Austin’s Wood Butter

Austin’s Wood Butter is a unique twist on a timeless recipe used for centuries to provide a lustrous, low-sheen finish to wood, metal, and leather projects. Why is it called Wood Butter? Because it leaves the surface feeling as smooth as butter! Its deep penetrating formula uses only food safe, non-toxic ingredients so it works great for any type of project.

This unique formula is a blend of pure tung oil, natural waxes, and essential oils and the best part is that it only requires 1-coat to achieve it’s stunning appearance and protection.

Wood finishes have a dirty little secret…most of them hate wood.

Seriously.

They sit on top of the surface like shrink wrap on grandma’s couch waiting for the day they crack, peel, chip, or start looking like an abandoned marina bench in August. Then comes the “fun” part:

• Sand everything down
• Strip it
• Recoat it
• Question your life choices

Wood Butter was built because we got tired of finishes turning beautiful wood into a maintenance hostage situation. This stuff works differently.

Instead of building a thick plastic shell on top of the wood, Wood Butter penetrates deep into the fibers and leaves behind a low-luster, hand-rubbed finish that actually feels like wood should feel.

• Not plastic
• Not sticky
• Not fake
• Wood

And unlike a lot of natural oil finishes that take coat after coat after coat before anything happens, Wood Butter starts working immediately. Dry wood drinks it in. The grain comes alive. The color deepens. The surface gets richer and more water resistant without looking dipped in bar-top epoxy.

The best part?

Maintenance doesn’t involve scraping, stripping, or spending your Saturday crying into a random orbital sander. When the finish eventually starts looking thirsty again:

• Clean the surface.
• Rub on another coat.
• Wipe it off.
• Done.

That’s the system.

No film failure.
No peeling.
No sanding marathon.

Wood Butter was designed for practical preservationists — people who want wood protected and beautiful without turning every project into a museum conservation experiment.

Perfect for:

• Interior woodwork
• Tool handles
• Furniture
• Wood windows
• Doors under a covered porch
• Workbenches
• Wood that deserves better than polyurethane prison

What makes it different?

We built Wood Butter around deeply penetrating natural oils and stabilizing waxes that work WITH the wood instead of entombing it under a hard shell. The result is a finish that enhances texture, grain, and warmth while remaining easy to renew year after year.

It’s the kind of finish that develops character instead of failing dramatically.

Which, frankly, is more than can be said for most modern finishes.

HOW TO USE IT

1. Apply generously to bare wood.
2. Let the wood absorb what it wants.
3. Wipe off the excess.
4. Repeat until the wood stops looking thirsty.

That’s it.

No special brushes.
No spray equipment.
No sacrificial goats.

Just wood that looks incredible.

Initial Application

• Apply generously to clean, bare wood using a maroon abrasive pad.
• Allow to sit for 20–30 minutes.
• Reapply to dry areas if needed.
• Wipe off all excess thoroughly with clean cotton rag.
• Apply additional coats as needed to achieve a satin sheen.

Maintenance

• Clean surface with mild soap and water using maroon abrasive pad.
• Allow wood to dry completely.
• Apply one thin coat buffing into wood grain.
• Wipe off excess with clean cotton rag.

Best Practices

• Do not overapply.
• Always wipe off excess.
• Expect periodic maintenance depending on exposure.

Frequently asked questions

What is wood butter used for?

Wood butter is a penetrating oil-and-wax finish you rub into wood for a low-sheen, hand-rubbed look. It soaks into the grain instead of sitting on top, so it works on interior woodwork, furniture, tool handles, wood windows, and workbenches. It is a blend of pure tung oil, natural waxes, and essential oils.

Is wood butter food safe?

Yes. Austin’s Wood Butter uses only food-safe, non-toxic ingredients, so it works for any type of project. The deep penetrating formula is a blend of pure tung oil, natural waxes, and essential oils, and it only takes one coat to get the finish. That food-safe makeup is part of why it is named Wood Butter and used so widely.

How do you apply and renew wood butter?

It only takes one coat to get the finish, and you renew it by cleaning the surface, rubbing on a coat, and wiping off the excess. There is no sanding involved. Unlike a hard film finish, it will not crack or peel and force a full strip and recoat.

Can you use wood butter on furniture?

Yes. Austin’s Wood Butter is made for interior woodwork, furniture, tool handles, wood windows, and workbenches. It penetrates the grain and leaves a low-sheen, hand-rubbed finish. It comes in two sizes, 8 oz and 32 oz.