New Oak Floor Treatment

[Flyfisher]

A couple of years ago I laid a new oak floor in a room undergoing a lot of other refurbishment, so I covered it with sheets of hardboard for protection while the other works were finished and to allow it to acclimatise to its new environment (it's a suspended floor over a cellar). That's all now finished, the hardboard is gone, the floorboards (28mm European oak) have behaved themselves and I just need to decide on a suitable treatment to finish the floor.

My instinct is to go with a couple of coats of 'hard wax oil' from the likes of Osmo, Liberon or Fiddes but I know this forum is blessed with some experienced flooring experts and I've also read good and bad things about Osmo Polyx, so I thought I'd throw it out to the forum for some possible alternative treatments.

Any suggestions?

 

[Lacan07]

A couple of years ago I laid a new oak floor in a room undergoing a lot of other refurbishment, so I covered it with sheets of hardboard for protection while the other works were finished and to allow it to acclimatise to its new environment (it's a suspended floor over a cellar). That's all now finished, the hardboard is gone, the floorboards (28mm European oak) have behaved themselves and I just need to decide on a suitable treatment to finish the floor.

My instinct is to go with a couple of coats of 'hard wax oil' from the likes of Osmo, Liberon or Fiddes but I know this forum is blessed with some experienced flooring experts and I've also read good and bad things about Osmo Polyx, so I thought I'd throw it out to the forum for some possible alternative treatments.

Any suggestions?

How much traffic is the floor likely to get flyfisher? Wax is certainly a trouble free option. Will you be using clear wax?

Don't quote me but I'm pretty sure Toby has a disliking for Osmo products. Maybe investigate Bona, Jenkins or Morrells.

I used nitrostain and varnish but I'm sure you don't want to go down that rabbit hole.

 

[a twig]

This was my best attempt to do a ChatGPT and summarise the previous two raging debates:

Post in thread 'Osmo vs Briwax'
https://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/threads/osmo-vs-briwax.18960/post-248151

 

[Cubist]

My local supplier of oak runs a joinery business and has a small showroom. When I first went along he had a display of some floorboards each finished with one of the Osmo products together with a few others brands. In an aside he told me that they were all very good from the perspective of ease of application, appearance of final finish and durability but he was less than complimentary about resistance to stains but insisted that provided any spill was cleaned away rapidly even red wine would not be a problem. However, he did point out that water containing a detergent could very quickly bleach the finish and would definitely not recommend Osmo products for households with pets that have bladder control problems.

 

[Flyfisher]

The floor is in a reception room, so not a particularly heavy traffic area, and I'm not really too precious about maintenance considerations and keeping it pristine. I've used Osmo Polyx on some other floors and it seems to wear ok and it's pretty easy to apply - which is the main attraction for me these days.

I've read Toby's DIY advice pages and I know he's not an Osmo fan, which, to be honest, is why I'm giving it second thoughts and seeking something equally easy. I'm not trying to colour-match anything and am quite happy with whatever colour the floor becomes (within reason!). It does need a bit of sanding but only very little because all the boards were planed to the same thickness before being laid.

That 'Osmo vs Briwax' link was interesting; thanks atwig. Food for thought, though I'm running out of time as I have some new sofas being delivered this month but they're destined for a room that currently has a snooker/diner table, which is going to be moved into the room with the new oak floor but of course can't be moved before the floor is finished with whatever treatment I finally decide, and even then I can't move it myself because it weighs a ton so has to be dismantled to get it through the doorways and then re-assembled, for which I need to book a specialist company and they're getting busy in the run-up to Christmas (yes, already!), etc, etc, etc. So I don't really have the time (or, truth be told, the inclination) for multiple coats of shellac and wax. Arrgh!

 

[a twig]

Agree entirely, much as I’d love to do all the coats on our wooden floors when I get round to them, the Bona primer then Bona Traffic HD route looks the route I’ll be taking

 

[Lacan07]

Agree entirely, much as I’d love to do all the coats on our wooden floors when I get round to them, the Bona primer then Bona Traffic HD route looks the route I’ll be taking

Yes, pricey but excellent stuff

 

[jamest]

Like you I tread Toby's pages on floor finishing, but I too didn't have the time or inclination to follow the "proper" procedure. I also read his criticisms of Osmo and I ended up using a company that's not far from me - Treatex (based in Oxfordshire) and used their stains followed by the hardwax oil and the result was very good. It was very easy and quick to do despite my making it hard for myself by staining different boards with different stains and staining along the grooves with a very dark stain (I can't stand that uniform modern oak floor look). Can't really comment on longevity, but it's fine so far.

 

[noj]

I've used both Osmo & Liberon. Marginally prefer the look of the Liberon but Osmo has so much less VOCs that I'd choose it at this time of year when you can't ventilate as freely...

 

[Flyfisher]

I'd not heard of Treatex but checked their website and it looks like a possibility, though I'm not going to bother with staining. I'll order some samples of their various finishes. Out of interest jamest, which finish did you choose in the end?

