As Jim said, makes the wood heavier. This is an old recipe for preserving antique furniture and was used commonly a couple generations ago. The oil will work to keep moisture out of the wood but won't provide any type of protection from scratches, dents or bruises. When using linseed oil on furniture I was told to "apply it once a day every day for a week, then once a week every week for a month, then once a month every month for a year, then once every year after that."