Looking for Natural Finish Options

[Ethan Bishop]

Yeah Jim and Stan you guys are right. Some of the BLO's are petroleum free, but still makes me wonder how the VOC's compare. Rubio Monocoat and a few other VOC-free finishes i have found have <5g/L VOC, whereas the Vesting product has less than <.000005 ug/m^3. Which is still a huge difference, especially with how stringent we are with our criteria. Maybe just different accuracies in the VOC tests, or there is still a big difference. Makes me wonder how BLO, and some other products would rank in comparison on a VOC lab report....time to go bug some companies.

The vesting product uses a UV LED, so more energy efficient than just a UV light, and absolutely nothing is released in the process. They have some small UV LED lights for small shops, but at $400 for even a cheap light your either making the dive, or your not.

[Dan Gaylin]

Here are some to consider: Odies Oil, Mahoneys Oil, pure polymerized tung oil (some boating and musical instrument stores sell it), polymerized linseed oil (Tried and true "Danish Oil"). Shellac with Everclear as the solvent. Also possibly Vermont Natural Coatings.

[Stan Calow]

Alcohol (as in shellac) is a VOC.

[Dan Gaylin]

It's true that alcohol is a VOC, but ethanol is a VOC that people consume regularly in moderation in the form of alcoholic beverages with no health effects. And the vapors from ethanol, at moderate levels, are not harmful. So I agree that the suggestion of shellac flakes dissolved in ethanol is not entirely consistent with the OP's initial post, but I believe fits the bill in terms of being essentially nontoxic and safe. In fact both ingredients are regularly consumed as food.

[Doug Garson]

Surprised no one has suggested beeswax, not extremely durable but natural.

[Jim Becker]

Surprised no one has suggested beeswax, not extremely durable but natural.

It's one component in the oil/wax formula for the Tried and True product I mentioned. It's actually a really great finish...Professor Dr. SWMBO's cherry desk I made her in 1997 was (and still is) finished in that formula. I've since used it for many decorative projects.

[michael langman]

I bought 3 gallons of Raw tung oil from The Real Milk Paint Company, and also 2 gallons of natural citrus sol from them when I put in my wood flooring, over ten years ago. Highly recpmmend it. I still have te raw tung oil and it keeps well over time.
I also use it on most of my wood working projects I make out of pine and other woods. Just apply several coats over several days with a brush and rgs.

[Stan Calow]

I came across this page about making natural plant-based dyes, and remembered this thread. May be of interest. I think the assumption is they're for dying fabric, but should work on wood too?http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio...ndmordant.html

[John TenEyck]

All of Rubio Monocoat's hardwax oil finishes are zero VOC. They have something like 50 colors. FWIW, Osmo Polyox is not zero VOC, and you would want to check the others offering similar hardwax oils to see if their products truly are if that's important.

John