it’s excellent stuff. You can buy in small tins (125 ml) which would probably be enough for the job.

Kiran

You can get clear matt finishing wax which might be what you're after. I'd also be tempted to try paraffin oil as a finish. It doesn't have a high sheen and would probably enhance your grain too

ThisIsWeird

bjorn_toby_wilde said:

Check out Osmo Polyx Oil. It’s not cheap but it’s very good and hard wearing.

I used two coats on an oak door threshold on the carpenter’s recommendation and it’s excellent stuff. You can buy in small tins (125 ml) which would probably be enough for the job.

Thanks. That's the sort of product I was wondering about - I've heard good things about it.
Is it an 'oil', or 'synthetic' like polyurethane, do you know?
How viscous is it - can it be thinned?

ThisIsWeird

FreeBear said:

I used linseed oil on a solid oak post that supports one corner of my bay roof. A semi matt finish.. But linseed oil takes a very long time to dry and harden, so may not be best for furniture.

Thanks. The drying time isn't a problem as long as it does the job. 'Boiled' is the one to go for, I understand.

ThisIsWeird

Kiran said:

You can get clear matt finishing wax which might be what you're after. I'd also be tempted to try paraffin oil as a finish. It doesn't have a high sheen and would probably enhance your grain too

Two products I wasn't aware of! I'll check them out.
My concern about a wax product is that it would build up in the grain and partially fill it?

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

We have Liberon hard wax oil on our internal oak doors which I really like. They don't shine, although it's been around 10 years since they were done. 

Didn't rate the Osmo Polyx Oil (but that was on a piece of pine with a Walnut spirit dye, you'll probably get a different (better) result with oak).

There's a company called Next Day Paint who seem keenly priced or Wood Finishes Direct seem to be one of the bigger companies, perhaps not the cheapest but if you ask for advice they will assist. Probably a case of getting a few samples and testing them on some scrap pieces. 

ThisIsWeird said:

with the preferred finish a shoe-banged one 

Are you going to whack the wood with your boots  

stuart45

As our floors are all wood apart from the kitchen and bathroom, and we've got a fair bit of Jaycee furniture, it was costing me a fortune in Lord Sheraton polish to keep my wife happy. I started making my own with beeswax sticks, boiled linseed oil and turps. If you vary the mix, you can get a really soft wax, that's almost an oil, which is easy to rub in, and leaves a finish between matt and satin.

Section62

ThisIsWeird said:

I'm trying to make a vanity unit out of an oak desk....

Check whatever you decide on for the effect of water splashing before you commit to it.  Some of the natural finishes don't like water.

bjorn_toby_wilde

ThisIsWeird said:

bjorn_toby_wilde said:

Check out Osmo Polyx Oil. It’s not cheap but it’s very good and hard wearing.

I used two coats on an oak door threshold on the carpenter’s recommendation and it’s excellent stuff. You can buy in small tins (125 ml) which would probably be enough for the job.

Thanks. That's the sort of product I was wondering about - I've heard good things about it.
Is it an 'oil', or 'synthetic' like polyurethane, do you know?
How viscous is it - can it be thinned?

It’s described as a wax oil and I didn’t find it too viscous. It went on really easily and two coats was enough. I didn’t thin it, but I believe you can.

It’s been down for 4 years now and I’ve no complaints at all. It looks like it did the day I put it on.

If you try Wood Finishes Direct they have a helpline and I’ve always found them very knowledgeable.