Source
r/woodworking•
stormborn

Low/no odor, simple finish?

I'm looking for a finish for simple projects (most recently a cooking recipe holder) that just require a bit of protection. Since its cold this time of year, I can't guarantee I'll have a warm day to work outside, and I hate having the whole house smell like polyurethane if I leave something drying in the basement.

Ideally I'd like something easy to apply (wipe-on?), odorless, and quick-drying, and I'm less concerned about durability, waterproofing, etc.

Posted Dec 14, 2014, 7:59 AM UTC

17
deduplication•

Minwax wipe on poly isn't bad at all.

2
derpetydog•

Zar waterbase satin polyurethane, no smell, foolproof application, dries very fast, available at your local hardware shop. Bonus super durable!

2
Graphus•

Boiled linseed oil or pure tung oil (not your typical "tung oil finish") are the go-to suggestions for low-odour finishes. They need to be somewhere reasonably warm though for them to dry in a practical timeframe, one day between coats is normal even in the summer.

hate having the whole house smell like polyurethane if I leave something drying in the basement

Understandable! Have you tried the waterbase version? Nearly the same level of protection, far far less smell.

1
woodsmithery•

My go to finish for most stuff is beeswax and mineral oil

1
abnormal_human•

You've basically just described shellac.

1
dstutz•

I just wiped on shellac on a bunch of items and the alcohol wasn't bad. It evaporates so fast even if you do smell it it's only for a couple minutes at the longest.

1
[deleted]•

Tried and True is non-toxic and pleasant smelling.

1