Both Osmo and Fiddes hard wax oils provide superb protection for any wood surfaces such as flooring or cabinets, but does one outshine the other?
As many homeowners look to renovate, not relocate, the popularity of natural wood flooring and kitchen surfaces has increased.A tired room can be completely transformed by a shiny wooden floor or new kitchen cabinets made of natural wood, providing a warmth and style that no synthetic materials could match.
Protect Your Investment!
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. 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, an easily maintained, long lasting finish is needed in areas that experience high traffic. If small children will be crawling around on the floors, the finish has to be non-toxic, as well. 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.
Matte, satin and satin gloss finishes are currently available, making it perfect for almost any job.Applying the wax oil couldn’t be more simple either: use a paint brush, floor applicator, or even just a good quality cloth…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.
When Price Matters
Price is always an important consideration, especially on a budget. 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 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.
Both Fiddes and Osmo Hard Wax Oil are non-yellowing, and colours can be mixed to create new ones, which helps with colour matching.
Ingredients
Osmo Polyx Oil contains natural ingredients only.
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 was developed 6 years ago by the maker of the same name and was the original hard wax oil.
In recent years, Fiddes have developed their own hard wax oil, which has become a popular option for many people.
Always Ask For A Sample
Of course, a decent retailer will gladly let you purchase a sample of whichever wax oil you’re considering.Using the sample to test a small area of the surface you’ll be covering is a must to help ensure you’ll get the finish you want. 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.
Tags: fiddes hard wax oil, hard wax oil, hardwax oil, osmo polyx oil, osmo wood oil, protecting wood, wood finishing, wood oils