Last spring I posted about waxing furniture.  The post continues to be one of my most frequently visited.  It is due for an update though.  Since I wrote that post, I added another favorite wax to my stash as well as hemp oil.

Before this hemp oil came into my life, I pretty much avoided using any oil based paints and products.  Simply because of the messy clean up and the stinky chemical smell.  I only used them when it was completely necessary.

However, hemp oil is all natural with no foul odor.  It hasn’t been messy to clean up either.  I have designated a couple of cotton rags for applying it in my workshop.

You’ll get the best results when using hemp oil on dry wood.  I wouldn’t use it on varnishes or heavily waxed furniture because the oil will repel it.  If your finish is dry to the touch, hemp oil will hydrate it.

Let’s review 2 recent applications of hemp oil, shall we?

Exhibit A.

This was a super dry old drop leaf table that I painted with Boxwood milk paint.  Because of the dry wood, the paint acted as a stain allowing the wood grain to show through.  Cool but it still needed a top coat so I chose hemp oil in this case.

Exhibit B.

This old trunk lost its luster and fabric years ago.  I thought it still had some appeal though so I applied hemp oil to the raw wood – just wiped it on with a rag.  As a result it darkened the color and highlighted the knots and grain of the wood.  Plus the darker wood now contrasts more with the hardware creating a little more interest in this tattered old piece.

This is an easy, low cost option for a top coat to apply to painted furniture or raw wood.  It’s 100% natural – No VOC’s or smelly chemicals.  It is safe to use on a butcher block and other food prep areas and can be reapplied over the years.  Love that!  I sell it online and in my shop along with the milk paint line.

When you unscrew the lid of the container there is another metal lid.  It is easiest to open by puncturing with a nail or driving a screw into it.

Have you used any similar, natural top coats like hemp oil?