Did you know that applying hardwax oil on a Timber floor is something you can do yourself?
Here you’ll find everything you need to know about applying hardwax oils onto timber floors. Firstly, let me say to you that if you've decided to coat your floors in hardwax oil you've made a very good choice. It's a beautiful product that will make the floors look gorgeous and it'll protect them for a very long time.
Preparing the floor
The first important step before applying the hardwax oil is to prepare the floors and the timber. The quality of the end product is reliant on the preparation. Adding another coat of wax or whatever coating you're using isn't going to disguise a sanding defect in your floor. We need to get the timber in the best shape possible and in most cases this will involve sanding.
The Importance of Getting the Sanding Right!
Sanding a floor should be done with a commercial machine. Unless you're experienced in this department our recommendation would be that you get a professional floor sander in to come and do this part of the job. The simple reason being is that there's no amount of coating that's going to disguise a bad sanding job. It's very disappointing when you look at a floor and it looks nice but you can see the sanding marks in it. With a new floor it will need to be lightly sanded to remove any marks from the installation process.
If it's an old floor with water-based coatings or polyurethanes on it, again it's a massive undertaking to get those coatings off and we would suggest using a professional floor sander.
Or if you're up to it, hire the machinery from a respectable dealer and do it yourself.
Choose a Sheen
Once your floor is sanded and vacuumed and everything is cleaned and put away it's ready for you to apply the coating. You'll need to decide which of these four sheen levels would be your preference – Matte, Classic, Satin, Gloss. Classic is basically a 50-50 mix of Matte and Satin.
If you're planning on using a stain on your floors please watch this video – Applying Colour Stains to Timber – because the sanding process prior to staining is a lot more involved than simply putting a clear coat on your floor.
Planning Your Floor Coating Application
When applying hardwax oils to floors, planning is essential to avoid getting stuck or "painting yourself into a corner." Start by identifying the direction of the floorboards and any areas that can be tackled individually, like smaller sections or rooms with clear cut-off points. Begin with these smaller areas, working strategically toward your exit to ensure a smooth, uninterrupted process. By mapping out your approach, you’ll save time and ensure a seamless finish.
Use 2K Booster When Applying First Coat
We strongly recommend using the Evolution 2K Booster in the first coat. It's only necessary in the first coat as it allows the coat to dry through. This means that your cutback between the first and the second coat is a lot better - it's a crisp white powdery cutback. It also improves the durability of your floor, potentially providing a few more years out of it. Mix 100 ml of Evolution 2K Booster with our Whittle Waxes Special Thinner into the tin, put the lid back on and give it a really good shake for a couple of minutes. This is the correct quantity to add to two litres of Evolution Hardwax Oil. Then, roll it onto the floor.
FAQ
Once mixed, what is the pot life of the hardwax oil? Once you've mixed the 2K Booster into the hardwax oil, your pot life in the tin is about four hours. Be aware that it will start thickening up after a couple of hours. Once mixed, you do need to use all the oil. You can't save it or use it the next day. It will turn and go jelly-like.
What Tools Do You Need?
Once you've worked out the coating plan in relation to your particular floor area, the tools you're going to need are a roller and a brush for cutting in.
Using a roller
We recommend a10mm microfibre nap roller that is 270mm wide. You can use a 230mm roller, but we find the 270 is a better size. The 10mm nap microfibre is important as we find that you tend to dip less into your tray and get a much longer run out of it. They really are a game changer, making your rolling process fantastic!
When you start the coating process, the first part of that process is cutting in around the perimeter of the floor with a good quality brush. It's important that it's a thin even coat off the brush and you need to try and emulate the amount of product coming off the brush as you would expect coming off the roller. Don't be afraid to really work it in with a brush, along those edges in the corners, everywhere that you can't get to with a roller.
When you're using the roller, we recommend loading it and squeezing out the excess into the tray and then starting in the middle of a run which is equidistance left and right. View our video here.
