Oak Door Treatment
Discussion
Will be having 14 new internal oak doors fitted and wanted some advice on what to treat them with. Wife wants them to remain as light as possible so would prefer clear and with matt/satin finish but not glossy. Have been recommended Danish Oil but then somebody said you can't get this in clear and so a bit worried it might darken them too much. Is this correct and if so what alternatives are there. Also is oil preferable to wax?
Lots of oak tonight!
Any finish will darken wood to some extent - luckily oak goes the same colour no matter what clear finish you apply.
Danish oil will need at least 2-3 good coats with a quick rub down between the first few coats. And then need redoing at least once a year for the first couple of years (more if you have a very hot house or in direct sunlight)
Osma to a nice liquid wax that is easy to apply and can be buffed to a desired sheen.
Both are quite smelly and both will take time to do right!
I would stay clear of beeswax as its a bit hard to apply evenly over a big job and it stinks!
Apsrt from that you are looking at lacquers which would ideally be sprayed on, but thats a whole new can of worms!
I would plump for the osma wax (others might be available but I use and like the osma!
Any finish will darken wood to some extent - luckily oak goes the same colour no matter what clear finish you apply.
Danish oil will need at least 2-3 good coats with a quick rub down between the first few coats. And then need redoing at least once a year for the first couple of years (more if you have a very hot house or in direct sunlight)
Osma to a nice liquid wax that is easy to apply and can be buffed to a desired sheen.
Both are quite smelly and both will take time to do right!
I would stay clear of beeswax as its a bit hard to apply evenly over a big job and it stinks!
Apsrt from that you are looking at lacquers which would ideally be sprayed on, but thats a whole new can of worms!
I would plump for the osma wax (others might be available but I use and like the osma!
Thoroughly recommend this stuff (was recommended from the place I bought the doors) easy to apply too.
http://www.ukoakdoors.co.uk/treatex-hardwax-clear-...
My door
http://www.ukoakdoors.co.uk/treatex-hardwax-clear-...
My door
Danish oil all the way for us.
We've just about finished building our house, and started off using sadolin on the exposed beams. However, tried danish oil on the (oak) doors and I'm a convert. It's great stuff, high VOC so it smells a bit for a couple of days, but then it cures and is hard wearing, waterproof and gives a lovely finish to the wood without looking like you've put it under a layer of plastic. Unlike varnish you don't get brushmarks (unless you're really trying) and it works wonders restoring our old oak furniture after a good sanding.
We've just about finished building our house, and started off using sadolin on the exposed beams. However, tried danish oil on the (oak) doors and I'm a convert. It's great stuff, high VOC so it smells a bit for a couple of days, but then it cures and is hard wearing, waterproof and gives a lovely finish to the wood without looking like you've put it under a layer of plastic. Unlike varnish you don't get brushmarks (unless you're really trying) and it works wonders restoring our old oak furniture after a good sanding.
Tuna said:
Danish oil all the way for us.
We've just about finished building our house, and started off using sadolin on the exposed beams. However, tried danish oil on the (oak) doors and I'm a convert. It's great stuff, high VOC so it smells a bit for a couple of days, but then it cures and is hard wearing, waterproof and gives a lovely finish to the wood without looking like you've put it under a layer of plastic. Unlike varnish you don't get brushmarks (unless you're really trying) and it works wonders restoring our old oak furniture after a good sanding.
How much does it darken the wood?We've just about finished building our house, and started off using sadolin on the exposed beams. However, tried danish oil on the (oak) doors and I'm a convert. It's great stuff, high VOC so it smells a bit for a couple of days, but then it cures and is hard wearing, waterproof and gives a lovely finish to the wood without looking like you've put it under a layer of plastic. Unlike varnish you don't get brushmarks (unless you're really trying) and it works wonders restoring our old oak furniture after a good sanding.
We're in a similar position, though with a few less doors. To date I've done two doors using a brush-on wax (Ronseal or Coloroll(?), not sure). There's been hardly any colour change, but it's tedious to apply and polish off, and it works out at about £15/door. I'll take a look at the osmo.
JohnRS4 said:
Thanks for all the advice. Have bought Osmo UV for the external stuff and will use the Osmo Polyx on the first door and if wife is happy will use it for all of them.
Osmo actually do a Door Oil.I used this on our oak doors, and I though it looked great but the wife thought it darkened the door - which to be fair, it did, and that would have only got worse with a second coat.
Instead I bought a tin of their undercoat 'tints'. It looks like milk and feels like it, you rub it on and there are dusty particles which bring out the grain and lightens it a little.
Then, when you put the door oil on like magic it doesn't darken like before.
It's a long process, but it is worth it as by hell it looks good.
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