Three ways to protect wood

Wood can be protected in a number of ways. On "raw" wood, oil and/or wax will do the trick. But some maintenance is required to keep up the finish. Stain will also get into the grain of raw wood and help preserve it, but some maintenance is required on that, too. There are also a number of things that the wood can be "soaked in" to seal out water, the elements, insects or the like. Some are more exotic than others, and the levels of toxic risk vary. Telephone poles endure practically forever owing to their soaking in creosote. But it's coal tar - nasty stuff. Paint is still popular. The new paints offered by the coatings industry are superb, and a good paint job on a house should last 10 to 20 years without a lot of problems. There are other coatings, too. Varnish, shellac and the like are still around. Here's the main thing. The coating or preservative should be selected based on what is being protected and what things the wood is exposed to. Wood built projects like a dog house, a patio deck and a hand-turned wooden bowl all represent different challenges to the wood finisher. Many of the different finishes are not "mixable" and once you've oiled and waxed something, you can't go back and paint it, so think through your project. Oh, and best of luck with what you do.