Allbäck Linseed Oil Paint – Techniques & Common Questions

Allbäck paint behaves differently from conventional latex paints. In this section, we’ll offer some tips and techniques for getting the best results and answer some common questions.

What should I keep in mind while I’m painting?

There are three key factors to help ensure success while working with Allbäck paint.

1. Use a good-quality natural-bristle brush.


2. Apply the paint sparingly. Most of us are used to working with modern latex paints, which require a moderately loaded brush to lay down evenly. Allbäck is almost the opposite. The brush doesn’t need to be “dry,” but it should hold far less paint than you’re used to. New paint is the correct consistency, but older paint may have thickened. If this is the case, or the temperature is cool, thin the paint slightly (less than 5%) with Allbäck boiled linseed oil. Do not use solvent for dilution.


3. Work the paint into the surface using strokes of varying directions, especially on moldings or turnings. Finish up with full-length strokes to ensure brush marks are all going in the same direction.

Apply the paint with a brush holding a light load of paint. Work the paint into the surface, and finish with strokes along the grain.

Before committing to your project, practice on some scrap boards to get the hang of working with this paint and to ensure the results are what you’re expecting (a good strategy with any finish). 

What else should I be aware of?

1. Clean your brush thoroughly using Allbäck linseed oil soap.

Clean the brush thoroughly with Allback soap and water. Properly cared for, a high quality brush should last a long time.

2. For indoor use, a single coat on raw wood produces a wash of color that permits the grain to show through; additional coats deepen the color and increase opacity. A topcoat of linseed oil wax provides additional moisture resistance and increased sheen; the tinted Allbäck waxes can be used to create an aged effect.

Pine test panel showing one, two, and three coats of Signal Yellow.

3. For outdoor use, two to three coats of paint are recommended. In high-humidity situations where resistance to mildew is needed, mix in 20% zinc white additive to light colors and 10% to dark colors.


4. Allbäck paint is fairly benign, but take care to not get an excessive amount on your skin. Clean with Allbäck linseed oil soap. Wearing protective gloves is a good idea.


5. Allbäck paint and linseed oil cure through polymerization, which produces heat. Ensure any paint- or oil-soaked rags are spread out to dry or dampened with water and disposed of in a sealed plastic bag.


6. Leftover liquid Allbäck paint should be taken to your local transfer station for safe disposal.