Why We Use Natural Oil Finishes on Our Timber Products
Because timber should feel like timber — not plastic.
If you’ve ever picked up one of our pieces at Stories In Wood, you’ll probably notice something straight away — it doesn’t feel plastic, sticky, or overly coated.
That’s completely intentional.
We believe timber should feel warm, natural, and alive in your hands — not buried under thick synthetic finishes.
We recently featured in a blog post by an Australian woodcare brand, which got us thinking — we’ve never properly explained why we choose natural oils.
In that feature, we walk through real examples of our work and how we use oil finishes in practice — you can read it here: Stories In Wood creative projects using natural oil finishes .
Letting the Timber Speak
Every piece of timber is different.
Grain patterns, colour variation — no two pieces are the same.
Natural oil finishes don’t hide that. They soak into the timber and bring those details forward instead of covering them up.
The Benefits of Natural Oil Finishes
Oil finishes aren’t just about looks — they change how a piece feels and ages over time.
- Improves with age: develops character instead of cracking
- Easy to maintain: simple reapplication when needed
- Better feel: no plastic coating between you and the timber
- Durable: built for everyday use
Our Finishing Process
We keep the process simple and hands-on.
- Careful sanding
- Cleaning the timber
- Applying oil by hand
- Letting it absorb
- Buffing back the excess
- Repeating where needed
Why We Use Australian Wood Oils
We use high-quality, Australian-made wood oils designed for durability and long-term care.
They’re reliable, consistent, and suited to the kind of work we do.
We were recently featured by Gilly’s Australia, where we shared some of our creative projects and how we apply natural oil finishes across our timber work.
Sustainability and Longevity
Natural oil finishes reduce the need for heavy coatings and make ongoing maintenance simple.
Instead of replacing a product, you can refresh it — which extends its life significantly.
What This Means for You
- Natural, tactile finish
- Ages beautifully over time
- Easy to maintain
- Authentic feel in the hand
Final Thoughts
Natural oils respect the material.
They don’t try to turn timber into something it’s not — they simply enhance what’s already there.
If you’d like to see more of our work in action, you can also check out our full feature with Gilly’s Australia: Creative Projects: Stories In Wood .
— Liam