In this video, Jay from Wood Finishes Direct will explain what you should consider before purchasing Osmo Polyx Oil. However, this advice is also suitable for other hard wax oils, such as Fiddes Hard Wax Oil.
Hard Wax Oil FAQ
Do wood oils dry or remain greasy?
Wood oils penetrate into the surface fibres of the wood, where they oxidise with the air and harden. The result is a finish that is dry and non-greasy, so will not stain or mark clothing or soft furnishings. If a wood oil does remain sticky or greasy, it has been over-applied.
What is the advantage of using wood oil?
Wood oils help to protect and preserve interior and exterior wood by feeding the timber to keep it nourished and supple. They are the easiest of all wood finishes to maintain and repair. A patch repair, for example, where a scuff, scratch, stain or area of wear has occurred, can be easily fixed by simply sanding the affected area and applying more wood oil.
Can I apply wood oil over varnish?
In short, no. Varnish is a coating-type product that coats the wood with a plastic shell or skin. Wood oils work by penetrating into the wood but can’t with a varnish covering the wood grain. All varnish coatings need to be fully removed by sanding before an oil can be applied.
Before You Buy – Osmo Polyx Oil Transcript
Hi, I’m Jay from Wood Finishes Direct. In this video, I’m going to be highlighting the key things you should consider before starting your project with the Osmo Polyx Oil range. First off, what is it?
Osmo Polyx Oil is the original hard wax oil, a combination of natural oils and waxes for use on almost any interior project. Hard wax oil is almost as hard as a varnish but easier to repair. All you need is a rag to apply the oil over the affected areas without having to remove any previous finish.
Let me show you a very simple test called the water test. All you need is a drop of water. Apply a drop to the wood and leave for 30 seconds. Easy, right? If the water beads, then you know there is an existing finish on there. If the water sinks in, this would indicate that there is an untreated surface, so you can move straight on to application.
It’s always a great idea to start with the best canvas possible. Sand your wood through the grits up to P120. This is a fine sand on bare timber in preparation for finishing, not suitable for removing varnish or paint. Always sand with the grain of the wood to avoid scratch marks.
What’s the deal with clear? A clear product suggests it doesn’t change the colour of the wood, but it actually does. Clear Polyx Oil will bring out the natural tone and patina of the wood, enhancing the grain and making it appear darker, giving it what we call the “wet look”.
If this isn’t for you, then we recommend the Osmo Polyx Oil Raw 3044. This will lessen the wet look on lighter timbers such as oak or pine. Raw gets mixed results on hardwoods, especially darker hardwoods, as it contains white pigment. If you are looking to change the colour of your wood, then you can go across to the Osmo Polyx Oil Tints, which come in a range of colours. The whole Polyx Oil range comes in handy 5 ml sachets to do your test areas before purchasing a bigger tin.
Over-application isn’t uncommon with Polyx Oil but is avoidable by using the P.A.R.S.E. method:
- Prepare properly – sand the wood to P120
- Apply thinly – always working with the grain
- Remove excess – using a microfibre cloth
- Sand lightly – abrade the surface with a finishing pad once dry
- End coat – apply and leave to dry
Nice and easy!
Without following the P.A.R.S.E. method, over-application issues you may face are:
- A sticky-feeling surface
- Longer drying times
- A patchy finish
- Product pooling on the surface
The last thing to consider is sheen! Sheen refers to the amount of light the finish reflects from the surface. Contrary to popular belief, this does not have any influence over durability.
- Matt – gives you a flat matt look and feel
- Semi Matt – a slight sheen added to the wood for those who don’t want dead matt
- Satin – the halfway house between matt and gloss
- Gloss – gives the light a good surface to reflect off
Do you need further technical assistance or advice on your project? Why not put us to the test by messaging us or giving us a call? Links to all the products used are in the description on YouTube. We hope you enjoyed the video. Don’t forget to like and subscribe for future content.
47 comments
Reply to Steve:
Good Morning Steve,
Thank you for getting in touch with your enquiry, ideally you will need to patch repair with the same as the current finish, which if it is oil then Osmo Door Oil (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-door-oil) may be a good option. Sample sachets are available in a range of sheens and these are a good way to test if the result will match. If you are able to get in touch with your supplier however to get that information, this would help with picking the right product to use for the repair.
Another small test you can try is to wipe a damp cloth over the wood to be repaired, this will darken the wood in the same way an oil will and could give you an idea of the potential result. If you find this to be too dark then there is also the Raw in the Door Oil range, number 3033, which is designed to leave the wood looking almost untreated.
