MMSMP Finishes - Hemp Oil

What is Miss Mustard Seed’s Hemp Oil and How Do You Use It?

Hemp Oil is one of the fabulous liquid finishes in our line. It’s easy to apply and is incredibly versatile! It has more helpful uses besides sealing a gorgeous Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint finish. After reading this blog post, you’ll most likely be wandering around your home with a bottle of Hemp Oil looking for things to revive!

What is Hemp Oil?

Hemp Oil is created by cold-pressing hemp seeds and collecting the oil. Our Hemp Oil is non-drying and is processed to be a wood finish that can be used over Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint, raw wood, metal and leather.

Applying Hemp Oil Over MMS Milk Paint

Hemp Oil is the most absorbable finish (aka topcoat) in our line. It penetrates and soaks deep into the surface, protecting from the inside out. It makes our colors look as rich, deep and dark as possible. It’s fabulous when applied over our darkest colors like Artissimo, Typewriter, Curio, Boxwood and Flow Blue. Take a look at how Hemp Oil wakes up Artissimo on this sweet antique stool!

If you enjoy the way your Milk Paint looks after it’s all dry, and you don’t want it to be any darker, choose clear Furniture Wax or Tough Coat rather than Hemp Oil.

You can apply Hemp Oil with a brush, shop towel or lint-free cloth. Pour a small amount of Hemp Oil into a cup and brush/wipe it on.

If we have the time, give it an hour or so to soak in. We don’t recommend going any longer than a few hours, because Hemp Oil dries sticky and tacky if it’s not rubbed away. 

Use a lint-free cloth to rub it gently until the excess oil is wiped away. We like using blue shop towels or rags in a box. We don’t recommend old t-shirts or paper towels, because they produce a lot of lint!

If your piece is particularly dry, you can add another coat of Hemp Oil. You can only apply as much oil as the surface can absorb though, so there is a limit to how much product can be applied.

As your piece dries over the next few days, it may look a bit blotchy. Hemp Oil dries at different rates across the surface of a piece, so don’t panic! This is completely normal and everything will even out as your piece dries and cures (more on that topic below).

Hemp Oil Video Tutorial

Enjoy this informative video tutorial to learn how to apply Hemp Oil!

Using Hemp Oil to Revive Wood, Leather and Metal

You can apply Hemp Oil on raw wood surfaces that are tired and dried out. Hemp Oil was applied to the antique dresser below, and the difference speaks for itself!

Here's another example on an old tool box by Jenn Baker of Eight Hundred Furniture.

The right side of the toolbox is before, and the right is after.

Hemp Oil also works wonders on leather too! Miss Mustard Seed used it on a goat bell she hung over her chippy Milk Painted rocking horse. It hydrated the metal bell and the leather strap.

Since Hemp Oil is a non-drying oil, it can be applied on leather surfaces. Check out this before and after shot of a pair of leather boots.

Hemp Oil can also shine up dull metal and restore its luster. Look at what it did to this vintage fan!

Hemp Oil is Food Safe

Our Hemp Oil wood finish is solvent-free and food-safe, so it's ideal to use on surfaces that will come in contact with food. You can apply it to your bread boards, wooden spoons, bowls and mashers.

As a note, our Hemp Oil is a food safe product, but it’s not food grade. If you would like to use Hemp Oil for cooking or medicinal purposes, purchase it from a grocer or health food store.

The Different Colors of Hemp Oil

Depending on the pressing that is bottled, Hemp Oil may take on different colors ranging from dark green to golden yellow.

One isn’t better than the other and the color difference doesn't impact the performance of the finish. They are simply different crops and/or different presses. Neither of them will yellow (or green) your finishes - even over whites paint! They both perform the same when it comes to bringing out the rich color of natural wood or hydrating antiques that have dried out. Both are applied in the same manner and they dry and cure the same. The only difference is literally the color!

Dry and Cure Times For Hemp Oil

Speaking of dry and cure time, let’s talk about how long it takes for Hemp Oil to be fully dry and cured.

Dry time is how long it takes a finish to be dry to the touch. For Hemp Oil, that time can vary depending on how dry and thirsty the substrate is. Really dried out surfaces are dry to the touch within 30 minutes. Other pieces take a few days until they’re dry to the touch. Because Hemp Oil absorbs into the surface at different rates, it takes roughly a week for Hemp Oil to be completely dry to the touch.

Cure time is how long a finish takes to be at its most durable point as advertised by the manufacturer. Once a finish is cured, it’s ready to hold up to daily use. Because it is a non-drying oil, Hemp Oil takes 20 - 30 days to fully cure (an industry standard).

Remember that this finish is an oil, so we recommend caution when placing linens and papers on top of Hemp Oiled surfaces that are curing. Excess oil may leach out from the surface and be absorbed into your fabric or paper. It’s best to keep your Hemp Oiled piece free from any decorations during the cure window.

Durability and Maintenance of Hemp Oil

We recommend Hemp Oil for low-use pieces. It’s an absorbing type of finish, so it doesn’t dry hard like a polyurethane would. If you need added durability, consider topping your Hemp Oil finish with one of our waxes! You can only put wax over Hemp Oil, though, not the other way around.

To maintain a piece of furniture that has been treated with Hemp Oil, reapply a light coat and wipe it back. How often this needs to be done depends on the piece as well as the humidity of your climate. If you live in an arid place, you might need to apply it more often (a couple of times a year) and if your region is more humid, it might only need reapplication every decade. To remove scratches, lightly sand the blemish and then reapply the oil. 

Hemp Oil is not suitable for outdoor use or in moisture-prone areas like kitchens and bathrooms. We also don’t recommend it for floors because of its absorbing properties. A hard-wearing and hard-drying finish specifically designed for floors should be considered instead.

Find a Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint Retailer Near You!

Is your mind running wild with the thoughts of different things around your home that need a Hemp Oil treatment? You can find your nearest MMS Milk Paint Retailer by using our map. Connect with us on social media and join our Facebook group for more inspiration and assistance.