# Does anyone use WD-40 as a finish?



## johnhutchinson (Dec 9, 2013)

Maybe I should be asking if ANYONE ELSE uses WD-40 as finish, because my brother does. He sprays it on, sands with 400-grit wet/dry paper, and buffs with an old cotton t-shirt. He gets spectacular results and the semi-gloss finish seems to last forever with no discoloration of the wood. Even his work in cherry, which is prone to oxidation, stays bright for years.


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## Texcaster (Oct 26, 2013)

I haven't tried it as a polish but it's great for knocking out wasp nests!


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Never. It might function like kerosene, which stains
wood. Some old timers were known to use used 
motor oil. Many if not most oils will polymerize from
oxidation and thus sort of harden up on the surface
of the wood.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Guess I have never heard of that before. I will be interested to see the posts.


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## dawsonbob (Aug 5, 2013)

What Can't you use WD-40 for, other than on your morning cereal or evening martini? I think Ill grab a piece of scrap tomorrow and give it a try.


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## johnhutchinson (Dec 9, 2013)

I read somewhere that it's been used to refinish hardwood strip flooring. 
Wonder if it's non-slip? 

What my brother seems to be doing is creating a micro-filler slurry for the wood. I recently saw something on Woodsmith where Don was using a similar technique … but not with WD-40.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

we used automatic transmission fluid
on the teak at a boat company i worked for in florida

it was cheaper than teak oil

worked ok


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## bowedcurly (Aug 31, 2013)

gonna try it


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## BentheViking (May 19, 2011)

follow up question. Has anyone used duck tape as a finish?

yeah me either!


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## johnhutchinson (Dec 9, 2013)

Okay, go ahead, knock yourself out with a good yuck. 

He used WD-40 exclusively on the rotary box we published with American Woodworker. We told them what he used, but I don't think they believed it because they never revealed the "secret".


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## luv2learn (Feb 4, 2012)

I never heard of using WD-40 as a finish but then again I haven't heard about many things that work as a finish. I guess I will have to give this a go myself


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## lab7654 (Mar 31, 2012)

How does it smell after it…"cures"? The smell of it gives me a headache whenever I use it. I wonder if it repels water?


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## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

WE used it as a touch up for trim work that was already finished. Worked great.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

I have seen others use it but I have never tried it as I think the smell would never really go away and that would not be very desirable.


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

You learn something new daily


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## johnhutchinson (Dec 9, 2013)

For those who have been asking about a smell after it cures, there is none that I can detect.

I think the WD-40 finish must be a wooden clockmaker "secret". That's my brother's primary area of interest. Makes sense, I guess.


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## BustedClock (Jun 30, 2011)

Interesting this. I asked a question a couple of days ago about using WD-40 as a plane-sole lubricant and rust inhibitor. Most of the objections to using it as a sole lubricant concerned it's effect on finishes. Obviously, using it AS the finish obviates that problem.

Gonna give that a try on a scrap of catalpa to see if I can use it to finish my coffee table.

BTW, I don't know about its water repellant properties after it dries, but the WD stands for water dispersant. The 40 is because it was the 40th formulation that finally satisfied a government requirement.

Cheers


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## rejo55 (Apr 5, 2012)

Never used WD-40 as a finish, but *BentheViking* posed the question as to whether anyone had used duct tape as a flnish. It just so happens that I was browsing Craigslist yesterday and ran across this Ibanez guitar finished with duct tape.

http://houston.craigslist.org/msg/4271096405.html

Have a good'un
Joe


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## murch (Mar 20, 2011)

Any one used it as a finish on a turning project? Certainly will have to investigate the possibilities.
Thanks *John H.*


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

Does your wood stop rusting after using it? 
Seriously, I think I'll give it a try just to see what happens.


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## LakeLover (Feb 2, 2013)

I know a few people that put a tiny bit on there fishing lures and it works.

I have seen wood carvers use shoe polish. Worth thinking about.

In California do they make a water based version


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I understand that the primary ingredient in WD-40 is fish oil. So we are talking about a type of oil treatment.


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## johnhutchinson (Dec 9, 2013)

BustedClock-I was laughing at your username until I read it for the second time. Sounded painful.  
I knew that 40 stands for the 40th try, but I didn't know about the WD (water dispersant) part. Thanks for the brain-clutter!

rejo55-To heck with the WD-40. I want to experiment with that duct tape guitar finish.


