How do you protect your wood furniture when leaving them outdoors?
To maintain a good appearance for this, you can refinish them, but that leads to another question: what finish should you apply?
Today, we will give you the answer to this question by providing a complete guide on choosing the best oil for outdoor wood furniture.
Here are the best oil for outdoor wood furniture you can buy in 2024:
- Best For Unpainted Wood Furniture (Linseed Oil): Crown 148656 BL.M.41 1G Boiled Linseed Oil
- Best For Natural Wood Tones (Linseed Oil): Sunnyside Corporation 87232S
- Best For Teak Dining Set (Teak Oil): Star Brite Premium Golden Teak Oil
- Best For Porch Swing (Teak Oil): Minwax 671004444
- Best For Antique-Style Finish (Tung Oil): FDC Chem 100% Pure Tung Oil
- Best For Weathered Wood Furniture (Tung Oil): Hope’s 100% Pure Tung Oil
| 6 Best Oil For Outdoor Wood Furniture | ||
|---|---|---|
Best For Unpainted Wood Furniture | Crown 148656 BL.M.41 1G Boiled Linseed Oil
| |
Best For Natural Wood Tones | Sunnyside Corporation 87232S
| |
Best For Teak Dining Set | Star Brite Premium Golden Teak Oil
| |
Best For Porch Swing | Minwax 671004444
| |
Best For Antique-Style Finish | FDC Chem 100% Pure Tung Oil
| |
Best For Weathered Wood Furniture | Hope’s 100% Pure Tung Oil
| |
Linseed Oil
Best For Unpainted Wood Furniture (Linseed Oil): Crown 148656 BL.M.41 1G Boiled Linseed Oil
- Great protection - aid retard cracking, resist weather, and water repellency
- Dry faster than raw linseed oil – the dry time of 12-18 hours
- Look beautiful – leave a nice matte finish on wood
- No complaint
This oil is a perfect choice to protect unpainted wood furniture because it’s used to aid retard cracking, resist weather, and water repellency efficiently.
But compared to raw linseed oil, this upgraded product dries out more quickly, usually taking around 12 to 18 hours (others need at least 24 hours). It is also designed to meet federal specifications a-a-371.
After applying, it leaves a nice matte finish, making our wood furniture look more beautiful.
| Crown 148656 BL.M.41 1G Boiled Linseed Oil Specifications | |
|---|---|
Size | 1 gallon |
Dry Time | 12 to 18 hours. |
Highlight Features | aid retard cracking, resist weather, and water repellency the dry time of 12-18 hours leave a nice matte finish on wood |
Based on how incredibly protective it is to keep unpainted wood furniture from water, weather, and cracking, the Crown 148656 BL.M.41 becomes the best overall performer in our list.
Best For Natural Wood Tones (Linseed Oil): Sunnyside Corporation 87232S
- Offer great protection and enhance the longevity of wood – leave a glossy, elastic, tough, and uniform film
- Dry fast – 12-18 hours to dry out completely
- Fortify and extend oil-based coatings or paints
- There are some toxic chemicals in this
- Hard to take off the cap
This option assures a glossy, elastic, tough, and uniform film on your wood furniture to keep it not only well-protected but also last longer. Similar to the Crown above, it takes only 18 hours (maximum) to dry completely.
If your wood furniture is already coated with oil-based coatings or paints, this oil layer will help fortify and extend them.
The best application is on unfinished wood with drain patterns and natural wood tones.
| Sunnyside Corporation 87232S Specifications | |
|---|---|
Size | 1 quart |
Dry Time | 12-18 hours |
Highlight Features | leave a glossy, elastic, tough, and uniform film 12-18 hours to dry out completely |
Out of a bunch, we love to use the Sunnyside Corporation 87232S for natural wood tones.
Teak Oil
Best For Teak Dining Set (Teak Oil): Star Brite Premium Golden Teak Oil
- Protect teak furniture excellently - advanced tung oil polymers & ultra-refined formula
- Reliable – made in the USA
- Save the wood furniture from sunlight - Contains UV absorbers
- Wish they made a better dispenser for the liquid
- Unclear directions
If you have just bought a new teak dining set and are looking for the best way to protect the wood surface, we highly recommend using this oil.
It is actually the advanced tung oil polymers that outlast and look better than traditional products. It goes on with ease and dries fast.
You can use it on older teak items that have been weathered by sun and harsh weather. Believe us, this oil will bring the wood back to a beautiful natural look.
| Star Brite Premium Golden Teak Oil Specifications | |
|---|---|
Size | 32 ounces |
Highlight Features | advanced tung oil polymers & ultra-refined formula made in the USA Contains UV absorbers |
The Star Brite Premium Golden Teak Oil gives the teak dining set and other fine woods the best protection that we’ve tested.
Best For Porch Swing (Teak Oil): Minwax 671004444
- Durable – never chip off or peel
- Exceptional UV and moisture protection
- Able to restore wood’s natural richness and warmth & Enhance wood grain - easily penetrate into wood pores
- A bit awkward to work with from the can
- The fumes are pretty strong
We like to use this teak oil on a pine porch swing and other teak tables and chairs because it never chips off or peels. By giving excellent UV and moisture protection, it is perfect for not only indoor furniture but also for those outdoor sets.
The unique oil formula helps it easily penetrate into wood pores to hence enhance its grain as well as restore wood’s natural richness and warmth.
| Minwax 671004444 Specifications | |
|---|---|
Size | 1 quart |
Dry Time | 8 hours |
Highlight Features | never chip off or peel Exceptional UV and moisture protection easily penetrate into wood pores |
While Minwax is well-known for making only great products with consistent performance on wood, Minwax 671004444 is a typical example. It’s best for pine/teak porch swings.
