What Finish to Use on Raised Beds

Reelbizzy 12/22/2011, 7:31 pm

Hi everyone, santa

This fall was my first garden which went well. My husband is now building me some add'l boxes so I'll be ready for spring. Is there a food safe, water resistant finish I can use on the outside of my boxes. I'm just hoping to keep them looking newer longer. My first box already looks like i've had it for years and I'm thinking if my HOA continues to see a nice looking box, they'll be okay if I put one on the front lawn too.

Happy Holidays to you all!!!!!!!!!!!

ashort 12/22/2011, 7:49 pm

Ive heard of folks just rubbing it with linseed oil....

**camprn** 12/22/2011, 8:07 pm

Old Hippie from Canada (and a paint store manager) recommended that if you are going to paint the box it should be painted on the inside as well as the outside.

Unmutual 12/23/2011, 7:06 am

I second linseed oil, just make sure that it is NOT boiled linseed oil.

B maier 12/23/2011, 8:10 am

Howard's Butcher Block Conditioner sold at amazon.

staf74 12/24/2011, 10:41 am

Hi RealBizzy !!!

A belated What Finish to Use on Raised Beds 396615

to you. I just took over as Region Host an we are practically neighbors. Let me know if you need some local advice or sources of compost etc. I'm here to help if I can. Deffo go for the (unboiled) linseed oil if you can. It does take a while to sink into the wood but apparently is a great non toxic finish that will last a very long time.

Happy xmas !!!

Reelbizzy 12/24/2011, 1:59 pm

Thanks everyone. I think i'll go with the unboiled linseed oil.

Twibbs 12/26/2011, 4:04 pm

Out of curiosity...What makes boiled linseed oil so bad?

westx 12/26/2011, 4:58 pm

It has agents in it to help it dry which makes in not food safe and could leach into your soil.

One thing to remember with boiled is if you use rags to put it on is to wash them out and leave them outside to air dry. Never leave a rag soaked in it in a closed off area as it will spontaniously combust. Know this from experience. Not a good thing.

Twibbs 12/26/2011, 9:08 pm

That makes sense. Do they sell non-boiled linseed oil in hardware stores?

yolos 12/27/2011, 12:25 am

Amazon has 1 gal raw linseed oil for 19.74 by Sunnyside. Don't know yet what the shipping cost is.

janezee 12/27/2011, 6:07 am

"Do It Best" hardware stores sell it. I'd guess that if you don't have one of those, your local would have it.

yolos 12/27/2011, 10:58 am

Ace Hardware (in Fayetteville, GA.) does not carry raw linseed oil but Gil-Roys Hardware does.

yolos 12/27/2011, 11:09 am

As westx said earlier in this thread, watch out for spontaneous combustion with the linseed oil. My brother put in hardwood floors in our house and rubbed in oil to protect the floors. I don't know what type of oil he used, but he put the used rags in our garage. My husband took them to the laudromat and washed and dried them. Brought them back and put them on top of the pile of leftover wood flooring in the garage. They spontaneously combusted (caught on fire) and our house burnt down to the ground. Oops. Sad

janezee 12/27/2011, 3:07 pm

Yowsa!
I'm so sorry for you. BIG hug

j

staf74 12/28/2011, 7:40 am

I had no idea of this and THANKS so much for the warning guys. It appears that Linseed oil is safe on the wood itself but has the capability to oxidize the saturated fabrics used to apply it. I would still use it personally but would burn the rags / towels used to apply it just to be safe. Pls pardon the oxymoron but it would be a safe and controlled outside burn that I supervised.

This is a really good link of an experiment specifically linked to linseed oil and combustion.

http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/fire/spontaneouscombustion/rbjul05/index.html

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