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## ajosephg (Aug 25, 2008)

I wonder how Mobil 1 motor oil would work?


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## Garwood (Jan 28, 2013)

Why not WD40? I've been told it is based on fish oil. We all have used at one time or another an oil based finish. Examples: Teak oil, linseed oil, WATCO Danish oil etc.


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## Knothead62 (Apr 17, 2010)

"I wonder if it repels water?" 
WD= water displacing
Will have to try it on some wood. Interesting thread
I read a disclaimer that WD-40 is petroleum based, not fish oil. Yep, I was surprised, too. If it was fish oil based, you would have a cat problem instead of termites.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

WD-40?? That really gave me a start, till I read the responses, and remembered that a friend built a house that had cedar shakes as siding and roof. He applied used motor oil. Darkened it considerably and it shed water very well.


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## danoaz (Jun 16, 2012)

Sounds like a Charles Neil question to me.


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## Garwood (Jan 28, 2013)

Why not WD40? I've been told it is based on fish oil. We all have used at one time or another an oil based finish. Examples: Teak oil, linseed oil, WATCO Danish oil etc.

Sorry, duplicate post


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

Interest info John and certainly worth a try. If I can just find that can of WD-40.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

*I know a few people that put a tiny bit on there fishing lures and it works.* That is to attract fish, not finish the lure.


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

It works really good for taking tar off your car or tools.


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## Bonka (Apr 13, 2012)

If Duct tape won't stick to it I want no part of it.


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

Bentheviking should see a few old Red Green shows. He would repair his VW car with it. "Another coat of duct tape!"


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

"WD-40?? That really gave me a start, till I read the responses, and remembered that a friend built a house that had cedar shakes as siding and roof. He applied used motor oil. Darkened it considerably and it shed water very well".

I wonder what is home owners insurance cost are.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

That reminds me of my dad's barn. Cedar shingles in the Idaho sun. The roof was shingled in 1954 or 1955. Some guy came by and sprayed it with some sort of black coating. The last time I saw it was a couple of years ago. The south facing roof is beginning to loose a lot of the black color, but the original roof still looks perfectly sound. It was not thick like an asphalt substance. You could still see the grain of the wood through it. I wonder what the coating was? Early version of WD-40? ;-))


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

I can see where WD-40 would make the wood look good, and probably provide some protection, I don't know the long term result's… but as we speak I have some on a piece of walnut ..I do however suspect it will be much like the motor oil as described above.. It will never dry .. rather it will over time evaporate . It may leave some residual , but I cannot see it being a finish.. But ya never know, so we will test it and report back. 
Speaking of "strange finishes", here is one that really works well.

Dissolve styrofoam in some lacquer thinner , you can put 5 gallons of styrofoam in a quart can , if you want, I would guess about 2 gallons of "peanuts" to a qt would be a good ratio .. And use it as an exterior finish . I have done it and tested it , I happen to know where there is a cabin in WVA. that has white pine siding that has stood for over 45 years with nothing else done to it, the old guy some how had gotten mountains of McDonalds coffee cups and dissolved them and used them for the finish. It looks perfect. If ya think about it ,it makes perfect sense .. Styrofoam never seems to deteriorate .. It dries perfectly clear . There are different forms of it out there and the lacquer thinner doesnt dissolve them all, but a little shot of acetone or MEK will get it done . I did some 1/4 plywood, threw it out side and actually forgot about it, it got rained on, froze, 100 degree heat , and everything else for a little over a year, it did nothing . 
I realize this isnt a practical finish , but it was quite interesting and thought I would share.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Not practical, Charles? I'm not so sure. Styrofoam is cheap and acetone is quite a bit cheaper than my preferred exterior coating, Sikkens. 
Sounds like it would be great for vertical surfaces. Wonder if it would wear well on a deck?

Richard, The house was in the rural desert of central AZ. Not much danger of forest fires so the cedar shakes probably didn't affect his premiums much. As to the used motor oil, I'm guessing no one asked.


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

One Issue I can see right now with the WD-40 , is its quite lack luster after about an hour or so .

As to the motor oil .. Now days you have to be very careful , I am in the process of trying to buy a new building, and am having to have Enviormental test done, one of the big issues is "oil" or any petroleum on the property , such as buried oil tanks , etc . I would think that if motor oil was used on shingles or in any concentration and the EPA found out about it , they could possibly condem the property. It is quite a slippery slope these days .

