Tried and True Solvent-Free Finishes

The least-toxic wood finishes we've seen. Three products, each with a different consistency and sheen. Formulated to match the finish on fine antique furniture. One of the products can also be used on floors. No solvents or heavy-metal dryers. No VOCs and no petroleum products.

Tried & True finishes are based on pure linseed oil, without any of the petroleum-based solvents or heavy-metal driers that are typically added to products labeled as "boiled linseed." Joe Robson, an experienced cabinetmaker and finisher in upstate New York, crafted the Tried & True formulas to match the quality of finish of fine antique furniture. His finishes are made with techniques similar to those used by varnish makers in the mid-1800s.

Linseed oil finishes penetrate into wood fibers, then react with oxygen in the air. They evolve into a plastic-type resin bonded to the wood. That tough film is the finish. What sets Tried & True apart is that the linseed oil has been polymerized, or partly started on that chemical transformation, through a proprietary heat treatment process. This makes finishing fast and easy. The oil dries to a hard, yet flexible, coating without the need for drying agents. Standard "boiled linseed oil," by contrast, contains toxic solvents and heavy-metal drying agents and could not cure properly without them.

Tried & True finishes are food-safe in compliance with FDA 21(Section 175.300