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!
Even though natural wood requires some special attention to and extra care, it doesn’t have to be a dreaded chore.A professional’s touch isn’t even required to maintain the wood’s natural beauty.There are many oils and waxes on the market that make it a snap for a hobbyist or professional to keep natural wood surfaces shining and healthy.
Of course, for high-traffic areas a hard-wearing and easily maintainable finish is needed.If children will be playing on the floor and crawling here and there, the finish will need to be non-toxic, too. Many types of wood oils are available, but general consensus says that a quality hard wax oil is just the ticket.
Why Should A Hard Wax Oil Be Used?
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.
Matt, satin and satin gloss finishes are available, so it’s perfect for almost any job. Application couldn’t be easier either: use a good quality cloth, paint brush or floor applicator…basically whatever suits the job. 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, if a larger size is bought the savings increase accordingly. 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 provide a rapid-dry version, but it costs more.
Available 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.
To help with colour matching, colours can be mixed to make new shades, and both Osmo and Fiddes 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.
Within recent years Fiddes developed their own version, which has become a popular choice for both hobbyists and professionals alike.
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 shade of the wood will be a fairly accurate representation 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 harder-wearing finish, try Osmo Polyx Oil.
Hard wax oil’s flexibility and ease-of-use is apparent, so the choice of brand is not really a major factor.When hard-wearing, durable protection is required for wood floors, kitchen cabinets, work surfaces or even children’s toys, hard wax oil is a necessity.
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