First, I want to say I greatly respect the level of expertise on this thread and the experiences you are willing to share.
I'm a homeowner, and planning a major remodel including replacing carpet with hardwood. I've discovered hard wax oil and am convinced that is the direction I want to go, because of health/eco-friendly aspects, and to be able to spot repair/spot refinish high traffic areas without having to clear the room of furniture. (I've gotten an OSMO Polyx sample but not used it yet). We plan to have the actual remodel work done by a contractor/handyman who has already done a lot of work on our house. He has experience laying hardwood but not experience with hardwax oils, but he is very open to the idea. (I've already found other "odd" coatings such as Hydro-Seal 75 under tile that he has carefully read instructions and applied successfully).
I have two hard wax oil questions. First is about spot refinish combined with color--is it possible, and if so which brands would work well? Our house has quite a contemporary style (with a bit of beach accents) which I think rules out the reactive stains. However after looking at various exotics, bamboo, etc, I haven't found anything other than white oak, probably rift and quartersawn, that I like the look and stability of with a HWO finish. (Perhaps a rift and quartersawn walnut engineered, but that might be too rustic still, and I worry about UV -- opinions welcome here too![smile]()
. But the honey color of oiled oak doesn't match the contemporary feel as well as it could, so I'm wondering if there is an option that adds just a touch of color (probably a grey or soft walnut) without losing the ability to seamlessly refinish high traffic areas and spot repair. By the way, I'd prefer a satin finish to a fully flat look.
Second, I'm wondering about water permeability in the kitchen. Does a HWO penetrate or give protection between the boards? Is there any difference between engineered and solid in this aspect? (I'm assuming that engineered with a 3-4mm wear layer would be a great match to HWO because you don't have to remove much to refinish worn areas so it could last a long time -- is that an accurate assumption? I guess that's a third question![smile]()
Thanks again for your time!
Lisa
I'm a homeowner, and planning a major remodel including replacing carpet with hardwood. I've discovered hard wax oil and am convinced that is the direction I want to go, because of health/eco-friendly aspects, and to be able to spot repair/spot refinish high traffic areas without having to clear the room of furniture. (I've gotten an OSMO Polyx sample but not used it yet). We plan to have the actual remodel work done by a contractor/handyman who has already done a lot of work on our house. He has experience laying hardwood but not experience with hardwax oils, but he is very open to the idea. (I've already found other "odd" coatings such as Hydro-Seal 75 under tile that he has carefully read instructions and applied successfully).
I have two hard wax oil questions. First is about spot refinish combined with color--is it possible, and if so which brands would work well? Our house has quite a contemporary style (with a bit of beach accents) which I think rules out the reactive stains. However after looking at various exotics, bamboo, etc, I haven't found anything other than white oak, probably rift and quartersawn, that I like the look and stability of with a HWO finish. (Perhaps a rift and quartersawn walnut engineered, but that might be too rustic still, and I worry about UV -- opinions welcome here too
. But the honey color of oiled oak doesn't match the contemporary feel as well as it could, so I'm wondering if there is an option that adds just a touch of color (probably a grey or soft walnut) without losing the ability to seamlessly refinish high traffic areas and spot repair. By the way, I'd prefer a satin finish to a fully flat look.Second, I'm wondering about water permeability in the kitchen. Does a HWO penetrate or give protection between the boards? Is there any difference between engineered and solid in this aspect? (I'm assuming that engineered with a 3-4mm wear layer would be a great match to HWO because you don't have to remove much to refinish worn areas so it could last a long time -- is that an accurate assumption? I guess that's a third question
Thanks again for your time!
Lisa