What is Natural Linseed Oil Paint and Where to Begin?
What is Linseed Oil Paint?
Linseed oil paints have been known for centuries. Made from cold-pressed linseed oil and natural mineral pigments to achieve the desired color tone, they are entirely natural, free from chemical additives, and safe for both health and the environment.
What Can Be Painted with Linseed Oil Paint?
Primarily used for wood surfaces, linseed oil paint is suitable for both interior and exterior applications. It can be used on house facades, wooden windows and doors, decking, fences, garden and indoor furniture, kitchen cabinets, wooden floors, ceilings, and more. Linseed oil paints are also widely used in the restoration and preservation of historic buildings.
Additionally, linseed oil paint can be applied to metal, lime, cement, and other mineral surfaces.
Why Choose Natural Linseed Oil Paint?
Modern synthetic paints, including water-based ones, often contain synthetic resins, biocides, and other chemicals. These paints tend to form a hard film on wood surfaces, preventing the wood from "breathing." Over time, this leads to cracking and peeling, and restoring the surface requires complete removal of the old paint—a costly and time-consuming process.
Natural linseed oil paint does not have these drawbacks. When applied to wood, the paint oxidizes as it reacts with oxygen in the air. This chemical process, known as polymerization, forms a durable and flexible coating that deeply penetrates the wood. The protective layer is hydrophobic, meaning it repels water droplets.
Linseed oil paint molecules are up to ten times smaller than synthetic paint molecules, allowing them to penetrate deep into the wood’s pores and capillaries. This results in a unique protective layer that strengthens the wood from the inside, providing excellent adhesion and resistance to moisture and mold.
Linseed oil paint does not crack or peel, even after decades—sometimes even centuries. There are still well-preserved wooden structures that were painted with linseed oil paint over 100 years ago.
Another key advantage is that wood surfaces previously painted with linseed oil paint do not require stripping when changing colors, saving both time and resources.
As linseed oil paint contains only natural ingredients, it releases no toxic compounds, making it environmentally and health-friendly during the painting process.
Why Choose Allbäck Linseed Oil Paints from Sweden?
There are many manufacturers of linseed oil paints on the market, but their quality can vary greatly depending on the production process and the presence of additional chemical additives. Over five years ago, when we started restoring our countryside home, we tried various linseed oil paints available in Latvia. Many of them had significant issues—cracking, yellowing, uneven drying, and poor protection against mold and UV rays. Many also contained solvents and stabilizers. After many attempts and experiments over several years, we discovered Allbäck linseed oil paints from Sweden.
Allbäck has over 30 years of experience producing natural linseed oil paints, combining centuries of knowledge with modern research in collaboration with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The basis of Allbäck paints is boiled linseed oil, purified of impurities. This unique boiling and refining process is what gives Allbäck linseed oil paint its exceptional properties and quality, setting it apart from other linseed oil products. Importantly, these paints contain no solvents or stabilizers.
Allbäck linseed oil paints have been used for over 30 years in the Nordic countries and other regions worldwide where the climate is really harsh—rain, high humidity, and extreme temperature fluctuations.
Another interesting fact: Allbäck linseed oil paints have been used in the restoration of the Palace of Versailles in France and the Danish Royal Palace, along with hundreds of other historic building restorations in the Nordic countries.
Are Natural Linseed Oil Paints More Expensive Than Modern Synthetic Paints?
The price of the paint is only part of the overall cost of painting and maintenance. When painting with natural Allbäck linseed oil paints, 1 liter can cover 20-25 m² of planed wood surface—twice as much as many synthetic paints. Additionally, the surface does not need to be stripped of the existing linseed oil paint if you decide to repaint it in a different color, saving time and money. Natural linseed oil paints are a sustainable, eco-friendly, and health-conscious solution.
Where to Start?
The first step is to choose your color from the more than 30 available options in our store. We recommend starting with a 200ml sample so you can see how the chosen color looks on your wood surface in your environment. The color may vary slightly after application and drying, depending on factors such as lighting or the type of wood (planed or finely sawn). We also offer a color sample set to help you select the perfect tone before making your final choice.
We also provide a very detailed painting guide that explains how to properly prepare wood surfaces and apply the paint, making your painting project a rewarding and enjoyable task.