# Boiled Linseed Oil and Polyurethane



## monkeyman83 (Apr 6, 2012)

I have a question for anyone who can answer it out there. I love using boiled linseed oil as it really enriches the color of the wood in my opinion. My question is, though, is can I apply polyurethane over the top of boiled linseed oil? Thanks for the help.


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## Kirk650 (May 8, 2016)

I'd be more inclined to pop the grain with Minwax Antique Oil or Watco Danish Oil, rather than BLO.


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## joey502 (Mar 30, 2014)

I have used that finish, boiled linseed oil underneath oil based polyurethane, many times without issue. I usually thin the polyurethane 50/50 with mineral spirits. I have never had an issue


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## TheTurtleCarpenter (Jun 25, 2015)

Yes; The base to oil finishes is BLO, it is a binder for solids and pigments and creates flow. Polyurethanes and varnishes have Blo in them to dilute and make the finish flow out. Finishes also have thinners, (carriers) to reduce and extend drying times as in regular poly and quick drying polys. 
You can change the way stains take by thinning Blo down and applying before staining. If you are unsure always do some test peices first.


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## Jon_H (Jun 21, 2016)

Here's a finish that I learned from a guy with 50 years professional experience:

Wipe/rub on the boiled linseed oil
Immediately wipe on dewaxed shellac

The oil will do its enriching thing that it does so well. The shellac dries the oil almost immediately and adds a tiny bit of toughness. Quick, easy, almost foolproof.

I've followed up with several coats of Minwax wipe-on poly with good effect on surfaces that are high wear (e.g. table tops). I hit surfaces that don't see much wear and tear with some furniture wax.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

If you let the BLO set up enough, there won't be any problem. That should take at least a day, and maybe more.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Once you get past MinWax products, you'll have better results.
Bill


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## jwmalone (Jun 23, 2016)

I use that technique fairly often works well.


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## TMGStudioFurniture (Feb 27, 2016)

I'm pretty sure Watco Danish Oil is exactly that, a blend of BLO and polyurethane.


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

Yes you can but there really isn't a need for blo. Here is some info on oils and varnishes. I find MW poly works just fine. Tested others, don't see a discernible difference. I actually like it better than the non poly varnish Sherwin Williams has.


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## Mojo1 (Jan 13, 2011)

> Once you get past MinWax products, you ll have better results.
> Bill
> 
> - Bill White


Can you elaborate on this?


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## tomsteve (Jan 23, 2015)

BLO thinned about 25% with mineral spirits, let dry for aday or 2, the topcoated with poly is one of my favorites and great results even with minwax poly.


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## OggieOglethorpe (Aug 15, 2012)

*Here's a finish that I learned from a guy with 50 years professional experience:

Wipe/rub on the boiled linseed oil
Immediately wipe on dewaxed shellac*

I do similar, all in one step, mixing 33% each of BLO, Sealcoat, and Pine Turpentine. Do NOT substitute paint thinner, "turps", or any other similar solvent.

Keep it in a squeeze bottle and keep shaking to keep it mixed. Wipe it on, wipe it off, move on in just a few hours with solvent or oil clears.

I also use this under water based finishes on certain woods with fantastic results, letting it dry over night.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

> Yes you can but there really isn t a need for blo. Here is some info on oils and varnishes. I find MW poly works just fine. Tested others, don t see a discernible difference. I actually like it better than the non poly varnish Sherwin Williams has.
> 
> - OSU55


 OSU55 Thanks for that link. I learned a lot about wipe on finishes there.


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

I've also had success with WB poly over BLO, usually give the piece 3 or 4 days to dry well then use my HF HVLP gun to shoot light coats, then once the poly cures a light rub with 0000 SW and a coat of johnsons paste wax. It's a good looking finsh that stands up to having kids, especially girls and the dammned nail polish


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## blackcherry (Dec 7, 2007)

Here my favorite hand rub finish
1/3 blo
1/3 wood filler
1/3 fast drying varnish 
Mix ingredients to a paste consistency 
Apply with terry cloth , let set than buff off.

Any one hear of Harding furniture it one of their case good finishes. 
This finish has a satin soft look and very smooth to the touch.
Let's keep it our secret, cat out the bag, haha.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

In the end, poly and hardening oils play well together. You can even add BLO to oil based poly to bend it more toward being a long oil finish, which is what is used on surfaces that see a lot of abuse by weather. It isn't as hard, but it flexes more, so can tolerate the expansion and contraction of the wood better.

As others say, let the BLO harden completely, then start tossing poly on.

Popping the grain with Minwax, Watco and similar products is just the equivalent of putting a coat of highly thinned poly [with a lot of advertising behind it] on. More specifically, it's applying polymerized linseed oil with resins added, which is what poly is.

While you do have to wipe hardening oils off to avoid orange peel, wiping it on and off just as soon as you do is wasteful. People do this with mineral oil on butcher block, for example, and it drives me nuts. Let it soak as much as possible (with a cutting board, just walk away and forget it, letting it soak in), then get rid of the excess.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

My go-to finish for most woods that I don't need a thick film on is 2:2:1 BLO:MSoly. Wipes on easily and is easily refreshed periodically for shop tools and furniture that doesn't take a beating.


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

> While you do have to wipe hardening oils off to avoid orange peel, wiping it on and off just as soon as you do is wasteful. People do this with mineral oil on butcher block, for example, and it drives me nuts. Let it soak as much as possible (with a cutting board, just walk away and forget it, letting it soak in), then get rid of the excess.
> - Kelly


*OH +1 So Much* I'm a cheap bastard and with BLO I let it soak until it gets tacky and the cutting boards get left with a good puddle of miracle oil on them for a day or 2. Long grain boards won't absorb as much, but you'd be surprised how much an endgrain board will soak up.


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## sawdust1whisperer (Nov 11, 2014)

Monkey man. There's a lot of good advice in the comments here.

I have put poly over BLO many times.

BLO can take over a week to cure enough to paint over it, depending on humidity and temperature.

The drying Of BLO consists of physical and chemical stages, the latter denotes as curing.
I do the smell test. If I can hardly smell the BLO its most likely dry.

If you put poly over wet BLO it will blind with the poly and it may cause small lumps in the finish which you can sand off.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

the finish ive used as my go to is what a relatively unknown guy named sam maloof used on all his furniture.it consists of 1/3 boiled linseed oil 1/3 raw tung oil and 1/3 satin poly.he seemed to have good luck with it-lol.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Deleted


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