DIYed linseed oil fence treatment

Just two ingredients, low cost, and a smell that brings back childhood memories. It nourishes the wood beautifully, and the saturated timber will last much longer. It not only extends the life of a fence, but also makes it look far better. Plus, it’s easy to apply. All the ingredients are available locally, at least when you live in rural Ireland, so you can jump into your Jeep, buy them cheap, and mix up a batch of oil yourself. Until that day, I hadn’t even realised that linseed oil was used for horses, but in the pursuit of inexpensive wood treatment, I discovered a few interesting things.

It turned out that linseed oil – and not just any linseed oil, but cold-pressed, high-quality oil – is actually used as a food supplement for horses. Packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, it supports skin health and aids joint mobility – ideal for active horses. It’s also a rich source of slow-release calories, providing sustained energy. I had no idea. I was simply looking for raw linseed oil at local hardware stores. I don’t usually talk about prices in euro, but this time I’ll make an exception. A 500 ml bottle of linseed oil at your local shop costs at least €7. More often, it’s around €12. At that price, you wouldn’t want to use it on a fence, which is why most people opt for different products. I paid €24 for all the ingredients: 4.5 litres of oil and 0.75 litres of white spirit. That brings the cost of my DIY oil mix down to just €4.57 per litre – not €14, or more likely €24!

At first, I wanted to go with a 1:1 ratio, but quickly realised the mixture was too thin and runny. Eventually, I combined both bottles, which gave a ratio of 1:6. Adding white spirit should speed up evaporation and improve penetration. I don’t really see any difference between raw linseed oil and cold-pressed linseed oil – unless additives like mineral spirit are used. I also don’t expect this oil to last for years; it will need to be reapplied and refreshed from time to time. But as I said, it’s easy to apply, affordable, and the smell is simply wonderful. It reminds me of summer days spent in the countryside, when I was a little boy living in Poland. The finish looks natural and beautiful. The fence shown in the picture below was treated with store-bought raw linseed oil on the left half, and with my homemade oil on the right. Can you see a difference? I can’t.