How to Refinish Maple With Oil

Oil finishes are best produced by hand instead of with power sanders.

Maple is a closed-grain hardwood with a mellow, even color ranging from beige to soft yellow. Many maple items are finished or altered with stains and synthetic sealers, which can be sanded off. Danish oil ingredients vary by manufacturer; however, they usually contain linseed oil, tung oil or a blend of both. It penetrates the pores of the wood and seals them, and it enhances the grain without covering it. Applied with care and some effort over a period of days, an oil finish can give your maple item a smooth, semi-gloss sheen.

Things You'll Need

• Danish oil
• Fine-bristle paintbrush
• Rags
• Vacuum with hose attachment
• Sandpaper, 80, 100, 120, 200, 280 and 600 grits
• Steel wool, 0000 gauge (superfine)

Instructions

Remove Old Finish

1. Sand the old finish with 80-grit sandpaper, following the grain. Do not sand through to the bare wood, if possible. Coarse sandpaper will scratch the grain, and scratches are difficult to sand back out.

2. Sand the wood again using progressively finer 100, 120, 200 and 280 grits until all of the finish is removed and the wood is smooth.

3. Wipe the wood with a clean cloth to remove the sanding dust. Remove particles from seams and decorative elements, if necessary, using a vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment.

Finish with Oil

1. Apply a heavy coat of Danish oil to the maple with a fine-bristle paintbrush.

2. Let the oil sit for approximately one hour. Apply more oil during the hour if the first coat begins to dry or become sticky.

3. Wipe off the excess oil with a clean rag, rubbing the piece as you go to help work more oil into the pores.

4. Apply another heavy coat of Danish oil. Sand the oil into the wood by hand, following the grain, with 600-grit sandpaper for wet or dry applications.

5. Wipe off the excess oil and sanding residue with a clean rag, and let the wood dry overnight.

6. Apply a fresh coat of oil on the maple. Rub the oil into the wood with 0000-gauge, ultra-fine steel wool, following the grain. Wipe off the excess oil and let it dry overnight. Repeat this process every day for the next several days until the sheen of the wood is what you desire.

7. Let the finished maple cure for approximately one week, or longer.

Tips & Warnings

• Wax the finished maple with paste wax made for wood, if desired, following the wax manufacturer’s directions.

• Let the piece dry longer than overnight between coats, if desired.

• Do not sand the piece with oil and then apply more oil on the same day. Overnight drying time is required in between sanding to seal the maple’s pores.

References

• Sawdust Making 101: Types of Wood
• Woodworking.com: Super Smooth Oil Finish
• Benchmark: Wood Finishing Techniques