Hand-rubbed oil finishes, paste wax and wood care for furniture, cabinets, trim, turnings and cutting boards: Watco Danish Oil and Teak Oil, Minwax and Old Masters Tung Oil, General Finishes Hard Wax Oil, wood bowl and turning finishes, Howard cutting board oil and butcher block conditioner, paste waxes from Minwax, Old Masters, Howard and Watco, and Howard Restor-A-Finish for faded finishes. Every number below comes from the maker's data sheet or product page.
Quick picks: for a stain and finish in one wipe-on step on bare interior wood, use Watco Danish Oil (Natural or a tinted color). For a clear hand-rubbed luster that builds gloss with each coat, use Minwax Tung Oil Finish or Old Masters Tung Oil. For a one-coat oil and wax look with urethane solids, use General Finishes Hard Wax Oil. For cutting boards and butcher block, use Howard Cutting Board Oil and Butcher Block Conditioner. To bring back a dull finish without stripping it, use Howard Restor-A-Finish.
Compare wood finishing oils and waxes
| Product |
Best for (maker) |
How it goes on and dries (maker) |
Coverage and notes (maker) |
| Watco Danish Oil (Natural pint, Dark Walnut quart, all colors and sizes) |
Interior bare wood furniture, trim and cabinets with a hand-rubbed look; the tinted colors also stain |
Brush or wipe on, let it penetrate 15 minutes, add more if needed, then wipe completely dry; wait at least 72 hours before a polyurethane topcoat |
Penetrating oil and varnish blend that hardens in the wood. Apply at 60 to 90 F. Not for floors or exterior (Watco WAT-02) |
| Watco Danish Oil 275 VOC, Natural (quart, gallon) |
Same uses where a lower VOC version is wanted |
Penetrate 30 minutes, reapply and wait 15 minutes, then wipe; light use in 8 to 10 hours |
About 550 to 600 sq ft per gallon; VOC under 275 g/L (Watco WAT-15) |
| Watco Teak Oil Finish (quart, gallon) |
Teak, rosewood and mahogany; indoor and outdoor furniture and boat wood above the water line |
Flood on, wait at least 30 minutes before recoating, add coats every 15 minutes, wipe off the excess; light use after 8 to 10 hours |
UV and moisture resistant penetrating finish. Apply at 55 to 90 F (Watco WAT-11) |
| Minwax Tung Oil Finish, Clear Light Amber (pint, quart) |
Fine interior wood and furniture, including newly refinished or stained wood |
Wipe or brush on a generous coat, buff after 5 to 10 minutes, wait 24 hours for the second coat; two coats recommended, more coats add gloss |
About 125 to 150 sq ft per quart. Not recommended for floors (Minwax directions rev 4/30/15) |
| Old Masters Tung Oil (pint, quart, gallon) |
Hand-rubbed oil finish on interior bare wood, antiques and fine furniture |
Dries in 8 to 12 hours; water and alcohol resistant, will not crack, chip or peel |
About 300 to 400 sq ft per gallon; VOC 8 g/L |
| Old Masters Tung Oil Varnish, quart |
Interior furniture, cabinets, tables and bar tops |
Tung oil blended with varnish for a tougher, non-oily finish; dries in 4 to 6 hours |
About 678 sq ft per gallon; VOC 450 g/L |
| General Finishes Hard Wax Oil, Clear (half pint, pint) and Hardener, 4 oz
|
Interior raw wood furniture, millwork and woodworking projects; a maintenance finish you reapply when worn |
Apply a thin coat with a white non-woven pad or plastic spreader and wipe the excess; second coat (if needed) and use after 24 hours. Optional Hardener mixes in at 10% by volume |
75 to 125 sq ft per half pint, 150 to 250 sq ft per pint; low luster similar to wax; VOC under 50 g/L (GF TDS v7, 2024-01) |
| General Finishes Oil-Based Wood Bowl Finish, Gloss (pint, quart) |
Decorative wood bowls and turnings, raw or stained |
3 coats by cloth, brush or pad; recoat after 24+ hours; full cure 30 days |
50 to 60 sq ft per pint; dries amber. Not for countertops that are actively chopped or cut |
| General Finishes Wood Turner's Finish, 8 oz |
Lathe-turned wood and bowls |
Recoat in 10 minutes on the lathe or 30+ minutes off it; 3 or more coats; full cure 21 days |
About 38 sq ft per bottle; oil-modified water-based urethane with a slight amber tone; VOC under 250 g/L |
|
Howard Cutting Board Oil, 12 oz and Butcher Block Conditioner, 12 oz
|
Cutting boards, butcher blocks, bowls, utensils and wood countertops |
Cutting Board Oil for the first oiling and dry wood; Butcher Block Conditioner for ongoing care with a satin wax finish |
Cutting Board Oil is 100% pure USP food-grade mineral oil that meets FDA food-contact rules; the conditioner adds beeswax and carnauba |
