If you are a thrifter or a hand-me-down furniture lover take heed, your life is about to change. Meet your new boyfriend Danish Oil.
You know when you buy an older piece of furniture and it just looks tired? The finish is dull, there are nicks and chips and marks all over it, and though technically it is the same piece as the one on 1st Dibs for $5000, it looks like its had a rough go at life and maybe got the short end of the gene pool in the Herman Miller family.
This is where Danish Oil comes in. When you have a piece that is struggling in the finish department sometimes it seems like the only option is to strip/sand/restain it. But ITS NOT!!
Doesn’t this guy in Aspyn’s Living Room look brand spankin’ new?
He sure didn’t start out like that. I mean we’re talking a “She’s All That” style facelift (I’ll love you forever FPJ!)
So what is this voodoo magic?!
Danish Oil can best be described as 1 part conditioner and 1 part stain. It comes in different colors that you best match your piece’s finish to (don’t worry if your between shades, it miraculously morphs into what it needs to look like!)
Using a clean cloth you rub in on all over the piece, concentrating on the areas that have issues.
It instantly changes everything. Its like real life Photoshop or using Maskcara IIID Foundation.
Check out this piece- see how all of the scratches stand out like a sore thumb?
With a quick wipedown of Danish Oil they just disappear. The wood looks alive, there is more color depth and its now protected against water, kids, and general grossness.
Look at the bottom of the legs:
GOOSEBUMPS!!!
So, if your furniture is looking a little lackluster, you’ve got help on the way!!
Danish Oil comes in a bunch of different colors, most are linked below!(My favorites are the Natural and Medium Walnut (which is sort of the most perfect color for almost any midcentury piece you can throw at it!)
Have you used Danish Oil? Do you love it enough to get a D.O. tattoo with me?
When you apply it – have you used 000 steel wool (per directions) or do you just use a soft cloth?
I’m wondering the same thing.
This might not work, but I wonder if it would work on staircase raw wood beneath my carpet.
Also, does it have to be covered with varnish after?
YES!!! It’s my favorite stuff ever!!
Does it fix white spots caused by heat?
Usually it does!!
Place a cotton t-shirt over the white spot and press an warm/hot iron on it. Those old water rings come right out!
Danish oil is serious magic… I used it on my mid century dining room table that really needed some love and it now looks gorgeous. Such an easy fix! I think mine was restore a finish to be exact..
https://www.kemleydesign.com/mid-century-modern-dining-area-reveal/
Ahh! I love what you did and I am so jealous you found that table on that particular yard sale site! I have the worst luck there!!
Quick question: have you ever tried it on unfinished wood?
Yes, it works great. The only catch is that you have to keep an eye on it because I’m some spots it will “bleed” out and it needs to be wiped off. Otherwise it could turn blotchy.
I love using Danish oil whenever I can. It is definitely something where you’ll want to follow the instructions to the letter and let it sit for the right amount of time between coats. I’ve used it to refresh a finish, when I’ve sanded back a finish, and on raw sanded wood. All great. https://sarahsuponskidesigns.wordpress.com/portfolio/ironing-board-beauty/
And
https://sarahsuponskidesigns.wordpress.com/portfolio/drop-leaf-table/
I have a table top I’ve sanded down twice. Each time I stain it, it becomes blotchy–never had that happen. Would this take care of that? Would it get blotchy after applying the danish oil?
When you sand it down you need to get ALL the old stain removed. What you miss “seals” the wood so the stain doesn’t take the way the wood around it does. Blotches. Oil would be similar as less oil penetrates the areas that are “sealed” off.
Does it work on wood kitchen cabinets as well? Mine are 30 years old and looking tired.
I’m sure it could help. I used a different product on my cabinets and it works great . It’s called Restorzit and you can order it from https://www.restorzit.com. Just as with any project on kitchen cupboards you have to clean the wood first to get all the cooking grease, dirt, etc off. It’s not hard to do. Then the second step is applying the restoring oil to the wood and let it dry. No sanding, no staining, no clear coat or wax – just cabinets that look brand new
I have a rattan couch that had been outside a lot before I bought it. it is dried out and rough especially on to top of the frame. Have you ever refreshed dried out rattan/bamboo?? Would this help???
I also love Murphy’s Feed-n-Wax, similar effect as Danish oil, and it gives it a protective coating.
I used Murphy’s feed and wax on a rattan chair I bought on Craig’s List and it looks like new. I think Danish oil would also work great. The big issue is making sure there’s no old clear coat that prevents absorption.
What if I used Danish Oil on my wood base boards? Anyone ever try?
Yes we used on all our skirting boards (which is i think what you’re talking about) and door frames. Worked perfectly.
I just bought a complete bedroom set a Franklin Shockey mid-century modern Pine. It had scratches everywhere. I went to Home Depot to buy some similar stain and came across this and I said what the heck. I cannot even begin to tell you how absolutely gorgeous these pieces look
Do you have to reapply Danish oil every once in awhile after it dries out or does it actually stain the wood back to whatever color you buy the oil in?