Impregnating oils protect the wood from within
Wood impregnation is the original method and gives furniture, stairs, and floors a natural, matt appearance and feel. The oils penetrate deep into the wood, fill the pores, and reliably protect the wood from within. They do not form a surface coating; instead, they provide an open-pored impregnation. The gloss level is rather low and the color-enhancing effect is high: the grain and natural color of the wood are emphasized with rich intensity. It roughly corresponds to the color of an untreated wooden surface when wet. Our impregnating oils are so-called blends: a mixture of various modified and drying vegetable oils, such as linseed oil and wood oil. Each of our impregnating oils has its own individual strengths, and they are available with different solid contents: in the Medium-Solid version and the High-Solid version.
MEDIUM-SOLID IMPREGNATIONS
OLI-NATURA Projektöl // Furniture Oil
OLI-NATURA Projektöl is primarily a universal furniture oil with a solid content of 60%. To optimize the oil’s penetration, a highly pure, medical-grade isoparaffin content is added. This isoparaffin content serves as a “carrier”: it makes the oil significantly more fluid, allowing it to penetrate the wood much more effectively and making application very straightforward. After the oil is applied, the isoparaffin evaporates and the remaining oil content cures inside the wood.
One coat is sufficient to achieve basic saturation for normally used furniture as well as frames and carcasses. To achieve greater wood saturation and therefore greater resistance, a second coat is recommended for more heavily used surfaces such as tabletops.
The oil is easiest to apply with a brush or cloth. After a short penetration time, the oil should be polished again with a cotton cloth or oil-absorbent cloth. This minimizes differences in sheen that may result from the wood’s varying absorption behavior.
This oil is particularly recommended for furniture, small parts, or frame furniture that is difficult to wet with a pad.
HIGH-SOLID IMPREGNATIONS
OLI-NATURA Worktop-Oil // Furniture Oil
The solvent-free OLI-NATURA Worktop-Oil is a High-Solid oil with a solid content of 100%. It is particularly recommended for the professional initial impregnation and care of furniture and worktops in kitchens and bathrooms. Worktop-Oil has a high tung oil content, which makes the surface highly water-repellent and resistant. It also increases the viscosity, giving the worktop oil good staying power on vertical surfaces. The surface appears fuller and has a matt look.
Thanks to its maximum solid content, Worktop-Oil is very economical. The entire oil remains in the wood, cross-links, and cures to a tough-elastic finish. Nothing evaporates from the impregnation that would subsequently need to be replaced. Ideally, this means the wood is optimally saturated and fully impregnated with just one coat of oil.
However, because of its higher viscosity and the absence of solvent, Worktop-Oil is somewhat “thicker” to process, which means it needs a little “mechanical” assistance to penetrate. Working it in with a pad - by hand or with an orbital sander - has proven effective. This achieves maximum wood saturation and optimal penetration depth. Other application methods, such as spreading with a squeegee, brushing, wiping, or dipping, are also possible.
Wetting the wood before oiling is also a proven pretreatment for increasing the absorbency of the wooden surface. At the same time, this flushes tannic acid (= tannins) out of oak, walnut, and other woods.
OLI-NATURA HS Professional Oil // Floor Oil
At its core, OLI-NATURA HS Professional Oil is a parquet oil. It is solvent-free, has a High-Solid content of 100%, and shows its advantages particularly on wooden floors such as solid wood floorboards, wide-plank flooring, or ship-deck flooring. It is recommended for professional initial impregnation in commercial parquet installation and corresponds to Giscode group Ö10+, is DIBt-certified, and is listed in Baubook.
The viscosity of OLI-NATURA HS Professional Oil is optimally suited to squeegee or roller application on parquet and wooden floors. The oil is then polished with a single-disc machine and a beige pad underneath until the surface is saturated. Professionals then like to give the floor the final touch with a polishing pad.
Ideally, one coat of oil is sufficient, as nothing from the impregnation evaporates that would subsequently need to be replaced. Accordingly, 100% of the oil cures in the wood and provides excellent resistance.
A notable advantage of the parquet oil is that the oil application remains “open” for a long time. This gives the applicator sufficient time to oil large sections of the surface before polishing and allows work to proceed according to a daily schedule.
Also available as a 2-component OIL: When speed is important, OLI-NATURA HS Professional Oil can also be applied with OLI-NATURA Hardener. 2-component application should, however, be reserved for professional users.
HERE ARE SOME MORE TIPS
The wood’s absorbency must be fully saturated in every case before polishing. The wood’s absorption capacity depends on the type and condition of the wood, the user’s working method, and the sanding finish. The general rule is:
- Whatever the wood absorbs, it must receive.
- Whatever the wood does not absorb must be removed while still wet.
- After impregnation, the wood must be completely dry on the surface.
If the excess is not removed, the oil remains as a sticky film on the surface and, at best, causes a significant delay in drying.
Since impregnation protects the wood from within, it follows that more heavily impregnated wood is better protected than less heavily impregnated wood
The protective effect must be refreshed regularly through occasional re-oiling. Surface scratches or damage on an oiled wooden surface do not expose unprotected wood, as the oil protects the wood from within. Fine marks or scratches can therefore also be repaired easily: simply sand the affected areas lightly and re-oil them. Any difference in color will even out over time.
NOTE REGARDING THE RISK OF SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION!
Particular attention must be paid to oil-soaked rags and cloths, which can spontaneously ignite due to heat buildup. Naturally drying oils cure by absorbing oxygen from the air. This generates heat, which is normally released into the surrounding environment and is completely harmless. However, in oil-soaked and crumpled rags, cloths, pads, or sponges, the heat cannot escape, meaning they may spontaneously ignite in unfavorable circumstances. Oily cloths or rags should therefore never be left unattended; instead, soak them thoroughly with water, hang them outdoors, and allow them to dry. Treated this way, they can be disposed of safely after drying. Alternatively, oil-soaked rags and sponges can be stored under water or temporarily kept in an airtight, sealable container.
Which wood oil is right for me?
If you want to buy a wood oil, the selection may initially seem enormous. We will help you make the right choice and show you which OLI-NATURA oils or waxes are best suited to you or, more precisely, to your project. Our experts will quickly and easily recommend a suitable wood oil, answer your product questions, and provide application tips. We are happy to help with any questions, by telephone at +49 (0)37208/84-488 or by email at faq@oli-lacke.de.
