Wetting wood before oiling has a long tradition. Even if it has gone somewhat out of fashion, it still makes sense to take the time for this proven pre-treatment. More information can be found in this article.
WHAT DOES WETTING MEAN?
Wetting means that the raw and finely sanded wood surface is thoroughly wiped with a damp sponge, cloth or mop before oiling. Contrary to what the term "wetting" suggests, very little water is used here. The sponge, cloth or mop should therefore only be slightly damp. As a rule, no more than 10 - 20 ml of water per square meter is needed.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WETTING?
The wood immediately absorbs the water and turns dark. The water causes the finest wood fibers, crushed by sanding, to swell and stand up roughly. Don't worry, this is exactly what is intended. After the wood has completely dried, which can be recognized by its return to its original light color, the raised wood fibers can be easily sanded down with fine sandpaper or a sanding sponge (grit P220). Similar to shaving, the "hairs" are shaved down to the root and thus cannot stand up again later. This is an important advantage when working with, for example, the aqueous OLI-NATURA Scandic-Oil.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF WETTING?
Wetting offers a number of other advantages that are fundamentally important for oiling:
1. More uniform surface appearance
The slight swelling of the fibers also levels out sanding marks or slight dents in the wood. This leads to a significantly more uniform surface appearance after oiling, as oils, and especially colored oils, clearly highlight sanding marks.
2. Better protection and more intense coloring
The water opens the wood pores, allowing them to absorb more oil more evenly. This increases the protective effect and, for colored oils, significantly enhances the intensity of the coloring. Overall, the surface appearance is calmer than without wetting.
3. Tannins (tannic acid) are washed out
The popular oak, in particular, has a high tannin content. Tannic acid is water-soluble and largely responsible for unsightly light water stains. Since oils are always diffusion-open, it cannot be completely ruled out that standing moisture will penetrate even the best protective layer. In this case, the water flushes the tannins to the wood surface, leading to the described water stains. This risk can be significantly reduced by wetting the wood before oiling. If a splash of OLI-NATURA Outdoor Cleaner is even added to the water, stains can be avoided even more reliably.
STEP BY STEP:
1) Before wetting, the surface is sanded and then thoroughly dusted.
2) Use clean and lukewarm water for wetting. A splash of OLI-NATURA Outdoor Cleaner inhibits the reactivity of tannins in tannin-rich wood surfaces such as oak.
For industrial application, " OLI-NATURA Antique" can also be processed via a roller coating machine.
3) Wetting can be done with a wrung-out cotton ball or squeezed sponge.
For floors, a damp mop is recommended.
4) Here the wood surface is evenly moistened with a sponge.
5) Allow the wood surface to dry long enough after wetting.
6) After complete drying, the raised wood fibers, which have been raised by the water, are cut with a fine-grained sanding sponge or sandpaper (e.g. P220). Work in the direction of the grain and with light pressure.
7) Afterwards, the wood surface is thoroughly dusted and treated with a protective oil.
Which wood oil suits me?
If you want to buy wood oil, the selection initially seems vast and overwhelming. We help you with the decision and show which OLI-NATURA oils & waxes best suit you or rather your project. Our experts will quickly and easily recommend a suitable wood oil, answer your product questions and give application tips. For all questions, we are happy to help, by phone at 037208/84-488 or by e-mail at faq@oli-lacke.de. (sst_10012023)
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