View Poll Results: Would you recommend WATCO Danish Oil as a good oil finish?

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  • Yes, I would

    30 88.24%
  • No, I wouldn't

    4 11.76%
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Thread: Anyone with experience with WATCO Danish Oil?

  1. #1

    Anyone with experience with WATCO Danish Oil?

    Hi,
    Does anyone have experience/opinions about WATCO Danish Oil, specifically the colored ones? I was thinking about using the Walnut colored one for a project, and would like to know how well it works. How well does it protect from moisture, sweat,etc? How well does it stain?

  2. #2
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    I use it now and again. It is only part of a finishing schedule, not a complete finish IMHO. It is fine for things that won't see much wear. Your mention of moisture and sweat would call out for a varnish of some kind as a top coat; shellac, lacquer, poly or some such.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


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  3. #3
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    Howdy from NW Kansas Mr. Hall! I use Watco finishes regularly, & trust me, you won't be disappointed! Don't be afraid to try different mixtures w/them, either. I keep a can of natural around to lighten colors if I've a mind to. I use them a lot on oak, pine, & walnut. Sometimes red oak, as well. Follow the instructions on the can, & "flood" your project the first time w/stain, then let it set for 10 - 15 minutes, repeat the process, let it set, & wipe it off. The main deal w/Watco is you may have to wipe the project down more than one time. But, give it the full 72 hours to dry, & wipe it down again. What I have found gives me a phenomenal finish is a coat or two of clear shellac , sand w/220, then shot w/a minimum of 3 coats of lacquer. I use dark walnut & light walnut, along w/natural. Try them on scraps before staining your project. The color & finish is AWESOME!!! Enjoy your day!

  4. #4
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    I put that on everything

    It enhances the grain of the wood before application of post cat lacquer or a conversion varnish.

    On something like a blanket chest, I've used it on it's own, four to six coats.

    Can't beat it as a grain filler. Just let the first coat dry and wet small areas at a time with the oil and sand with 320 grit. The sawdust/slurry will fill the woods pores and dry Hard...

    Another coat or two and you're done.

    Cheers, Don
    Last edited by Bruce Page; 05-29-2015 at 8:29 PM. Reason: Removed implied profanity per the TOS.
    Don Kondra – Furniture Designer/Maker
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  5. #5
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    Once upon a time, I built a series of identical mantel clocks made out of Walnut. I applied Watco Danish oil to the first one per the instructions on the can. The material brought out the subtleties of color and grain in the wood quite nicely but the finish seemed a little dull to me. I let the material dry and cure well and then on a whim, I waxed the surface very thoroughly from a can of Johnson's paste wax I kept in the shop for coating cast iron surfaces. I liked the appearance and silky feel of the surface so much that I did all the clocks that way. I was so pleased with the outcome that I have been using that combination ever since on small projects like boxes and clocks. I came in contact with one of the clocks the other day at my daughter's house and inspected it after ~8 years of use. It looked a little dull, so I got a paper towel and buffed it for a few moments. It looked just as good and felt just as silky as it did the day it was completed.

    I don't believe Watco is very durable on high wear surfaces so the desirability of of the material depends a lot on where it is used. Don's suggestion of a more durable lacquer or varnish top coat is a good one.
    Last edited by Art Mann; 05-29-2015 at 2:54 PM.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by glenn bradley View Post
    I use it now and again. It is only part of a finishing schedule, not a complete finish IMHO. It is fine for things that won't see much wear. Your mention of moisture and sweat would call out for a varnish of some kind as a top coat; shellac, lacquer, poly or some such.
    I agree with Glenn completely. It is great for enhancing the color. If the surface is going to be handled then I would consider the Danish oil as a color and grain enhancement under a finish. General Finishes makes a lot of great products that will protect the surface. If you explain more about the project, I might be able to recommend a product. The GF High Performance Poly is a good all around finish but there are better finishes for things like kitchen tables and entry doors.
    Gary

  7. #7
    I like the natural and use lots of it. On turnings I buff it and it takes on a warm glow. It works well as turnings mostly stay on shelves & not handled a lot. For furniture I use 2 coats and then poly or lacquer over that.
    Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning, the devil says, "oh crap she's up!"


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  8. #8
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    Watco is not a particularly protective finish. It doesn't have much water or abrasion resistance. What are you planning on using it on? What is the use of the item? What is the species of wood you plan to use it on?

    As always make up a sample board using scrap from your project. That's the only way to see how it will look on your project. Never let your project be your learning curve.
    Howie.........

  9. #9
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    Listen to Glen's post. He has the routine down pat.
    Bill
    On the other hand, I still have five fingers.

  10. #10
    I use the Black Walnut or Dark Walnut on Oak quite regularly for the past 10+ years. I like the color it provides and is super easy to apply. I try to let it dry for 2-3 days and then brush a couple of coats of lacquer on top. Watco by itself, as others have said, is not a durable top coat, it's mostly a stain. It's also super easy to touch up if you find some bare spots or missed spots.
    * * * * * * * *
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  11. #11
    I realize this is an old post but does all the info still hold true? I plan on wet sanding the Watco to use it as pore filler.
    I have natural and dark walnut going to use it on walnut, thinking that I want to use a combo of the two to create a light walnut, does this work or am I better off using some BLO to thin the dark walnut?

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pat Meeuwissen View Post
    I realize this is an old post but does all the info still hold true? I plan on wet sanding the Watco to use it as pore filler.
    I have natural and dark walnut going to use it on walnut, thinking that I want to use a combo of the two to create a light walnut, does this work or am I better off using some BLO to thin the dark walnut?
    I use it a lot, wet sand for some coats. I don't sand enough to fill the pores, for one thing I sand very little and besides that I want the grain and pores to show. If filling I'd use something else. I generally use 8 or 10 coats, wet sanding with 600 or finer and occasionally use Liberon 0000 steel wool with oil.

    penta_jatoba_IMG_7636 - Copy.jpg penta_plate_walnut_IMG_46.jpg BOC_C_Jack_01_IMG_6687.jpg whiteoak_bowl_02.jpg

    Old threads are often well worth reading.

    JKJ

  13. #13
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    First, yes, you can mix the colors without any issue. I love the results of wet sanding Watco to fill the grain. Smooth as glass. I do wet sand about 2-3 days apart progressing up to 1000 grit or so.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pat Meeuwissen View Post
    I realize this is an old post but does all the info still hold true? I plan on wet sanding the Watco to use it as pore filler.
    I have natural and dark walnut going to use it on walnut, thinking that I want to use a combo of the two to create a light walnut, does this work or am I better off using some BLO to thin the dark walnut?
    Try a test piece and you'll know. But thinning with oil doesnt seem necessary, if all you want is to lighten the color. They do have a "light walnut" version. Besides, "danish oil" is already a mixture of BLO and varnish, so has some of the properties of both.

  15. #15
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    I've used Watco oil for years and love it for all the reason pointed out above. I recently tried Minwax Antique Oli and I think I like it better than Watco. It's a subtle difference and the only way I can describe it is that the Antique oil looks "deeper" if that makes any sense. Not sure of the make up but it certainly has earned a place in my shop.
    Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything.

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