Best Wood Preservation Techniques

Reader Contribution by Heidi Hunt
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Autumn is a great time of year. While you’re putting away the outdoor tools and equipment, you can put a new coat of waterproofing on wood surfaces that are exposed to the elements.

My dad used a mixture of boiled linseed oil and turpentine — 2:1 — as both a waterproofing mixture and when refinishing antique furniture pieces. First, he’d go over the wood with very fine steel wool. Then he’d apply a thin coat of the oil and turpentine mixture and rub it in well with a soft cloth, removing any excess liquid. One piece of furniture — a 300-year-old tavern table — must have had 20 coats of finish on it. It has the most marvelous velvety patina!

Do you have a favorite furniture refinishing or preservation technique? Please share it in the comments section, below. 

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