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The use of Linseed Paint can be traced right back to the ancient Egyptians, and whilst it’s almost impossible to say when it was first used, it’s clearly been around for thousands of years.

You may have heard about VOC’s….but do you know exactly what they are and how harmful they can be to you and the environment ?

Conventional paints dry by the activation of synthetic drying agents. These drying agents force the drying to take place very quickly once exposed to oxygen within the right temperature range.

Historically, lead was very often added to linseed paint to combat mould growth. Whilst it’s fair to say that it was a very effective addition, we of course now realise that its use is not desirable for health reasons.

For clarity, this article was written from a point of view of timber used in Northern Europe and North America. When referring to hardwood, it refers to tropical / exotic hardwoods, rather than indigenous hardwoods like oak and rosewood.