Special Who has an oil which can be finished in one coat?

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

DIVERSE CRITERIA DETERMINE WHAT YOU USE, WHERE, AND WHEN

Photo – Bona

Oiled parquet floors continue to be all the rage and there are several reasons for that. The question is what is possible with oil which can finish and protect in one coat. For instance, is it just as good as a finish in varnish? The answer to that is simple: It’s best not to compare them, but weigh up their various features before you make a well founded choice.

No one should be surprised that oil is so popular. This product simply has a vast array of plus points. First of all, there are the numerous decorative options, particularly in combination with a preliminary stain. Then, there’s the vast creativity of the producers who offer scores of colours and shades to take account of the latest trends. For instance, we’re seeing the emergence of opaque shades to create clear colour effects which respect the nature of the wood. Oil has the advantage here of highlighting the look of the wood fibre, so the floor looks natural almost automatically. We should also point out that parquet oil is almost perfectly compatible with most decorative aspects. Think here, for instance, of distressing agents, stains, reagents, patina's, etc. Also worthy of note are recent technical developments by various producers of ‘oil + glazer’ systems, which combine decoration and simple maintenance.

Don’t compare oil with varnish

In the introduction we said that it’s best not to compare oil with varnish. Obviously, that statement needs more clarification. With varnish, always remember that it covers and ‘seals’ the wood, so it provides a protective and decorative film. As long as this film stays in place, the floor is protected, decorated, and easy to maintain. By contrast, oil impregnates the wood and covers the wood fibres to protect them

from damp and dirt. However, the surface protection is weak and needs regular maintenance. If this is neglected, the fibres are soon exposed through abrasion and get damaged.

Oil does have a big advantage, however, when it comes to renovation. With oil, you can carry out an unobtrusive stain renovation at a high-traffic point or a point of heavy pressure on the floor (e.g. from falling objects, scorch marks, etc.). To sum up briefly, each finish has lots of benefits and a few limits. However, there is never a universal recipe because each job has specific requirements.

Application in one coat

What we also want to consider is whether or not oil is sufficiently nutritional to protect the floor and give it a good outward appearance. Where do you have to take special care if you apply oils in one coat? And what’s the big advantage of a finish in a single coat? The answer to the first question is that you have to apply the ‘correct’ oil to the ‘correct’ place under the ‘correct’ conditions. This means an oil which is adapted to the traffic, can respond to the pressure which is put on the floor, and is applied correctly. Moreover, in the course of time, you also need the correct maintenance to be prescribed and carried out. Whether the oil is applied with a high solid oil (wax-oil, hard wax-oil and therefore by definition in one single coat) or with classic oil (i.e. in two or three coats) is not of primary importance. It’s all about the first suggestion.

If you’re talking about the advantage of a single-coat finish, you have to consider that a finish with one coat is very attractive for professionals because it saves them a considerable amount of time with the initial oiling. On the one hand, the quality of this initial oil treatment (carried out on bare wood, which is prepared properly) will make it possible to offer an incomparable quality of oil, thanks to the ‘wealth’ of the oil treatment, and on the other hand it will mean that not much maintenance is required. However, it is still necessary to take special care with the latter, certainly when we’re talking about a tinted or coloured oil treatment on a previously distressed or tinted wood.

Source: Our thanks are due to the technical cell of the Blanchon Group.

What’s on the market ?

Blanchon

Solid'Oil™ impregnates, colours, and protects parquet floors in one single operation. When it is applied, it creates upon contact with the wood an interactive network which feeds and preserves the wood deep down. It is composed of several very easily renewable vegetable raw materials and ensures fast drying, especially when used with Blanchon Oil Hardener. Solid'Oil™ 2-component oil is a technical success amongst professionals, who appreciate the easy application and fast drying (one coat will usually suffice). Solid'Oil™ is highly practical and economical in use, with its range of 41 shades (including a metallic grey), all available in three classic and practical volumes (1/4, 1, and 2.5 litres, with hardeners in corresponding volumes), but also in bottles of 25ml, so that a real test on the client’s floor is possible. Solid'Oil 2K is now used a lot, for instance, on high-quality parquet floors.

Bona

Protective oils represent 10 to 20% of the market in France. Although they offer attractive decorative options, they are a niche market worldwide. Dual-component oils are suitable for applications on surfaces which are subjected to intensive high traffic. Oiled parquet floors require good and regular maintenance, but they have the advantage that repairs can be carried out locally in patches Craft Oil 2K is applied in one coat and several colours are available. You can apply Hard Wax Oil to extend the lifespan of your colour oil.

Ciranova

Oil is still very popular with customers because of the natural look and many possibilities that oil offers. A colored oil can be used to simply color the wood. Ciranova has different types of oil in its range of products, among them UN1CO, the 2-component one coat oil that colors and protects in just one layer and provides good chemical and mechanical resistance. The combination of oil with hardener ensures rapid drying. UN1CO is VOC-free and is made from 90% renewable raw materials, making the product a sustainable and ecological solution. UN1CO is used for both residential and commercial applications. UN1CO can be finished with a waterborne finish FORTICO 2C and for the best possible protection without using a waterborne finish, UN1CO can be finished with Hardwaxoil TITAN.

Chimiver

LIOS BIOIL 2K

Two-component natural oil-based treatment for wooden floors LIOS BIOIL 2K is a two-component natural oil treatment for wooden floors in only one single coat. It has very high chemical and physical resistance, high coverage and it is very easy to be maintained; it gives to the wooden floor a warm and soft effect. LIOS BIOIL 2K is formulated with natural oils and it is VOC free. It’s available in two versions: STANDARD, to keep natural the look of the wooden floor, and COLORATO (in different colours and on request).

RIGO Verffabriek

ROYL OIL 1K & 2K The master oil makers of RIGO Verffabriek have been making ROYL floor oils from 100% vegetable oils for almost 40 years. Demand for our oils is still as high as ever, thanks to their evident benefits for processors and end users alike. End users prefer our oils because of their beautiful, matte natural look and our wide range of 45 standard colours. For professionals ROYL OIL offers great ease of use, non-marking application and short lead times: apply, rub, rub dry. The oil is so strong that a single layer will do. 1 litre will cover 30 to 40 m2. ROYL OIL comes in a 1K and 2K version. With our 2K oils, you will be able to walk on your finished floor within 24 hours. The ROYL OIL 1K is a 100% vegetable-based product, which is available in the 24 standard colours that can be made with base Clear. The ROYL OIL 2K is available in base Clear, base White and base Black, giving rise to a range of 45 standard colours. Tover

L’Olio 100% by Tover is a 100% dry residue oil, composed of oils and hard waxes of vegetable origin, very resistant to stains and intense traffic. It is solvent and isocyanate-free, compliant with the EN71-3 standard for a better respect of the environment and the health of the user. Available in a palette of more than 30 colours, it makes it possible to get customized wood floors in one single coat, with an extremely natural look. In order to further increase its resistance to wear, it can be catalyzed with the hardener Oil-Linker. It is also very easy to maintain and renew.

Photo – RIGO Verffabriek