BLO questions (Lots of questions)

[Cliff Newton]

What is it? Who sells it? Is it easy to use? What type of projects is it good for? Is it a stand alone finish or are you supposed to put something on top of it? Are you supposed to sand between coats?

[Jason Tuinstra]

What is it? Who sells it? Is it easy to use? What type of projects is it good for? Is it a stand alone finish or are you supposed to put something on top of it? Are you supposed to sand between coats?

1. Boiled Linseed Oil
2. Most home improvement stores or paint stores.
3. It's very easy to use. You can apply it with a rag or a foam brush.
4. I like using it on all my furniture projects. I have not used it on some of my cherry projects, though, and I can tell a difference between a project with only a top coat of lacquer and those that have both a top coat of lacquer and an undercoat of oil. The later gets much darker much quicker.
5. I typially don't use it as a stand alone finish. It dosen't give a ton of protection. Thos. Moser would diagree. All his furniture is finished with BLO and wax. Same for Christian Becksvoort. I typically spray lacquer on top of the oil after it has cured for a few weeks. I like the semi-gloss look of a nice finish.
6. You don't have to sand, but you can. It makes a nice slurry and fills any small gaps in your joints. Wet sanding also give a nice silky finish if you don't want to put a top coat on.

Hope this helps.

[Cliff Newton]

Once you wet sand it, do you let it dry and then buff it out or just let it dry?




1. Boiled Linseed Oil
2. Most home improvement stores or paint stores.
3. It's very easy to use. You can apply it with a rag or a foam brush.
4. I like using it on all my furniture projects. I have not used it on some of my cherry projects, though, and I can tell a difference between a project with only a top coat of lacquer and those that have both a top coat of lacquer and an undercoat of oil. The later gets much darker much quicker.
5. I typially don't use it as a stand alone finish. It dosen't give a ton of protection. Thos. Moser would diagree. All his furniture is finished with BLO and wax. Same for Christian Becksvoort. I typically spray lacquer on top of the oil after it has cured for a few weeks. I like the semi-gloss look of a nice finish.
6. You don't have to sand, but you can. It makes a nice slurry and fills any small gaps in your joints. Wet sanding also give a nice silky finish if you don't want to put a top coat on.

Hope this helps.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Once you wet sand it, do you let it dry and then buff it out or just let it dry?

I usually let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe it down, then let it dry.

[Robert Goodwin]

What is it? Who sells it? Is it easy to use? What type of projects is it good for? Is it a stand alone finish or are you supposed to put something on top of it? Are you supposed to sand between coats?


You may or may not know this, but for safety reasons, do not just throw away the rags you use to apply BLO. Finishing rags coated with BLO or a lot of other oil based finishes for that matter will spontaneously combust of not properly disposed of. I take my rags outside and lay them flat on the ground or over a fence post making sure that there is plenty of air circulation. Once dry and stiff, they get placed in the garbage. There are other disposal methods, but this is what I do.

[Cliff Newton]

Thanks guys.