Vegetable Oils have the closest affinity to natural wood. Consequently Eco-House Wood Finishes are designed to contain nothing but natural renewable-source components after the drying process.

The Binders

Linseed Oil is extracted from the seeds of the flax plant. It consists mainly of glycerine and unsaturated oleic acids. Unsaturated means that these acids readily react with oxygen from the air making linseed oil a "drying oil" by linking liquid oil molecules with oxygen and each other to form a tough linoxyn-film. Linseed oil dries starting from the surface. That is why too thick coats can take a long time to dry through.

Linseed Oil molecules are smaller in size than the smallest pores of wooden surfaces. This allows the oil to penetrate deep into the wood making linseed oil an excellent wood primer for long lasting finishes. Its high elasticity makes it resistant to going brittle caused by extreme temperature changes. Linseed Oil allows wood to breathe. Due to its molecular structure moisture vapours can travel through a linseed oil coat, i.e. the drying process of "green" dimensional timber is not inhibited, but slowed down with reduced cracking.

Linseed Standoil is a linseed oil which has been thickened by boiling without air access. This process makes linseed oil molecules join with each other to larger molecules, improving its weather-and water resistance.

Tung Oil, also known as Chinese wood oil, is the oil extracted from a walnut-like nut grown in China, Argentina and the USA. It was commonly used to seal wooden boats, which explains its desirable properties such as hardness, water-resistance and a wide chemical resistance. Combined with the softer more flexible linseed oil, it creates a tough and durable coating.

Pine Resin ester is the hardening component in various products.

Metallic Driers, added in tiny amounts, help to achieve uniform drying. Cobalt, Zirconium, Zinc and Calcium driers, which are soaps by their chemical classification, act in their combination as drying catalysts, helping the finishes to dry evenly through.