For wooden structures, quality wood is usually used. Therefore, to improve its quality and protect against various factors, various impregnations are used.
Wood Processing Basics
During manufacture, the wood is treated with special substances to extend the service life and prevent the problem of decay, cracking and fungus. All these actions relate to the primary phase of wood processing. The second involves coating the wooden surface with a special varnish or oil.
Oil differs from varnish in penetration depth. When applied, coating agents create a kind of protective film, which erases with time. Oil is able to penetrate deep into the structure of the product, thoroughly impregnating all wooden fibers or other components of wood. Another significant advantage of the oil is its ability to change the color of the tree, creating unique shades.
Today on the market there is a huge selection of oils of different grades and compositions. But all of them can be conditionally divided into 2 large groups, which we will consider in more detail below.
Mineral oils
Mineral oil for wood got its distribution dozens of years ago. With the development of science and technology, new technologies have been created that allow the production of artificial materials with specified characteristics. Like any other material, a wooden board needs additional processing. Half a century ago, transformer oil was popular . Of course, it was not intended for such purposes, but the effect of such processing proved completely different, which made it possible to bring mineral oil for wood to a wide market.
When using transformer oil, wood products were able to maintain their original appearance and eliminate rotting processes. Mineral oil for wood often raises a question regarding production technology. It is very important to observe the environmental factor in this matter. That is why many manufacturers prefer to combine mineral oil with natural oil.
Natural oils
This type of impregnation was used hundreds of years ago. With the introduction of innovative technologies, artificial oil products have become more popular. It took time for a person to realize the benefits that natural oil brings in the processing of wooden surfaces. Also the determining factor was the high cost of the product, which was gradually solved thanks to the borrowing of modern production technologies.
The main advantage of natural oil is its vegetable origin. The absence of harmful impurities and additives makes its use safe for human health. The most popular is linseed and wood oil. The latter is cheaper, but in terms of quality characteristics it loses to the former.
Flaxseed oil for wood processing is considered the best. Also widely used are sunflower and olive oil. It should be noted that of all species, sunflower dries faster than others. But we should not forget that, against the general background, mineral oil for wood dries many times faster, but you have to tinker with natural ones. In order to somehow solve this problem, chemical components are added to the composition of olive, hemp or sunflower oil, accelerating the drying process.
Application features
Work with oil is quite simple and does not require special skills. You will need a wide brush, fabric napkins, sandpaper. The choice of a specific device depends on the method: rubbing or soaking.
- The first is the most popular. It is applicable in cases where it is necessary to cover a large surface. A wooden board is coated with oil with a brush. For the best effect, it is recommended to gradually rub the solution with wipes or sandpaper. The procedure is repeated several times, alternating application and waiting for each layer to completely dry.
- The second method is more suitable for small parts. They are immersed in a special container filled with oil, and soaked for several days. After this, the part must be well sanded.
Oil impregnation is quite simple to use, but indispensable for finishing work. It will help preserve the life of the wooden structure. The main thing is to take into account all the features. Mineral oil for wood processing may contain toxic substances, but the drying time is minimal. A natural oil is environmentally friendly, but it will take more than one hour to dry.