| Paste wax: Minwax Natural or Dark 1 lb, Old Masters 1 lb, Howard Citrus-Shield 11 oz, Watco Satin Wax quart
|
Luster and light protection on finished or stained interior wood that does not need a polyurethane coat |
Minwax: wait 24 hours after staining, buff after 10 to 15 minutes. Old Masters: dries 15 to 30 minutes, then buff. Howard: buff after 3 to 5 minutes. Watco: wipe off after 10 minutes and polish |
Minwax about 500 sq ft per lb. Old Masters is carnauba wax. Howard blends carnauba, beeswax and orange oil. Watco says not to put polyurethane over wax |
| Howard Restor-A-Finish (Neutral and 7 colors, pints), Feed-N-Wax pint, Watco Rejuvenating Oil pint
|
Faded, scratched or dry finished wood that you want to revive without stripping |
Restor-A-Finish: wipe on, wipe off, wait at least 30 minutes, then Feed-N-Wax. Rejuvenating Oil: wipe on, wipe dry after 10 minutes, wait 72 hours before Satin Wax |
Restor-A-Finish removes white heat rings, water marks and sun fade from lacquer, shellac, varnish and polyurethane finishes. Feed-N-Wax is not for food-prep surfaces |
Wood oil and wax FAQ
Danish oil, tung oil or teak oil?
Watco Danish Oil is a penetrating oil and varnish blend for interior bare wood, and its tinted colors stain and finish in one step. Tung oil finishes from Minwax and Old Masters give a clear hand-rubbed luster that you build coat by coat. Watco Teak Oil is made for dense woods such as teak, rosewood and mahogany, including outdoor furniture and boat wood above the water line. If you want a tougher, non-oily tung finish for tabletops and bar tops, Old Masters Tung Oil Varnish blends tung oil with varnish.
Can I put polyurethane over Danish oil or wax?
Over Watco Danish Oil, yes, after at least 72 hours of dry time, and wipe off all excess oil when you apply it. Over wax, no. Watco says not to put polyurethane or other surface finishes over wax; remove the wax completely and let the wood dry 72 hours first. For clear coats, see polyurethane for wood.
What is safe for cutting boards and butcher block?
Howard Cutting Board Oil is 100% pure USP food-grade mineral oil and meets FDA food-contact rules, and Butcher Block Conditioner adds beeswax and carnauba to food-grade mineral oil for regular upkeep. Howard says Feed-N-Wax is not for food-prep surfaces, and General Finishes says its Wood Bowl Finish is not for countertops that are actively chopped or cut.
How do I use Hard Wax Oil?
General Finishes says to sand raw wood, apply a thin coat with a white non-woven pad or plastic spreader, and wipe the excess. General Finishes calls for one coat, plus a second after 24 hours if needed. The surface is ready for use 24 hours after the final coat. Mix in the optional Hardener at 10% by volume for more durability, and use the mixed finish within 4 to 6 hours. Hard Wax Oil is for interior raw wood only, not over an existing sealed finish.
How do I apply paste wax?
Wipe a thin, even coat onto clean, dry finished or stained wood, let it dry for the time on the can, and buff with a clean cloth. Minwax says to wait 24 hours after staining and to buff after 10 to 15 minutes, with about 500 sq ft per pound. Old Masters Paste Wax dries 15 to 30 minutes before buffing, and Howard Citrus-Shield buffs after 3 to 5 minutes. Minwax notes a second coat gives a deeper luster.
Can I fix a faded or water-marked finish without stripping it?
Often, yes. Howard Restor-A-Finish penetrates the existing finish to blend out minor scratches and remove white heat rings, water marks and sun fade. Pick the color closest to your finish (Neutral works on all wood tones), wipe it dry, wait at least 30 minutes, and protect it with Feed-N-Wax. For wood that already has an oil finish, Watco Rejuvenating Oil refreshes it.
Can I use these oils on floors?
Not these. Watco says Danish Oil is not for floors or exterior surfaces, and Minwax says Tung Oil Finish is not recommended for floors. For interior floors, look at the floor-rated finishes in polyurethane for wood.
How should I handle oily rags?
Rags, pads and steel wool soaked with oil finishes may catch fire on their own if they are improperly discarded. Minwax and Old Masters say to put them in a sealed, water-filled metal container and dispose of them by local fire rules.
Shop related: pre-stain wood conditioner, Watco, Howard wood care, Old Masters, General Finishes, Minwax, protective finishes and topcoats, shellac, and the furniture refinishing cart.