If you take a look at these and do feel free to get back to me via our contact us (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/pages/contact) page if you have any questions at all.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hello, I have traditional pine doors that I would like to give an oak effect and reduce the yellow pine colour but avoid the orange/yellow that some oak has so more brown/grey undertones. Can you suggest something? staircase is hemlock with polyx raw on which looks nice but the pine doors are far more yellow, could I stain and then go over with the polyx raw??
Thanks
Reply to Hayley:
Good Morning Hayley,
A common question that we get asked, is if Pine can be made to look like or get closer to an Oak appearance. The answer is not really, they are two very different wood types, in colour, grain pattern, and how they accept products. So to get a match is very difficult. That said however you are able to bring them closer in appearance for sure.
My first recommendation will be to take a look at the Manns Classic Pine Stain (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/manns-pine-wood-stain) and the reason for this is versatility. This is a water based stain, it will soak into the woods surface and colour it, there is a wide range of colour options and you are able to intermix these colours to create new ones. You also have the benefit of sample sizes, so you are able to select a few and try some small test areas on your wood. And this will be vital as the wood type, age and condition will all impact on the colour result that will be achieved. If you do get into mixing the colours, then be sure to record ratios and measure exactly so that future larger mixes will be the same.
The alternative will be to take a look at some of the coloured oils that will colour and protect like the Polyx you have already used. Bear in mind that when oils soak into a wood they will naturally highlight the tones of the wood and so for Pine this can be oranges or pinks, and this can happen even if the oil is pigmented. So again those test areas are vital.
I would recommend taking a look at the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Tints (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/fiddes-hard-wax-oil-tints) and the Blanchon Hard Wax Oil Tints (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/blanchon-hard-wax-oil-tints) as possible options to consider too.
It can be a bit of trial and error, however a close result is achievable with the right preparation and product. For more advice please feel free to get in touch with our friendly team via the contact us (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/pages/contact) page.
Hi,
Very informative. Can polyx wax oil Matt be used on a oak slab bathroom vanity in regards to water repelling durability?
Thank you.
Reply to Lou:
Good Afternoon Lou,
Thank you for getting in touch with your question. The Osmo Polyx Oil (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-polyx-oil) is a great option for a bathroom space. It will protect the wood and repel moisture really well. For sink areas I would also recommend the application of the Osmo Wood Protector (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-wood-protector) before the Osmo Polyx Oil, this will give a really thorough level of protection in area that is high moisture or humidity.
As always I would recommend a test area first to ensure you like the result achieved, on rare occasions if applying to a mid to darker wood the matt can give a slightly milky effect if over applied. Ensuring the wood is well prepared before hand and application is very thin will help to avoid this.
If you need any help or support for you project, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team via our contact us (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/pages/contact) page.
Kind regards Samantha.
Reply to Lou:
Hi
I need advise regarding preserving
Front fascia of my mu home which has got wood.
One decoratar has advised osmo oil
While other says sadolin
Please can you advise
I can send pics ?
Reply to Vidy:
Hello Vidy,
Thank you for getting in touch. Perhaps you could send in some photos to wood@finishes.direct and details of any current finishes applied? What preparation you are able to carry out and your preferred look? And I can narrow down some options for you to consider.
Kind regards Samantha.
Great video. I am going to use Osmo Polyx Oil Rapid on my oak floor and I wondered how long I should wait before putting the furniture back in the room. I have read it takes 2-3 weeks to fully cure but obviously it will be difficult to keep the room clear for that long!
Reply to Rob:
Hello Rob,
Its a great question, ideally the longer you are able to leave the floor to cure the better, however this is not always practical of course. So the floor will be suitable for light use after around 24 hours. Light foot traffic and furniture can be placed back in the room if needed. Please make sure you lift, don’t drag, the last thing you want is scratches across the floor from furniture placement.
Any thing that covers a large are of the floor, for example a settee or sideboard, particularly if the they are low could potentially slow down the curing process slightly, so if possible have a temporary location for a week and then move and expose that area for curing after. Its not vital, however could help with even curing and appearance over time, be practical however as in life sometimes makes it difficult to do these things.
One thing I would avoid for at least 2 weeks it putting down any rugs, this will certainly slow down the curing process and result in a patch on you floor when in the future you come to lift the rug.
The oil will reach full hardness after around 10 days to 2 weeks, time frame can depend on temperatures, and good air circulation will speed this up.
I hope that helps and please do get in touch if you have any questions at all.
All the Best Samantha.
Hi. He did stairs in polyx oil that had to be sanded down for dog scratches. We think contractor put down first coat too thick (although dried ok). Did extremely light second coat as we sanded down to what we thought was bare wood and now sticky after a week. Have done multiple rounds with denatured alcohol as recommended. It is taking off sheen but still sticky. Halp! Do we need to sand down again? Steel wool?
Thanks!