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I'm after a bit of advice, I recently bought an old pine table to restore. I have sanded the old horrible varnish off the table top. It's now time to seal it. Ideally I'm looking for something that will seal it without colouring (I love the raw pine colour) and without a horrible shiny finish. Any suggestions?
Danish Oil might do the trick, although it'll darken the wood slightly. Not Linseed; if your pine is really old lineed will go deep orange/brown. Try a section first before you go oil crazy.
Or Wax.
Clear oil? Osmo oil or Danish oil, I'd guess?
Any finish will darken it slightly, but then the wood, would darken a little over time anyway.
Clear/neutral beeswax such as Black Bison wax would provide some protection with minimal darkening.
For a more durable finish you could use Danish Oil and once dry, a bit of beeswax over the top to give it a nice mild sheen.
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I vote for Osmo Polyx oil in matt.
Amazing stuff
Wax is the traditional finish although not very hard wearing. It will mark with water. Anything else in my opinion just looks poor, oil included. Wax will not really change the colour much were as oil will turn it orange. It's a shame you have sanded it because the lovely nutty colour of old pine will take years to come back. It can't be replicated with stain. If you want something more hard wearing than wax maybe try a clear water based varnish. This will not go as orange as anything oil based.
Dulux Trade polyurethane varnish in satin. Looks like a waxed finish and is extremely forgiving of bad technique as drips and brush marks just shrink. Only from Dulux Decorator Centres.
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That Osmo stuff is a hard wax finish. Very hard wearing. Hardly changes timber colour. It is expensive though.
I've used it on all sorts of things - over paint is particularly impressive in that it's really hard wearing but totally invisible.
Mylands make a great oil that is heat proof and water resistant, fantastic on tables, it's what we always used as a French polish alternative, as with all oils it will slightly affect the colour of the wood.
Your only real option for a durable finish that won't change the colour or let it change over time is a uv resistant varnish which you can get in a matt finish if you don't want it shiny.
WD-40
a good natural oil. apply 1st coat liberaly leaving 1mm of oil and let it soak for 24 hours. remove with a cloth and then another coat working it in to the wood.
leave to dry and then sand back with very fine sandpaper.