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Linseed paint will change the way you approach painting a project, but this wonderful finish takes a different approach than modern paints.
The world of finishes is a complex one. When I find a finish I like, I tend to stick with it. For the last several years, I’ve relied pretty heavily on both acrylic enamel and General Finishes milk paint when a project needs a bit of color. Over the last several years however, a very old type of paint has made a resurgence—linseed oil paint. About a year ago, I ordered several flavors of Allbäck linseed oil paint from SageRestoration.com. This paint has very quickly become my favorite colored finish, but it requires a different approach than water-based paint.
Now let’s pump the brakes before I start talking up linseed paint, and get a little background info on the painting landscape. Prior to the 1920’s or so, linseed oil paint was just about the only oil-based paint you’d find. After the first world war, the industry needed to produce mass volumes of paint, and the landscape shifted to petroleum-based products. Today, the most common types of paint are alkyd (artificial oil) and acrylic (latex). This is mostly due to the cost of manufacturing, as well as the ability to produce these artificial paints at a high volume.
Benefits of Linseed
The biggest difference between linseed oil paints and other types is that linseed oil paint penetrates into the wood. Because linseed oil paint is simply cold-pressed linseed oil combined with a finely ground pigment, it penetrates deep into the surface and protects from within. Alkyd and latex paint tend to create a film of color on top of the surface. This layer will look great for a while, but at a point, it will fail and start to flake and chip. Linseed oil paint, however, allows the moisture to leave the wood fibers and it will not chip or crack. The protection that linseed oil paint offers is unmatched.
Another benefit of linseed oil paint is that it will stick to nearly any surface without primer. I don’t like painting with a brush, so knowing that I have to less coats to get the coverage that I want is a win in my book.
Now, I’ll admit, everything has a drawback. Linseed paints are a bit more expensive than other types of paint. However, they go nearly twice as far (it’s really amazing how far you can stretch a little bit of linseed paint). I’ve found that the Allbäck paint is a super high quality paint, and does not need to be thinned at all. The Allbäck paint is made in Sweden, where they’ve been using linseed paint for centuries—look at any town in Sweden, and you’ll be greeted with bright colored buildings and doors.
1 Durham’s Rock Hard Water Putty is my filler of choice if the project is getting painted. The putty won’t accept stain, but you can paint over it easily. Start with a bit of small powder, and mix in water.
2 Only mix up small amounts at a time, as it will cure fairly quickly. I add enough water to get to a peanut butter consistency.
Perfect Paint Prep
No matter what type of paint you’re using, having a good foundation is key. The ability of paint to hide imperfections or flaws (such as knots or nail holes) is predicated on having a smooth surface. For little blemishes like these, I like to use a good water-soluble filler. For years, Durham’s has been a go-to for filling, and I like the fact that it’s simple to use. The powder is simply mixed with water—there’s no formula here. Just add water until it’s the consistency you want. I aim for peanut butter. With Durham’s, it actually swells a little bit, so I will smear it flat into the holes. As it cures, the filler will change colors. Durham’s is hard, so I use a flat sanding block to keep surfaces flat (and avoid sanding a divot around the filler).
3 I use a small off cut to mash the putty into the nail holes.
4 The water putty is very hard, so I use a firm sanding block to smooth out the cured filler.
The other blemishes that often happen are small dents on the surface of parts. To deal with these, I’ll usually drop a bit of water into the dent and let the wood absorb it. Then, using a hot iron and damp cloth over the dent will force steam down into the fibers. The steam will often pop the dent back up. Just make sure to let the wood fully dry before sanding the raised grain.
Application
5 Linseed paint separates rapidly. You’ll want to stir it with a stout stirring stick, breaking up the sludge at the bottom.
Linseed paint will separate pretty quickly. I’ve found if you don’t use a paint for a while, a thick layer of sludge will form at the bottom. A few minutes of scraping and stirring will smooth stuff out. This paint does take quite a while to dry—two days to a week isn’t uncommon in my experience. With that in mind, small projects (like this Norwegian linen box, article coming soon) can be painted on a piece of cardboard where it can be stored away from little kitty paws.
Painting starts at the bottom of the project. Once I’ve added a layer of paint, I’ll set it on painter’s points so that I don’t have to touch it. Linseed paint has a tendency to get all over everything. The less I can handle it, the better.
Now, I know that there are many people that have favorite brushes for Linseed oil paint. And, I’m sure they’re great and paint well. However, I have had great luck with cheap chip brushes that I buy in bulk—just watch hairs falling out of them into your wet paint. Maybe down the road I’ll invest in a nice linseed brush, but I don’t see the need to make that purchase at this point.
6 The linseed paint goes on smoothly, and is thinner than most paints
Linseed oil paint applies very smoothly. Compared to other types of paint, it’s much thinner. As you can see in the photo below, I apply it to bare wood without priming. Allbäck claims that their linseed paint can be applied over a bare surface, or over a surface that’s been primed with linseed oil before hand. Allegedly, the oil paint will apply easier and more smoothly over linseed oil. To be honest, I don’t see how it would go on any smoother than it does already, but take it for what it’s worth.
7 I may have PTSD from wet linseed paint, but I am diligent about my painting order. I do hard-to-reach areas first, to avoid dragging my arm (or clothes) across wet paint.
As I’m painting my project, I like to get the hard-to-reach places first, such as the inside. Then, it’s a simple matter of brushing on the paint, following the grain. I haven’t noticed runs or drips being nearly as much of an issue as it is with other types of paint. However, as I get towards the end of the piece, I get low and try to view every edge from a raking angle. Any drips or dry spots can be touched up. As you’re working, you’ll notice the paint absorbing into the surface. Don’t be fooled— it’s not dry. The best bet now is to let it sit for several days.
8 After the initial coat, I get low and view the surface with a raking light. This highlights any thin spots, or areas where there’s a drip.
Maintenance & Top Coats
After several days, take a look at the paint. Any thin or splotchy areas can be touched up, or you can add a second coat. I like one coat usually—it allows the wood grain to show through and is a matte look. If you want a little more sheen, you have several options. First, you can add another layer of paint. Allbäck sells a linseed oil that you can add into the paint to add more sheen.
9 Like milk paint, linseed paint can be top-coated with several different finishes. Here, you can see how the Allbäck linseed wax makes the color a bit darker and more rich.
Another option is to add a layer of linseed oil over the top of the paint. Do yourself a favor and buy a good quality linseed oil. Finally, you can add a bit of wax over top. Be aware that any top coat you add will change the color slightly. You can see color shift above when I add a bit of the Allbäck linseed wax over top of this brick red paint.
As far as maintenance goes, linseed paint is easily cleaned with linseed soap (which is also the “solvent” used to clean up brushes). As I mentioned before, linseed paint is durable and pretty much trouble-free. Apply as many coats as you see fit, and then let the paint do the heavy lifting over the next several decades or so.
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