Teak Oil vs Tung Oil vs Danish Oil – Which Is Better For Wood?

Welcome to our article about teak, tung and danish oils!

We will get into the benefits and applications of each individual oil a bit further down this article, but first, an introduction into why you might want to invest in a wood oil in the first place.

Teak Oil vs Tung Oil vs Danish Oil – Introduction

We all have different pieces of wooden furniture at home. Sometimes this furniture becomes old and needs oil treatment.

For this, we can choose between various kinds of wood oil like teak oil, tung oil, and danish oil.

The most popular way to finish wood is by applying wood oil.

The benefits of using wood oil are they are easy to apply and made of natural products. Wood oil is important in the maintenance of the furniture.

Now let’s find out, among teak oil, tung oil and danish oil which wood oil is the best.

Teak Oil

As the name suggests you may assume that teak oil comes from teak wood, but this isn’t exactly true. The bottle of teak oil does not consist of any oil of the teak tree.

The companies use it as a marketing strategy to be used on teak wood furniture so it is called teak oil.

Composition of Teak Wood Oil

Teak wood oil consists of the following ingredients:

1. Linseed oil
2. Tung oil
3. Varnish
4. Mineral spirits
5. Rosewood
6. A mixture of other ingredients such as refined oils, specially selected additives, and natural raisins.

Benefits of Teak Oil

There are numerous benefits of teak oil like the application of teak wood oil, which prevents cracking and drying of the furniture caused by the sun.

Teak oil is great for the UV protection of the furniture.

Teak oil is very easy to apply. It is suitable for both indoor and outdoor furniture.

It is chip and cracks resistant. Teak oil is easy to apply on dense wood furniture like mahogany, teak, rosewood, snakewood, walnut, and cherry.

If you want to give your furniture a radiant and warm glow then teak oil is the best.

When is Teak Oil Not Suitable?

Teak oil is not suitable for most types of wood. It can only be used on specific Woods.

Gluing together wood is difficult with teak wood oil. Prolonged use of teak wood may affect the color of the furniture.

How to Apply Teak Oil?

1. Make sure the surface you are going to apply teak oil is free of dust and debris.
2. By using a chemical solvent or strippers you can clean any existing finish on the surface. After that sand the surface.
3. Apply using a brush or a small cloth to the surface. Let it soak and apply parallel strokes.
4. Before applying for the second coating leave in for 30 minutes. Keep applying with the same stroke and keep it for 15 minutes to dry, then leave it for 10 hours for a perfect finish.

Tung Oil

Popularly known as China wood oil or simple wood oil, tung oil is made from the seed kernels of the tung oil.

This oil leaves a coating on the wood surface just like a plastic shell. It gives a natural shine to the wood and a golden glow on the wood.

Tung oil is a pure natural product so it is safe to be used on kitchen tables and dining tables.

Benefits of Tung Oil

This oil is quite easy to apply as compared to other wood oils. This is not messy and is water-resistant.

This oil is non-toxic and safe to use. Tung oil can contract or expand itself according to the wood.

This oil has flexible properties. It can be used, where food is kept as this is a safe and natural product.

Disadvantages of Tung Oil?

The drying period of this oil is long and it produces a mild odor in its liquid form.

This smell disappears if it is coated with wax or shellac.  Tung oil has a poor shelf life and it does not permeate wood surfaces.

How to Apply Tung Oil?

1. Clean the surface thoroughly.
2. There should be no dust or debris on the surface.
3. Tung oil can only be applied to the surfaces which were previously treated with tung oil, not on any other finish.
4. The wooden surface has to be sanded properly before starting the treatment.
5. Use a lint cloth to apply tung oil, first, a small amount should be used.
6. Leave it for an hour to dry.
7. Again let it dry for 24 hours.

Danish Oil

Danish oil is rather similar to teak oil in its composition.

This oil also has linseed oil, varnish, and mineral spirits. This oil has a longer shelf life than tung oil.

This oil can protect Wood from various damages like stains, scratches, heat damage and chemical damage.

Benefits of Danish Oil

This oil is very easy to apply and it dries very quickly.

This oil does not affect the color of the wood like tung oil.

This oil is heat, chemical and water-resistant. This oil is compatible with varnish and paints.

Disadvantages of Danish Oil

1. Needs proper maintenance than other oils.
2. Not much durable.
3. It can only be used on bare wood surfaces.
4. Not suitable for surfaces that are used for cutting.

How to Apply Danish Oil?

1. This oil is most easy to apply among all three oils.
2. This oil should be applied in the direction of the grain with a brush.
3. It can also be wiped with a piece of cloth over a bare wooden surface.
4. This oil dries very quickly and takes only 10 minutes to dry.
5. You can then apply the second coat to get a brilliant sheen.

Conclusion

As we can see that these three oils are unique in their way, each oil has advantages and disadvantages.

So if you want to treat wood surfaces outdoor then teak oil is the best option.

For bare wood surfaces and easy application danish oil is the best. It is also the best for first-timers.

Tung oil is safe for kitchen and wooden surfaces as it is safe and nontoxic.

So we come to this conclusion that teak oil, tung oil, and danish oil can be used for various purposes.