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txbluebonnet11

Hardwood Floor Finish - Waterlox vs. Osmo vs. Pallmann Oil

TXBluebonnet11
10 years ago

We are trying to choose a finish for our hardwood flooring, which will either be hickory or white oak. I have narrowed it down to Waterlox, Osmo Hard Oil Wax, Woca or Pallmann Hard Oil Wax finishes. I am wondering if anyone could provide input or experiences on these finishes. We are having a great deal of difficulty making a decision.

This post was edited by TXBluebonnet11 on Thu, Oct 3, 13 at 17:32

Comments (5)

  • UFSC
    10 years ago

    I am a contractor and distributor for Pallmann but also use Treatex which is like Osmo.

    Pallmann is a catalysed oil, very good for high foot traffic and very easy to get a perfect low satin sheen on if you know how to apply it. It is a penetrating product only and a surface build cannot be achieved. Osmo and Treatex can be applied thin and be "in the timber" but normally there is a surface build which means you can have different sheen levels (matt sati or gloss). Hard wax oils have better chemical resistance but because they have surface build it is possible to scratch them, both are easily repairable should you damage a small area and the repair would blend in in time.

    Waterlox is a basic tung oil based product and cannot be compared to either of the above for durability, it will give the look but require more maintenance.

  • Jeff
    10 years ago

    I received some samples of walnut flooring finished with Waterlox. I did not like them. First, the original Waterlox finish was too glossy for my taste as I prefer a more matte finish. Second, the Waterlox imparted a yellow/amber color which I did not think looked appropriate for walnut.

  • MiaOKC
    10 years ago

    TX, thanks for posting this, we've been investigating low and no VOC finishes, too. Front runners are Rubio Monocoat and Pallman's Magic Oil, but I'm not totally convinced of the stain and finish in one premise. Pullmans told me of the closest distribitor, in Dallas, so I may call and see if they have any showroom applications we can road trip down to see.

  • TXBluebonnet11
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    UFSC: Thank you for the great information. I want to test the Pallman Oil further. Has it worked well for you to apply regular stain underneath to achieve the color you want?

    MiaOKC: I talked to someone who finishes hardwood floors and he really didn't like the Rubio Monocoat at all. He said he has seen a lot of problems, but he wasn't more specific than this. So I have ruled this out. He also doesn't like the Waterlox finish because he says the smell is just terrible, and he's had boards that still smelled two years later. So I've ruled this out as well.

    Which leaves Pullman Magic Oil and Osmo. I have tested the Osmo and I liked the result. I just need to play around with the colors, and the samples are pretty expensive. I'm having trouble finding a source where I can buy a sample of the Pallman oil. Can anyone help?

    This post was edited by TXBluebonnet11 on Mon, Oct 7, 13 at 16:50

  • tulips33
    10 years ago

    So what did you decide to go with and how do you like it?