Renovation Project Using Natural Wood? Don't Forget To Treat It With Hard Wax Oil

Osmo Polyx Oil and Fiddes Hard Wax Oil both provide great protection for any wood surfaces around the house, but is one superior?

As many homeowners look to renovate, not relocate, the popularity of natural wood flooring and kitchen surfaces has increased.Synthetic materials could never create the effect and style of a room like a new hardwood floor or some natural wood kitchen cabinets.

You Need To Protect Your Wood!

Although natural wood surfaces require a bit more attention and special care, it doesn't have to be a chore. It doesn't even require a professional's touch to maintain the beauty of the wood. Several products currently on the market make it easy for the average do-it-yourself enthusiast to keep those natural surfaces looking top-notch.

Of course, a durable, long-lasting and easy-to-maintain product is needed for high-traffic areas.The finish will also need to be non-toxic if small children will be crawling and playing on the floors. Many types of wood oils are available, but general consensus says that a quality hard wax oil is just the ticket.

Why Hard Wax Oil?

Hardwax oil is one of the most versatile and easy-to-use products around. Not only is it suitable for use on most interior wooden surfaces including wooden flooring, kitchen worktops, cupboards, skirting, spindles, doors and furniture, but even unsealed terracotta tiles and quarry tiles will benefit due to their porous, wood-like properties.

Matte, satin and satin gloss finishes are currently available, making it perfect for almost any job.Application is a breeze, too: just use a good quality cloth, floor applicator, or paintbrush...basically, use whatever best-suits the job to be done. There's hardly any smell, and it penetrates the wood to provide a finish that is tough and resistant to wear and liquids.

If Price Is A Factor

The first and most obvious difference is price. On average, the cost-conscious consumer can expect to save around £13-£14 (based on a 2.5 litre container) by opting for the Fiddes hardwax oil. Of course, the savings increase if a larger size is purchased. But saving money is no good if you get inferior results, so how do Fiddes Hard Wax Oil and Osmo Polyx Oil match up performance-wise?

Drying Time

Both Fiddes and Osmo wax oil provide a water-repellent seal and are easy to maintain; however, Osmo's Polyx Oil takes about twice as long to dry at approximately 8 hours per thin coat.Osmo do provide a quick-drying version, but at a higher price.

Colours

Fiddes comes in 9 satin colours including the popular walnut, whiskey, American and white, and the clear version comes in matt, satin and gloss finishes.

Osmo have clear versions on offer, in addition to the four colours in their foundation wood finish range: light oak, mid oak, dark oak and white.

Colours can be intermixed to create new ones, which helps with colour matching, and both Fiddes and Osmo hard wax oil are non-yellowing.

Ingredients

Osmo Polyx Oil contains only natural ingredients.

Fiddes Hard Wax Oil is probably 98% similar to the make-up of Osmo.

Safety

Both products are suitable for applicaton onto children's toys, having been approved by the EN71 Toy Safety compliancy test.

History

Osmo Polyx Oil, the original hard wax oil, was created six years ago by the maker of the same name.

In recent years, Fiddes have developed their own hard wax oil, which has become a popular option for many people.

Check If Samples Are Available

Of course, most retailers will allow you to purchase a sample of any product you're thinking about using. Testing a small, out-of-the-way section of the wood is also a must to ensure you're going to get the finish you desire. In addition, you should keep in mind that using a coloured hard wax oil is going to give you a different look depending on the type of wood on which it's applied - another reason to make sure you test it out before committing a large area to one particular finish.

If you would like to get an idea how a particular type of wood will look once it's been finished with a clear wax oil, simply use a little water to wet a section, wipe off the excess, then let it dry for about 10 seconds. The resulting shade is a close approximation of the finish you'll get.

Summary

For more colours and to save some money, use Fiddes Hard Wax Oil.
For 100% natural ingredients and a slightly more durable finish, use Osmo Polyx Oil.

The flexibility and protective qualities of hard wax oil is apparent, so which brand is chosen is not really so important.When a long-lasting, hard wearing finish is needed for hardwood floors, cabinets, work surfaces or even children's toys, hard wax oil is a must-have.