Protecting wood projects from wear, tear, and time is one thing, but what about protecting them from all that and the outdoor elements too? It may seem too good to be true, but Real Milk Paint’s is actually capable of keeping your wood projects safe from all these threats, including use, wood rot, mold, mildew, sun, stain and even moisture. This allow your wood to have the same color and elegant look it has from the start and makes it last a few years more than its lifespan.
The proprietary blend of natural oils and minerals of Real Milk Paint’s outdoor finishes has been specifically designed to protect the wood and other porous materials from all sorts of damage, making it ideal for your outdoor wood projects. And with that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about keeping your wood projects protected with Outdoor Defense Oil.
What’s So Great About Outdoor Defense Oil?
One of the best things about Real Milk Paint’s Outdoor Defense Oil is that it contains 100 percent pure tung oil, which is a plant-based finishing oil that’s highly protective, flexible, non-toxic, waterproof, durable, and so much more. When you combine tung oil with pine oil and zinc, you get non-toxic and environmentally friendly and durable finish to protect outdoor furniture and surfaces from regular wear and tear and the elements, which is where the name Outdoor Defense comes from. Here’s a little bit more details about the role of the different ingredients:
Tung Oil
Tung oil provides a waterproof wood finish that will not mold or go rancid over time. It’s also free of distillates and additives, meaning it’s safe to use on a variety of surfaces and wood grain (it’s even FDA approved for food contact).
Pine Oil
Pine oil is another plant-derived oil that’s great for fighting mold and mildew, meaning that it will protect your treated wood or natural grain wood for many years, no matter how wet the weather gets.
Zinc
Zinc is the same white stuff you see people putting on their noses to protect themselves from sunburns, Outdoor defense oil has this UV protection ingredient and when you apply it to your outdoor patio furniture, it will protect them in the same way from harm, damage, and deterioration caused by UV rays.
The Many Places You Can Use Outdoor Defense Oil for Protecting Wood
Because of its non-toxic formulation and versatility, Outdoor Defense Oil is the perfect finish and your best bet for a number of different projects in your outdoor space. It can be used to protect pressure-treated wood of your deck or gazebo, finish a garden box or raised bed, add more protection to siding from natural elements, extend the life of outdoor end tables, maximize the natural beauty of outdoor wood furniture, weatherproof exterior wood such as a patio or a fence, and can even be used in place of cedar garden bed oil.
This outdoor wood treatment oil is ideal for a variety of outdoor projects and can be safely applied as a varnish to a number of surfaces, including:
- Wood
- Concrete
- Stone
- Brick
- Other porous/absorbent outdoor materials
The Finished Product (And Warnings About Application)
Protecting wood with Outdoor Defense Oil produces a smooth and matte finish that imbues your outdoor projects with a warm and inviting glow. However, it is possible to over-apply the wood preservative and defense oil so measure how much your wood would need (two to four coats are generally all you need), and that will develop a surface that isn’t as smooth to the touch as it should be. Furthermore, avoid applying the oil in the hot sun, because this will cause the oil to polymerize too quickly, and that will produce a rubbery and frosty finish.
Everything You Need to Know About Applying Outdoor Defense Oil to Your Projects
1. Ventilate
Before you apply the oil to your outdoor wood furniture, it’s important to make sure that there’s enough ventilation in the area to keep you safe (if you’re working indoors). Open windows and doors, run fans, and open vents to make sure there’s enough airflow in your workspace. Keep the area well-ventilated for at least two to four hours, until the solvent has evaporated and the wood finish dries completely.
2. Shake!
Outdoor Defense Oil is ready to use from the bottle and doesn’t have to be thinned with solvents or other combination of paint materials, but it is always necessary to give Outdoor Defense Oil a good shake prior to using it on exterior wood furniture.
3. Apply the first coat of oil
Dip a brush into the oil and apply a light coat to the exterior wood furniture you want to protect. Leave the oil for about 40 minutes and allow it to absorb. It’s important to apply the oil in an area out of the direct sunlight as it can flash cure oil on the surface before it has absorbed into the wood.
4. Applying subsequent coats
When you’ve given the first coat time to absorb in, you can apply a second coat in the same way: apply the oil with a brush, wait up to 40 minutes, and then reapply once that coat has absorbed. The oil doesn’t need to completely absorb between coats. It’s common to have some spots here and there that absorbs at a slower rate. You are looking for a majority of the oil to absorb within a 40 minutes time. In total, you’ll need between three to five coats for basic weather, UV radiation and moisture protection. For more serious wood protection and heavy-duty high UV resistance projects, apply up to six coats or as many as the wood will absorb. Once you’ve reached the desired amount of coats, or complete saturation of the wood, use a lint free cloth to remove excess oil from the surface. Hang any oil soaked rags out separately to harden before disposing.
5. Allow the wood surface to cure
Although the oil has absorbed into the outdoor furniture, it will still need 7 to 10 days for a partial cure, and 30 days to cure fully. Avoid heavy use of your wood project until the month has elapsed. Light use and walking on with socks or clean shoes is ok until the full curing period is over.
6. Touch up as necessary
Over the years, you may need to apply a touch-up coat to provide the surface with additional protection, especially heavy traffic items like decks and outdoor furniture. Apply a single coat as necessary and another coat if the wood will take it.
Outdoor Defense Oil from Real Milk Paint is the ideal protection product for your outdoor wood surfaces, and it can also be used on other porous materials like concrete, brick, stone and even indoor wood furniture too. The non-toxic, food-safe, and environmentally friendly composition of the oil means it’s perfect for anything from decks to furniture to garden beds, and this product will keep your outdoor surfaces looking and feeling like new for many years, no matter what the weather tries to throw at you.
The process of applying is also super easy. Just remember to apply the oil in a well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight, allow several hours between coats, wipe up excess stains after each application, and don’t over-apply the oil. Good luck with your wood project! Connect with us through our contact page if you need help with Outdoor Defense Oil.
