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Will it work on wood that's been sealed?

If the wood was sealed with a urethane (oil or water absed), you shouldn't use this, but if the wood is just oiled (mineral, tung, linseed, etc. etc.) it should be compatible.

I understand you can make this yourself pretty easily by just heating up mineral oil and a chunck of beeswax over low heat in an old saucepan, saving yourself a few bucks. Plan on trying this soon as I've got an undermount sink in butcherblock, so the counter surrounding just eats up mineral oil...

I have a Room and Board cherry butcher block table coated with a lacquer finish. Is that the same as urethane? Does that mean I shouldn't oil it? We usually just wash it with mild soap and water but our apartment is so dry, maybe it needs oil too?

anything sealed with a sealer like poly/urethane, lacquer, clear sealer will not accept oil. don't oil it.

also i've heard from old time natural wood oil treatment makers that it's the petroleum in the mineral oil that's contributing to the drying of the wood. just a thought.

I was told to use walnut oil, as it is said not to go stale. It has worked wonders on our butcher block, and it gets a wonderful golden hue. No minerals too..

What about floors?

Here in Europe, I have noticed a trend towards having unsealed floors, and it has quite grabbed me, but I am just wondering about the upkeep or maintenance issues. Although what I saw in Holland especially, they let the floors age gracefully with the dings, stains, and sand/grit wear. Just love the look (to the point where I quite dislike varnished floors now).

Finishes do a few things...

Most important is maintaining the moisture content. You can do this by either oiling the wood (which takes regular reapplications) or by coating/sealing the wood with urethane/lacquer/etc (which seals in the moisture, keeps out new moisture). Generally, you have to choose one route or the other (i.e. DON'T oil that lacquered table). As I understand it though, beeswax is a unique middle ground in that is provides a semi-permiable coating, with may of the benefits of both.

Urethanes also provide a degree of physical protection for the wood - a hard layer that takes abrasions and impacts better than raw wood. Hence, a good choice for floors unless you actually want to let the wood get beat up and don't mind a bit of regular maintainance (regularly oiling and/or waxing).

Also, as far as the walnut vs. mineral oil debate -- I think both provide equal protection, but some people prefer walnut because it is "natural" while mineral oil is a byproduct of the petroleum refining process. The reality is that mineral oil is completely safe (it's actually sold as a laxative and is also an additive in many foods), but walnut oil (and tung oil) can trigger nut allergies. Personally, I find it hard to beat the convenience and cost ($1.50 for 16 oz in Target laxative section) of mineral.

I am wondering if there could be a problem for a person with a bee allergy?

My landlord mentioned I should use linseed oil on the wood in my kitchen few times a year (it's a new renovation)...will this work in a similar way? should I do both? Haven't put anything on the wood yet.

boiled linseed oil is one of the many oils (walnut, tung, etc.) that is used to condition/protect wood surfaces. sand the surface with 200 grit sandpaper lightly, wipe off the dust with a tack cloth, make sure it's absolutely clean, wipe the oil on w/ a clean cotton cloth, wait a few minutes, wipe it off with a clean cotton cloth. do this entire process several time, i'd say at least 5.

AND PLEASE: DRY THE OILED UP CLOTHS BEFORE DISCARDING!!!

they WILL spontaneously combust in the trash if they are wet with oil with no air around them as they are drying. either hang them up to dry or put them in a container with water to keep wet. many stories of houses going up in flames due to this mistake.

Is it possible to use this, or does anyone have a recommendation for more fragile unfinished wood pieces? My iWood phone cover is brutally dry and while oiled regularly this season has already developed a minor crack.

yes, my shed went up in flames after I left oil-soaked rags in glass jars (!) in the Arizona sun for an afternoon--narrowly missed jumping to the old fiberglass back porch roof. the sins of the past.

Yet another reason to use mineral oil... linseed and tung have this problem (they are a bit more durable, but who needs the risk and difficulty of disposal). Both are also not immediately food safe - have to wait a day as I recall.

Waterlox ("marine finish") is yet another option not mentioned yet. Supposed to be really durable on both counters and floors.

BTW Broadway Panhandler carries this. Not on the website but in the store.

OK nevermind, they used to have it, but not anymore (damn their smaller store/less stock!).

Does anyone know how far a package of this will go? I am thinking of trying it on my wood countertops, which I treated with Danish Oil when we got them last fall. I did three coats of Danish Oil but I feel like they still need more treatment, and I didn't like having to be so careful with the rags...