Gene, 
I agree , styrofoam is basically a plastic that is "blown" to add all the air, I cant remember off the top of my head what plastic it is, but as I recall it is available in bulk and in a powdered form . I researched it a little when I was playing with it .
All I know is it sure works, so save them coffee cups and anything else… 
Gene , I'm not sure how it would wear on a deck, but I would think it would do pretty well, it really soaks in and becomes invisable , so it doesn't make a heavy film .


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Yeah, you're right, Charles. He built the place in the early 70's. Today, he'd not get away with it, I'd bet. 
You've really got me to thinking…and that's not a good thing…when it warms up, I may just give the styrofoam mixture a go. 
I use the insulting panels on my bench when I'm breaking down sheet goods. I've laid a lacquer thinner soaked rag on it and have seen the process at work.  Doesn't take long at all!


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Charles, Is there any UV deterioration or fading of the wood under the Styrofoam finish?


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

Tomax, the pine on the cabin had darkened some, but it had not yellowed. While I can't answer your question for sure. It sure seemed to hold up well, The guy who had the cabin, simply said he never remembered his dad doing anything else to it.. I was there looking at a bunch of old tools and stuff his dad had , and he was telling me about the coffee cups and that he had gallons of lacquer thinner stored with them, I put 2 and 2 together and tried it .

He also said his dad made some kind of wooden mold or some such thing and sold them, thats what he did for a living, and he used his "finish " on it . He further said his dad would never tell anyone what the finish was, but after his dad passed away his mom told him he dissolved the coffee cups in "something" and used it for the finish, 
Me being me and talking about finishes, I had to check it out . I was impressed .You really couldn't tell the 
cabin had anything on it , but white pine and 45 years .. says alot . I could tell the pine was old .. some of it was 16 to 18 wide, rough mill cut, some still had the big circle mill saw marks in it .


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

Not sure I buy the fish oil thing.
According to their MSDS, (material safety data sheet) they have to provide the government, it contains the following:

51% Stoddard solvent (In 1953 this was the predominant cleaning fluid used by dry cleaners.)
25% liquefied petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant; carbon dioxide is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability)
15+% mineral oil (light lubricating oil)
10-% inert ingredients


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## johnhutchinson (Dec 9, 2013)

I thought we were talking about WD-40. ???
Can't wait for gasoline cured with a heat gun.


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

Tennessee , I had not looked at the MSDS, but I agree with with you, I just don't see a finish here, at best it makes the wood look wet, that is about it.. that is probably due to the mineral oil , it does the same thing , and unfortuntely in my opinion doesn't offer much protection . I did have to try it though.


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## hookfoot (Jan 23, 2013)

Just because a book says things are only done onr way,everyone thinks this is so. I am glad for two things. They are that I never read that chapter in the book and that I live outside of the box. John


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## maplerock (Jun 21, 2013)

I finished a picnic table with peanut butter… but unfortunately squirrels ate most of it.


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## dawsonbob (Aug 5, 2013)

On that picnic table…was it hand rubbed, or sprayed? Hmmm…peanut oil…wonder how that would work?


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Thanks Charles, that is quite interesting. Not many finishes have high quality UV protection.


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## ClintSearl (Dec 8, 2011)

Does anyone use chicken ******************** and rainwater as a finish?


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## None999 (Jun 1, 2012)

Close. Part of my deck railing is finished in Chickadee crap and snow.


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## 280305 (Sep 28, 2008)

Clint's formula was popular in the 1800's. The problem is that modern rainwater is too acidic. Distilled water is a good substitute.


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## gmal (Dec 16, 2013)

I would think that since its il, it will never dry really, and pick up dust. Tung oil isn't "oil", it is treated with driers so it has a hard finish. Also, if it doesnt dry, it will leave a film on your fungers when you touch it. Still, interesting. Maybe to try on some scrap and see what happens.


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## WM09 (Mar 27, 2015)

SOUNDS WHAT I NEED TO TRY, BUT DOES IT MAKE THE WOOD TURN DARK LIKE POLY DOES


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

I spray it on my joints… Not the ones you smoke… It works good for people with bone/joint problems.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

My father-in-law used to rub WD40 on his knees and elbows every night. He swore by it. He did this for over 25 years.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I wonder what is really in that stuff?


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

I always wondered that too Bob. It sure has a distinctive smell to it !


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

You would think the Haz Mat Data pages would tell you, but about all I get from them is giving a gallon a day to a lab rat will cause cancer.


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