Tung Oil
Best For Antique-Style Finish (Tung Oil): FDC Chem 100% Pure Tung Oil
- Eco-friendly & safe – made of 100% pure tung oil
- Versatile – able to be used on different types of woods and other materials
- Keep your wood furniture last longer – great water, acid, food oil, grease, and alcohol protection
- Leave a beautiful, hand-rubbed look
- Take time to sink in
- A bit pricey
Made of 100% pure tung oil, this product is perfect to add depth to any wood surface to create a hand-rubbed look for a warm, rich finish.
It’s versatile enough to function well on different types of wood surfaces (cedar, cherry wood, oak, and pine), as well as other materials (like stone, brick, and concrete).
Aside from giving an antique-style finish, it gives your wood furniture a protection layer against water, acid, food oil, grease, and alcohol to keep it last longer.
The biggest bonus is it contains no toxic chemicals for human safety and eco-friendliness.
| FDC Chem 100% Pure Tung Oil Specifications | |
|---|---|
Size | 32 oz. |
Dry Time | 12 to 24 hours |
Highlight Features | made of 100% pure tung oil able to be used on different types of woods and other materials great water, acid, food oil, grease, and alcohol protection |
If you are finding the best oil for an antique-style finish, then look no further than the FDC Chem 100% Pure Tung Oil.
Best For Weathered Wood Furniture (Tung Oil): Hope’s 100% Pure Tung Oil
- Reliable and safe - FDA approved
- Leave a matte finish – capable of deep penetration into wood fibers
- Protection and lasting beauty – resist to daily abuse, oil, alcohol, and moisture
- Vague instructions
We’re pleasantly surprised by how excellently it works on various surfaces for amazing results, such as concrete countertops and floors, stripped wood, weathered wood, and unfinished wood.
What makes it stand out from the competition is the finish. Unlike others, it doesn't film on your wood furniture, instead, it becomes part of the wood itself by deeply penetrating into its fibers then curing to a flexible matte solid.
It’s also one of those rare oil products on the market that is FDA approved for non-toxic formula and human safety.
| Hope’s 100% Pure Tung Oil Specifications | |
|---|---|
Size | 32 Ounces |
Dry Time | 12 hours |
Highlight Features | FDA approved capable of deep penetration into wood fibers resist to daily abuse, oil, alcohol, and moisture |
The Hope’s 100% Pure Tung Oil is our top pick for weathered wood furniture.
How To Choose The Best Oil For Outdoor Wood Furniture?
Types
First of all, let’s look into different types of oil for wood furniture and see which one is suitable for outdoor wood furniture.
- Linseed oil: regular linseed oil needs 2-3 days to dry and 4 to 5 coats to protect well, making it suitable for indoor furniture. But boiled linseed oil takes only a day to dry and it penetrates precisely.
- Tung oil: this type is considered the best natural oil for wood items. It penetrates well while coating like the painting on the surface. This oil is resistant to chemicals and though it takes a long time to dry, it’s useful for hardwoods.
- Danish oil: this type of oil protects against chemical damages, weathering, and extreme sunlight. It also offers protection from stain problems. It also penetrates precisely. This type is suitable for outdoor furniture.
- Teak oil: this oil is widely used to enrich wood stain and grain naturally. It also protects against UV rays as well as liquid stains, delivering a smooth, silky surface.
- Mineral oil: this type offers a healthy, non-toxic coat for your objects, especially kitchenware.
Resistive
You should pay attention to the type of protection an oil offers. For outdoor furniture, you will need water resistance, for example.
Meanwhile, ultraviolet rays make the color of your furniture fade away, so you should also choose an oil with protection against this.
Free of harm
You always touch your furniture a lot, which is why you should take your health into account when choosing an oil.
It’s best to go with natural oil to apply on your furniture for protection and enhanced look.
Additive chemical oils can help high imperfections on your furniture but they are harmful to your health. On the other hand, natural oils take longer to dry but protect your furniture and intensify the wood stain and grain.
Cleaning convenience
Oils to clean wood are often used to wash furniture surfaces with some even hiding or removing minor scratches on the surface.
If you have pets, you should consider buying oil that can hide such things.
Meanwhile, it’s much more difficult to revive old furniture, so oil solutions to this situation contain greater cleaning properties. If you have old furniture, you should find a wood oil that works with it.
Which Brands Make The Best Oil For Outdoor Wood Furniture?
Crown
Over the past 70 years, this brand has been a leading supplier of oil and lubricants. Here, you will surely find an oil that best serves your furniture.
Sunnyside
Founded 125 years ago, this brand has built a reputation in the market of solvents, thinners, paint removers, among other products. Its products can meet any customer’s needs and exceed environmental regulations.
FAQs
Should you oil wood furniture?
Yes, you should oil wood furniture once or twice every year.
What is the difference between teak oil and Danish oil?
The difference between these types of oil is that teak oil provides a slightly green look while Danish oil offers a more lustrous look.
How much to pay for wood oil?
Wood oil pricing varies between models and packages, but the general price ranges from $10 to $50.
How to clean up oil?
Here’s what to do:
- Absorb the oil stain by using clay kitten litter, sprinkle dust, or coconut husks.
- Saturate the oil stain with water and soap
- Scrub the oil stain.
What are the safety procedures for wood oils?
- Wear safety equipment
- Put on proper clothing
- Avoid alcohol and drugs
- Consider using non-toxic wood oils
Conclusion
This is the end of our guide on choosing the best oil for outdoor wood furniture. We hope that you have figured out what to get for your outdoor furniture.
The outdoor elements can significantly affect your wood furniture, so make sure the oil you choose will provide sufficient protection. Good luck!
