Make a Home Brew Wipe-On Finish

 

Combine your ingredients in a
glass jar, working in a well-
ventilated area. Keep your
mixture stirred as you use it.

With so many wipe-on finishes to choose from, you’ll probably find one you like right off the shelf. But you can easily make your own. 

To make an oil/varnish blend, mix equal parts of oil-base varnish, tung or boiled linseed oil, and mineral spirits, as shown, right. You can alter the mixture to suit your need. More oil increases penetration and color, and slows drying. Additional mineral spirits speed drying and decrease the thickness of the film. Increase the quantity of varnish to create a thicker film.

Making a wiping varnish is even simpler. Just mix conventional varnish with an equal amount of mineral spirits.

For more indepth information on finishing, visit the Finishing and Refinishing Techniques section within the WOOD Store.