If you don’t want to mix up your own soap finish – or if you just want to give it a try – the Pure Soap Flake Co. offers it pre-mixed in jars for as little as $10.
The product is called Pure Castile Cream Soap, and it is available in 8 oz. to 64 oz. jars. I don’t know its exact water-to-soap ratio, but it is like a mayonnaise consistency and is ready to apply to wood.
The product behaves exactly like the soap finish I make from flakes.
Apply it with a soft cloth. Let it dry. Then buff it a bit. As I’ve mentioned before, a soap finish isn’t durable, but it is easily repaired and renewed with more soap. And no, your furniture won’t foam up if you spill a little water on the finish. It’s a traditional finish in Scandinavia. Non-toxic and pleasant to use and touch.
I’ve had soap finish on my work desk here at Lost Art Press for more than eight years. I love it.
— Christopher Schwarz
Hello everyone,
What are the advantages versus waxing ? I make my own wax . Thank you !
It looks different. It gives a pale cast to whiter woods, which can be beautiful. Like wax, soap is one of the many traditional and simpler finishes.
If I use this on a chair, will it make my ass cleaner?
Only if you sit in it nekkid … but if you don’t, it’ll at least be a great way to do a partial laundry of your trousers!
Oh, dagnabbit; I shall have to find out; I’ve just sent off for a big bag of traditional Marseille Soap flakes … So we shall just have to see if it ever leads me to writing How Clean Was My Valley?!?
(On a slightly more serious note, I’ve been thinking for a long time about trying a soap finish; this post was simply the final kick up my you-know-what that I needed to start doing something about it.)
I loved How Clean Was My Valley.
Does the soap finish leave soap residue on your hands when you touch or handle the furniture ?
Does the soap “rinse off” if the furniture gets rained on or heavily wetted ?
Dies the soap finish handle high humidity, mixed with hot weather well ?
Lastly, how does wood lignin handle the soap, since wood tends to be acidic, and
Soap tends to be alkaline in pH ?
I know soap is a somewhat standard wood finish in Scandinavia, but most wood finishes from wax, to oil, to shellac tend to be acidic, as most woods to varying degrees.
Sorry if I’m being Pedantic.
Does the soap finish leave soap residue on your hands when you touch or handle the furniture ?
A: No.
Does the soap “rinse off” if the furniture gets rained on or heavily wetted ?
A: It is not for outdoor furniture or exterior use. Occasional encounters with water are OK.
Dies the soap finish handle high humidity, mixed with hot weather well ?
A: Yes
Lastly, how does wood lignin handle the soap, since wood tends to be acidic, and
Soap tends to be alkaline in pH ?
A: It’s a surface finish. Woods that have been treated and retreated with soap for generations (including flooring) do not deteriorate from the soap.
I can’t answer most of these questions, but the first ine is fairly easy. It doesn’t leave a residue on your hands, at least after application. The indoor uses I’ve put this haven’t gotten heavily wet, but even a mild wipe down with a wet rag didn’t effect the finish. Chris has a couple youtube videos on this finish and technique, and if I remember correctly it even has a small section near the back of the Anarchist Design book. It’s definitely worth a try.
I see that this company is in Minnesota and may have their products at the local co-op. I will have to walk over there at lunchtime (only two blocks from work) and look for their various soaps.
I’ve been trying this finish on a maple desk I made, and while it does make the wood feel soft, it also feels a tiny bit sticky. Does this go away with time, or should I maybe buff it more?
I tried a soap finish on a maple desk I just made, and while it does make the wood feel soft, it also feels a bit sticky. Is this something that goes away over time, or should I maybe buff it more?
I have never had a piece feel sticky. My first question is: Did you use 100 pure soak flakes? Or was it something else that might have had additives?
In any case, buff it with a coarse cloth, such as a huck towel. If that doesn’t do it, clean the soap off with water and try again.
I used this brand
https://www.simply-clean.ca/soapflakes.html
which I guess is a little odd since it says it could be either sodium palmitate and/or sodium tallowate and/or sodium cocoate. They’re also not pure white like the ones in your picture; it’s more of a beige colour though it looks white once applied. Anyway, I’ll give the course cloth a try, and if it’s still sticky I’ll see about sourcing some different soap!
Could you include a picture of your desktop, and an idea of how often you’ve need to touch it up?
I also am curious how frequently you’ve had to re apply the soap to your desk. That’s a fairly high-use area in your line of work.
Also, the water presumably raises the grain. You can definitely raise the grain with just water first followed by a sanding before applying the finish. But do you find that when you apply the soap finish, that it continues to raise the grain? I’ve made a soap finish, but have yet to use it on a project. I’m sure these questions will answer themselves once I’ve actually used it, but just curious before I actually do.
Also, if I decide I don’t like it and instead want to scrap it and use a different finish, how difficult is it to remove prior to using an alternative? Thanks for the reminder, though!
I have applied only one additional coat of soap. Gradually, the soap has combined with the oil from my hands and produced a lustrous finish that I cannot improve on.
Yes, water always raises the grain. After the water dries, sand with fine sandpaper and add a little more soap – just like with any water-base finish. Wetting the grain before application of the soap can reduce the tendency for the grain to rise up.
And you can easily remove the soap finish with hot water and a wet sponge.
Beautiful. Just the information I was wanting. Thanks again.