Shopsmith Forums

I'm working on a project that will be made out of white oak and will live outside. It was recommended to use Penofin as the finish. When I went looking for a can it would appear that they stock this stuff in gallon sizes and I'm not even sure I need a quart. A gallon is about $50 and I just can't see needing that much material in the rest of my life. They do make quarts but you have to buy 4 of them??? special order.

Then I was reading that some folks haven't been all that happy with the product and others were elated. Seems like a mixed bag but what else is new. Mold and such might be more climate related, and how well it was applied is always in question so the negatives might well be those sorts of issue rather then product related.

The givens are that it is going to be made of white oak, it will sit outside in the sun, rain, snow, yes outdoors year around. I'd like it to be a penetrating oil finish that is safe for skin contact and be able to be decent for a few years at a time before touching up and re-oiling.

I'm open to other products.

Ed

I have used Cabot's Australian Timber Oil on a couple of things I made for outside and my deck. It seems to hold up fairly well. I did use one that is also a stain but they make a natural version. The instructions do state to refinish every year.

I have used the Australian Timber Oil on 2 White Oak exterior projects here in WI and has held up nice, and an easy refinish, just sand lightly and wipe on a new coat. The 2 projects sat out all winter also.

Have you thought about wipe on polyurethane? It is supposed to stand up well outdoors and will penetrate the pores of the wood.
Bill V

wa2crk wrote:Have you thought about wipe on polyurethane? It is supposed to stand up well outdoors and will penetrate the pores of the wood.
Bill V

I used the Australian Timber Oil on the deck but an oil based spar polyurethane on the rails and I have had to do the rails about twice for each application of Australian Timber Oil. I have done the deck twice in almost 8 years and the rails three times but need to again. I am thinking about just waiting until fall or early next year when I redo the deck and do them in the Australian Timber Oil as well.

Menard's has their 11% sale going on so I intend to go there today to pick up a few things. Watering can and a few other garden items but I will stop by the paint department and see if they carry Australian Timber Oil and in smaller cans. Do you know if it is save for skin contact? This is a garden seat so while I always wear long pants the wife and grand kids don't.

There were things that when I was younger I would do every year or two like painting the wheel barrel and cistern pump, now it gets to be 5 or 6 years and I just don't have the energy to keep up on all these things. Thus I'd like to have some finish that can take a beating and keep on for a few years.

I was out touching up painting a few wren houses yesterday, normally they would have been done and hanging by now. Heard the wren singing the day before so I figured I better get on it. This seems like a little later start then some years but that is how it is. We have seen them/him have 3 batches a lot of years and even 4 a few times. He will build 3 or 4 nests most years, last year it was 3 but only one got used but twice. Interesting little birds.

Thanks for the input!

Ed

They should have it in quarts, that is where I get mine and in quarts. Skin safe after it is dry, 1 of my projects I have it on is a chair and I where shorts and have not had any problems.

You might check out a boat shop...


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Cabot Australian Timber Oil

My local Menard's had two quart cans, one looked like it was previous opened and it was dented........ but one can was fine and is now sitting here at my computer desk. Dang the writing/instructions are in a tiny font, will wait until I can get better light to try and read it.

A quart is $18.89. I got the "natural" which I plan to test on a scrap piece to see how it looks before using it on the project. The sample stuff was on cedar not white oak so I'm not sure how it will look, the smaller the change the better.

Now if I can just clear my list of garden related projects and get to some woodworking.

Ed

Ed, just dont spill it on the keyboard!!!! Ya I hate those small instructions, okay wipe, brush on a bit of excess let sit a few minutes, and wipe off the excess, lightly. Let dry 24 hours, any dry spots hit again any tacky spots, buff off. I use the Teak color ends up a light tan on white oak, darkens it just a bit.