Wood Wax: Best Wax for Wooden Flooring & Furniture

Wood is a natural material that can be nourished, protected and enhanced in several ways using Wood Wax – especially for hardwood flooring, furniture, general joinery and wood working.

Osmo Wood Wax Finish stands out amongst generic wood waxes due to its high performance properties for wood, while being based on natural waxes and plant oils such as sunflower oil, soya oil, thistle oil, carnauba wax and candelilla wax.

What Is and What Does Wood Wax Do?

Firstly, wood wax is a protective finish for wood. It ensures the wood is nourished to prevent it from deteriorating, while offering a durable layer or seal that guards against moisture, dirt and general wear.

Secondly, wood wax can be a decorative finish, offering clear natural wood protection or colour tones of your choice. Colours can be available in a transparent and opaque wood finish, to subtly or dramatically enhance small or large wooden items and/or areas within the home or workplace.

There are several types of wood wax available on the market which have varying performance properties including:

1. Hardwax Oil: A popular choice which combines oils and waxes to provide a durable water- and dirt-resistance finish for wood. Osmo Wood Wax Finish is a high performance hardwax oil.
2. Beeswax: A common choice for many. Beeswax wax provides a lovely shine and a pleasant scent, but is not a durable product compared to a hardwax oil.
3. Carnauba Wax: Known for its hardness and high shine, carnauba wax is often used in combination with beeswax, or other oils and waxes.
4. Paste Wax: A traditional form, paste wax is applied with a cloth and buffed to a shine.
5. Liquid Wax: Easier to apply than paste wax, liquid wax is a good option for beginners.

Why Osmo Wood Wax Finish is Better than a Generic Wood Wax

Unlike generic waxes that often sit only on the surface of wood and require buffing, finishing and frequent reapplication, Osmo Wood Wax Finish has been formulated to work in a very different way.

Wood Wax Finish combines natural oils that penetrate deep into the wood for maximum nourishment, with waxes that create a microporous, breathable and protective layer on the surface. This makes the finish highly durable, water repellent and resistance to dirt and other common spillages such as water, juice, and wine, to name a few.

Benefits of Choosing Osmo:

1. Hardwax oil research and development for the perfect product formulation for long-lasting results
2. Natural wood finishes using waxes and plant oils
3. Microporous wood finishes allow the wood to breathe, preventing the wood and finish from cracking, peeling, flaking and blistering over time
4. Easy reapplication and spot repairs without needing to sand back the whole surface
5. Clear and colours finishes available
6. Transparent and opaque colours to choose from depending on your style
7. Suitable for many applications including floors, furniture, joinery and walls

Understanding the Disadvantages of Wax on Wood

While wood wax has many benefits, within demanding or high-traffic areas a pure wax-only finish can:

1. Require frequent maintenance and reapplication to maintain durability
2. Offer less resistance to heat or liquid spills
3. Show water or stain marks easily if not cleaned immediately

By opting to use an enhanced Hardwax Oil rather than a pure-wax, these disadvantages are greatly reduced. In short, this is due to the oil component strengthening wood from within, while the wax component acts like a guard against surface damage and spills.

How to Apply Osmo Wood Wax for the Best Results

Preparation

1. Sand the wood surface to P120 (depending on your application). Learn more about sanding methods according to your wood surface.
2. Then, ensure the surface is clean, dry, and dust-free before application

Application

1. Stir product well before use
2. Apply thinly with a soft tip flat brush, microfibre roller, or oil finish application fleece
3. Allow to dry fully between coats within a well-ventilated area
4. Apply a second and final coat to achieve your desired transparent or opaque colour finish. For flooring only, a coat of Osmo Polyx-Oil is recommended as the second and final coat – learn more via the Wood Wax Finish instructions.

Maintenance

1. Use Osmo cleaning products for regular cleaning
2. When signs of wear become visible, simply re-apply one coat onto the clean and dry surface.
3. No sanding necessary for spot repairs or larger reapplications.

Does Wax Change the Colour of Wood?

Yes, in many cases wax can change the colour of wood.

Typically, when a clear wax or hardwax oil is applied to wood, it will slightly darken the wood and enhance its grain. This is because the wood is a natural material and is being nourished.

Top Tip for Clear Finishes

Before applying a clear finish to your wood, add a droplet of water to your wood surface and wait a few seconds. The slightly darker wet-look colour your wood turns after it has contacted the water, is generally the colour your wood will be once a clear finish has been applied.

Wood wax can also purposefully colour your wood surface by using pigments such as white, black, brown, blues, reds, and more. For example, Osmo Wood Wax Finish has a standard range of transparent and opaque colours to choose from which can match almost any environment or décor. Transparent finishes will allow the wood grain to remain visible after application, while the opaque finishes will completely hide the wood grain offer a solid colour appearance.

Plus, for even more choice, additional colours can be mixed exclusively via the Osmo Tinting System from the Elements, RAL, NCS and BS colour ranges.

Discover the full colour range via the Wood Wax Finish product page today and begin choosing your favourite subtle or bold colour for your wood application.

Wood Wax: Why Choose Osmo for Your Wood Care

With decades of expertise, Osmo has managed to formulate natural wood finishes that protect and nourish a variety of wooden applications better than traditional oils and wood waxes.

Specifically, Osmo Wood Wax Finish boasts enhanced wood performance and a vast colour range, which has been designed to be safe, durable and easy to maintain.

For help and advice, visit the Osmo Help Centre today or contact the expert technical team to discuss your wood project.

Go one step further by using and downloading the Osmo Recommends app. Answer a few questions about your project and receive perfect product recommendations from the experts, right at your fingertips.

Then, find you nearest Osmo Supplier online today by searching your postcode or using the interactive map.