Coating a floor is all about keeping it uniform and thin and not being scared to roll over lines formed between previous runs to get rid of them. Keep a uniform pressure on your roller and just enjoy the process. When you over-roll an area it's picking up the excess and leaving a uniform, thin, even distribution on the floor. Sometimes, you may need to cross-roll it - don't worry, you shouldn't see those marks.
Check out our rollers, brushes and Starter Kit here.
Using a brush
You can also apply Whittle Waxes Evolution Hardwax Oils with a brush. We recommend this brush. It's pure hog hair and it's particularly good in getting into the textured surface on more rustic floors. The bristles get the oils into that texture delivering a nice even finish.
It's also a very practical tool in that it's also great for any coatings - decking, cladding on the side of a building, anything like that.
Using a Rotary Polisher
There's actually a third option which is more of a professional application but you can put the product on with a rotary polisher and a white nylon pad. On big areas it's a great option. The method here is to pour some of the hardwax oil onto the floor in an area no bigger than the palm of your hand. That's enough to load the pad and get probably a seven, eight, nine meter run off the machine. When you start, never run the pad into the puddle. You need to pick the pad up and put it onto the puddle. Otherwise what happens is the edge of the pad will start flicking that product. You'll be forever chasing little splatters across the floor. When you're moving left to right or right to left always cover the previous run by about half the width of the pad and just work your way across the floor.
Sand Again Before Applying Second Coat
Once the first coat has dried, we strongly recommend giving it a cutback or a light sanding prior to applying a second coat. If you've got access to a polishing machine, the 220-grit screen is the ideal grit. If you don't have a machine or your floor sander doesn't want to come back for the second sanding, you can fold up the sand paper or tape it onto a broom or rub it by hand. That white powdery surface is what you're looking for. It means that when you vacuum, it'll vacuum up easily and it's a perfect surface for the next coat to go on.
On your second coat you don't need to use the booster. It's only for the first coat.
Curing Time
Once your second coat is on, it should be left for at least eight hours before you walk across it again. In some areas it might still be tacky, and we'd recommend leaving it to cure for 24 hours. The longer you can leave it to cure, the tougher it's going to be. Don't put rugs down or wash the floor in any way during the first week. It needs to be kept dry.
Coverage rate
You'll also notice that this hardwax oil has an exceptional coverage rate. On your first coat usually you can expect in excess of 20 meters a litre and the second coat easily up to 30 square meters per litre. Applying hardwax is really not that difficult it's something you can certainly do and we really love the fact that people give it a go and are happy with the end result.
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The Whittle Waxes Story
Most companies go from A to Z. We went from Z (Zimbabwe) to A (Australia). What an exciting journey it has been - and it's not over yet!
Although Whittle Waxes officially launched in Australia in 2004, our journey (and love affair) with timber started a long time before that. Company founder, Giles Whittle-Herbert, grew up on a farm in Zimbabwe, where he inherited a passion for working with wood that goes back generations. For many years he ran a successful carpentry business in Zimbabwe.
On arrival in Australia in 2004, Giles noticed a big gap in the market for natural and safe hardwax oils. He already had an excellent working relationship with an overseas supplier, so all he needed to do was make the Australian market aware of the many benefits of hardwax oils.
20 years later, Whittle Waxes is proud to be leading the way in the supply of natural, high quality finishes in Australian, with satisfied customers across the board, including home renovators, professional polishers, flooring suppliers, timber companies, architects, and designers.
Our Evolution Hardwax Oil continues to exceed expectations and is now a firm favourite all across the country, particularly with those who appreciate a quality finish that is safe, durable and environmentally friendly. Whittle Waxes has introduced a number of other quality products, including colour stains, exterior oils, Wax Polish and Floor Care for easy floor maintenance.
At Whittle Waxes, we genuinely love to interact with our clients so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Thanks for all your support!