MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
I know there are a number of wood floor experts on here so I thought I would ask about caring for Oiled Oak flooring.
We have just had the kitchen floor laid with solid oak planking. It is oiled rather than varnished. Clearly stuff will get spilt on it and it will get marked but to minimise this I was wondering what was best.
The instructions that came with the floor just say we should use a good quality oil as and when needed possibly every 1-2 years. I am guessing the good quality oil isn't Castrol GTX and I am guessing doing it now won't do any harm but please let me know.
1) Is it worth giving it an extra oiling now to protect it more?
2) If so, what oil?
3) If not, what treatment?
Not sure about flooring, but for other oiling of wood type applications, my father and grandfather (both boatbuilders) always recommended cutting the oil with a bit of turpentine. Penetrates further into the wood grain for better long term protection. They always did the same with varnishes as well (first coat at 50:50).
It could be that this is just a shipwright thing to get extra protection for wood that is going to spend time in a harsh environment.
Whatever you do - try a small sample first!!
I agree - try a small sample first. I once sanded a pine floor in 3 rooms and oiled it with soem oil my Dad had for thier oak floor. The oil made the pine floor go a nice shade of 70's orange. I thought it would lighten as it dried - it didn't and I had to re-sand the floors!!
Would Osmo Hardwax Oil be suitable? If so I would recommend it. (Of course the oiled surface you already have may not be suitable).
It doesn't help in the slightest but we bought unfinished (ie no coating on whatsoever so we had to be VERY careful not to get greasy fingerprints on it) engineered oak and sealed with Osmo so we know what is on it and know that we can sand and apply new coatings easily when required.
We have oak flooring but it is only 1 year old so havent had to think about oiling yet.
Have used OSMO oils on the doors and the woorktop, they are brilliant. They get very highly recomended on here for worktops so I would look up a local distributer.
Troutie and a few others are hard flooring fitters so will no doubt be on in a while with their advice.
troutie and deadlydarcy are both into flooring so I will wait for their input while looking at OSMO oil
also look at the finishes .... i have used rustins danish oil on my worktops and its come out a matt/satin finish .... its certainly not buffing up to a shine ... so may be work looking at what the end result will be ( most oils are not a shine finish i've read )
also, as already said, oils will darken and enrich the colour of the wood ... check a bit first.
Another OSMO fan here for our Oak floor................ Goes on so easily and just so practical just being able to re-do small sections if required!
It is dead easy to throw down isn't it (I say, although it has been on my 'to do' list since last sumer 🙁 )