Sam Maloof's Finishes

Sam Maloof, one of America’s most accomplished woodworkers, has used these same finishes on pieces placed in museums and the White House. Sold in pint and quart size cans.

''One of the most important aspects of finishes, I believe, is that they invite me to touch, to caress, and to take pleasure in the wood surface.'' Sam Maloof. Maloof’s Poly/Oil Finish A custom blend of polyurethane varnish and natural oils developed by Sam Maloof to beautifully finish his finest pieces. Ideal for use on furniture, cabinets and millwork. Enlivens wood grain and adds warmth to it’s color. Gives your project the look of hand rubbed satin finish in half the time it takes using pumice and rottenstone. Consider using Sam Maloof's Oil/Wax for the final coat to complete the look. Sam Maloof Oil/Wax Finish A blend of oils and waxes used as a final coat over the Sam Maloof's Poly/Oil finish to create a soft hand rubbed appearance while enlivening the wood character. Sam recommends using this topcoat on fine pieces that won't be exposed to heat or moisture. Applied with a cloth. For more information on Sam Maloof, see Jeremy Adamson's book, The Furniture of Sam Maloof, the first thorough documentary of Maloof's life and work.

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MSDS: Sam Maloof Oil/Wax Finish MSDS: Sam Maloof Poly/Oil Finish

Customer Reviews and Photos for: Sam Maloof's Finishes Average Rating: (4.9) (16 customer reviews) Add your review...

1) Submitted by Brad Conklin, from Maybrook, NY on 11/15/2009 Customer Rating: Once I tried Sam's poly/oil and oil/wax I never went back to anything else. The look and the finish they give to the wood invites you to run your hand over it and experience the finish. I have yet to see someone who has seen one of my finished peices not run their hand over it. It is a great product and great experience. black walnut vase (click to see full-size picture in new window)

2) Submitted by Don Mapstone, from Lakeland, FL on 5/6/2009 Customer Rating: Cabinet was not finished yet - two more coats to be applied - texture and color of wood is excellent to date. I will send photo as soon as completed. I really like the ease of application. I will be switching from polyurethane to poly/oil on all projects after seeing the excellent finish on this cabinet so far. cherry display cabinet (click to see full-size picture in new window)

3) Submitted by Fred Conforti, MD, from Great Barrington, MA on 3/14/2009 Customer Rating: Sam's poly/oil and oil/wax finishes are without a doubt the best general market proprietary finishes that I have used to date. I do not have a "clean" room. I applied the poly/oil to a large media center that I designed with an application ball of cheesecloth wrapped in a double layer of shop towels. The result was magnificent and clean-up was a breeze. I finished a small shelf with mineral oil/pumice/rottenstone and, side-by-side with Sam's product, was hard pressed to notice a difference; I'm certain that a nonprofessional would not be able to make the distinction. And since I suffer with quite severe arthritis in my hands anything that makes the finishing process easier is much appreciated. This is a product I can recommend without reservation. In fact, I'm tempted to hand my work over to a professional photographer so that I can send a worthy photo for display.

4) Submitted by Greg Duczynski, from Ledyard, CT on 1/5/2009 Customer Rating: This was the first time I've used this finish. I've always been a fan of Sam Maloof so I was eager to try to use his finish. It works incredibly well and is easy to apply. As others have commented, I must stress the importance of fully wiping down the piece after each coat. The extra effort and rags are definitely worth it. Recently I was working on two pieces for family members for the holidays. An Oak Sideboard (picture included) and a volleyball trophy for my son's girlfriend. Both pieces came out beautifully and the natural highlights of the red oak shown through nicely without the look of a heavy finish. This is clearly the best product I've ever used and I will only be using this approach on all my future pieces. Sanding the pieces down to 400 grit sandpaper followed by a thorough burnishing with 0000 steel wool produced a glasslike smoothness for the finish which went on easily. I highly recommend Sam's poly/oil and oil/wax finishes. Oak Sideboard (click to see full-size picture in new window)

5) Submitted by G.W. Marton, from Erie, PA on 12/28/2008 Customer Rating: I have finished a couple of projects where the wood is first dyed with an aniline dye, then four couts of poly/oil. two coats of oil/wax then two coats of paste wax. I'm very happy with this system. Very easy to use, but you do have to follow the instructions. Make sure you wipe off excess oil, then let the coat dry before you move on.

6) Submitted by Jeff Boggs, from Nashville, TN on 9/28/2008 Customer Rating: I wet sand this oil into projects starting with 220 grit and working my way up to 1200 grit. The finish is unbelievable! It's so easy to use.

7) Submitted by Bruce Bradford, from Winston Salem, NC on 9/4/2008 Customer Rating: Strongly recommend this product. I've used it for over 8 years and have never had a problem.

See all 16 reviews...