Also, interesting point about Liberon vs Osmo VOCs levels, which has got me wondering about how different the various 'hardwax oil' products are in their fomulations, which further begs the question of which is the 'best'. Analysis Paralysis at its very finest

 

[a twig]

Sure Penners would lend you a kitkat while you think it over

 

[LadyArowana]

We had some sort of Osmo ( maybe Polyx ) on a new engineered wood floor, no problems, apart from the leaky roof scenario which properly belongs in the “Grump” thread. The floor is mostly covered by rug anyway, so if you are going that route before the snooker/ dining table then go with the easy option treatment wise [ apologies in advance to Toby ]

 

[jamest]

If I remember correctly, I used the matt clear hardwax oil as the finish coat (two coats as I recall) after having applied their "colour tones ultra" either in light oak, dark oak, antique oak or some combination thereof to give a non-uniform look - which mightn't be of interest given your reluctance to stain, but it was reasonably quick, easy and effective. The clear oil on its own (without the colours) gives a nice look, but too light for me in the room I've done. The medium oak is a bit orangey as is the light oak (so I always used that in combination with antique oak, which is not orangey at all) - the orangey look seems to be popular, but I don't like it. I also like a matt look and the treatex was fine, not dead flat matt - there's a very slight sheen to it.

 

[fernicarry]

So I don't really have the time (or, truth be told, the inclination) for multiple coats of shellac and wax. Arrgh

The shellac sealer I used in the hallway dried really quickly. Touch dry in a few minutes and you'd get away with another coat after a couple of hours. I just brushed it on with an old brush. It went hard between coats but softened up again when shown some more shellac or meths. No nasty VOC's.

I'm sure none of my technique would impress Mr. Newell but he can have the credit for making me consider using shellac. I finished it off with Fiddes wax applied with a rag and polished back off. Again dries really quickly, but be warned it stays a bit slippy for a few weeks especially if you still have dust sheets down... The wax was pretty smelly however but soon cleared.

So happy with the ease of application and the very respectable result I'm going to do it again in the back room. Just have to push through the never ending sanding of the existing hideous finish.... Deep red, what were they thinking?

 

[Flyfisher]

Thanks for all the comments and the consequent reading sources!

The floor area is about 30m2 and is not really heavily trafficked so I'm thinking the excellent-sounding Bona Traffic HD is probably overkill (though presumably not a fundamental issue). A shellac + water-based lacquer sounds like a good option but I'm now thinking I've made a mistake by leaving things too late as the floor really needs to be finished within about three weeks and I'll be away for one of them, so I think I'm sleep-walking into using a hardwax oil of some sort.

I've ordered some Treatex samples to check their finishes and while searching around I came across Kreidezeit products on the Mike Wye website and they have quite a range of formulations including 'hard wax oil' and 'floor hard oil'. Has anyone any experience of these?

Anyway, this week I'll be sanding and preparing the floor before applying whatever I decide next week, so I can prevaricate for a little while yet (my speciality these days!).

 

[a twig]

Given that Kreidezeit is German for Cretaceous I’d check the use by date!

I think I looked at some of their chalk paint a while back but went with Earthborn, no experience of their floor finishes

 

[Cubist]

Given that Kreidezeit is German for Cretaceous I’d check the use by date!

I think I looked at some of their chalk paint a while back but went with Earthborn, no experience of their floor finishes

I know some Period Properties qualify for the 'Ancient' label but 'Pre-historic' surely only covers caves?

 

[overlander matt]

Interesting and timely thread as we are looking to do some work on our oak landing floorboards. As it will see a fair amount of traffic, I was looking to use a lacquer - most likely Bona Traffic - rather than wax. Reaching this decision has not been a quick process - There have been more than 3 years of procrastination on and off! Has anyone taken the lacquer route and later regretted.It would be good to see some photos.

Thanks for any advice that you can offer. Hoping to get started in the next couple of weeks...

 

[Kearn]

, I was looking to use a lacquer - most likely Bona Traffic - rather than wax. Reaching this decision has not been a quick process - There have been more than 3 years of procrastination on and off! Has anyone taken the lacquer route and later regretted.It would be good to see some photos.

not Traffic, but in a past project I used Bona Mega on our downstairs hall and bathroom floor (shower also) plus an occasional bedroom.

From memory it wore away, faded let’s say, in the most walked spots. Didn’t fare too well in the bathroom given it’s a water based product I believe! Easy to use though and quick drying, not too nasty. Couple of coats in the same day with a paint roller.

 

[Flyfisher]

After a similar period of procrastination, I eventually decided to use a hard wax oil. I've previously used Osmo Polyx and to its credit it has worn well, but mindful of its environmental impact I decided to use Kreidezeit Hard Wax Oil from Mike Wye for this bit of new oak flooring, which seemed a bit 'greener' from the description of the contents. I carefully followed the usage guidelines, including diluting the first coat with their 'Balsamic Turpentine'. It was touch dry the day after the initial application but I left it for two whole days before applying the second coat. I'm expecting it to take another week or so to properly dry and harden so I'm keeping off it as much as possible until then. Obviously it's too early to know how it will perform but it looks ok so far. Remind me for an update in a few years!