High Solid Wood Finishes
Not all hardwax oils are the same!
A coating/finish can be considered as High Solid when it contains at least 65% solid components. The Polyx-Oils range is a perfect example of a High Solid wood finish.
All other coatings with lower concentrations of solids are considered as conventional coatings.
Benefits of High Solid Coatings
- More environmentally friendly
- Less solvent emitted
- Higher quality
- Higher surface coverage
- Higher durability
- Increased longevity
High Solid coatings are more environmentally friendly than conventional coatings because less solvent is emitted whilst it dries and cures. This is often referred to as ‘off gassing’ which is the release of harmful chemicals (VOC’s) into the air.
The advantages of High Solids coatings do not stop there, because essentially, the greater the solid content, the higher the quality of the finish, the higher the coverage (better spread ability), the more durable it is, and the longer the finish will last.
High Build vs High Solid
High Build refers to surface coatings, specifically the thickness of the coating that remains on the surface. High Build coatings must not be confused with High Solid coatings.
High Solid refers to the solid content of the coating. High Build coatings can also be High Solids.
All surface coatings are at risk of cracking, flaking, peeling or blistering as wear occurs. Sanding also becomes necessary for recoating the surface.
Microporous coatings, such as Osmo, penetrate the surface and allow the wood to breathe.
High Solid coatings have a minimum of 65% solid components. For coatings that are not considered High Solid, this means once you’ve applied the coating to the surface, at least 35% of it will evaporate (off-gas) into the air whilst drying and curing.
In comparison to High Solid products, non-High Solid coatings will offer a lower product quality and therefore not offering as much value for money.
What is a Full Solid product?
A Full Solid product has 100% solid components. This means that it will not emit any solvents as the product has ZERO VOC.
Osmo 2K Wood Oil is the perfect example of a Full Solid wood finish.
This was a pioneer development in the industry, however working with Full Solid products can be tricky and generally not a popular choice for the average user.
For Professionals
The 100% solid components make the product very thick and increases the application difficulty. This has made the product rather specialist and used mainly by professionals, as they opt to use specialist mechanical application machines to ensure the best coverage and product application.
Osmo 2K Wood Oil offers 95% solid components and is recommended for use by professionals also.
Most Popular High Solid Finish
Osmo has therefore catered to all user experience levels by reducing the solid content within its main line of Polyx-Oils range, while retaining its High Solid status. This reduction offers the user ease of application without the loss of its excellent product benefits.
This is why the Polyx-Oils range is one of the most popular wood finishes on the market today!
Please contact the expert Osmo UK team for further advice.
