Within the interior wood finishes range, Osmo have three wood oils that offer a lightly white pigmented finish, to achieve the perfect Raw- or Natural-looking wood finish:
Application of a Raw/Natural Finish
For example, when the wood is untreated or after the surface has been sanded, it is very important to apply the product thinly and spread well, working along the wood grain.
This will allow the white pigments within the Raw/Natural wood finishes to penetrate into the surface grain. This is a must to ensure an almost invisible effect is achieved.
White Pigment Remains Visible
If any white pigments remain visible on the surface, this is a result of the oil not penetrating the surface properly.
This can happen due to a number of reasons including:
- Over application of product
- A lack of removing the excess before drying
- Poor application method e.g. applying product against the grain, not with the grain
Raw/Natural on Darker Wood Species
Darker coloured or ingredient-rich wood species may also highlight the white pigment more than lighter coloured wood species. It is highly recommended to carry out a trial application on these darker wood species before committing to a Raw/Natural wood finish, especially for unfamiliar surfaces or first time applications.
How To Resolve Visible Pigments
Solution
As a solution, you can try lightly sanding the excess white pigment back once the surface is dry. We recommend using a sanding mesh type abrasive of P180 grit. This is because a mesh will not clog as easily as sandpaper.
The sanding process should be carefully carried out by hand, using a sanding block behind the sanding mesh, and working along the grain of the timber.
Ideally work on full, yet isolated boards working up to the edges of the boards accordingly. Only use light sanding pressure that is enough to cut away the excess pigment and avoid cutting into the wood. We only want to remove surface pigment and not take it back to bare wood again.
You can practice this technique beforehand if you have any areas/boards in an inconspicuous area.
Re-Application
Once cut back, carefully remove the dust with a soft dry brush and vacuum cleaner. Please avoid anything wet!
Once clean, dry and prepped, apply your previous Raw/Natural Osmo wood finish more thinly with a flat brush.
Remember to apply along the grain of the wood and stretch the product out well. If white pigment is still visible, stretch the product out further with the flat brush or begin removing excess product with a lint-free cloth or Osmo Easy Pads before it dries.
In addition, if you are also applying a clear wood oil to your surface, such as Polyx-Oil Original, we recommend you avoid applying this over partially sanded areas, as a clear oil does not contain white pigments and it tends to darken the wood surface, offering a wet-effect finish.
For additional advice, please contact the expert Osmo UK team today.