Protecting your wooden stairs and floors

Protecting your wooden stairs and floors

Armourflex Hard Wax Oil is an easy to apply, high performance protection for internal wooden surfaces such as floors and stairs. The manufacturer, Barrettine explains more.

For centuries people have admired the beauty of wood, with generations using this versatile material in the construction of homes and workplaces. Traditionally, combinations of beeswax and linseed oil were used for protection, offering a natural appearance whilst providing a layer of defence against water ingress, scratches and the inevitable surface damage which occurs over time. Beeswax and carnauba in particular have a longstanding reputation for use in furniture protection but their application is labour intensive and high maintenance compared to modern finishes.

Recent customer trends are showing a revival of traditional materials in the name of sustainability, incorporating naturally durable wood, such as oak, into building design. The market renaissance of such materials requires treatments able to display and conserve the opulent feel they impart to a home or office space. However, premium material quality comes at a premium price so the most cost-effective solutions must not skimp on performance, as careful early maintenance pays dividends to protect this long-term investment.

Barrettine is a Bristol-based, UK manufacturer specialising in premium Professional, Trade and DIY wood coatings, with over 140 years of holding quality and service at its heart. With access to highly respected global suppliers, Barrettine use the highest quality raw materials to ensure the top-level durability expected from trade-performance products.

Our new liquid Hard Wax Oil is the latest addition to our ArmourFlex range of high-performance specialist coatings, designed to protect internal wooden surfaces such as floors and stairs. It offers a vastly easier application than the frequent, repetitive buffing of traditional beeswax films.

Whereas beeswax is a stiff paste, Hard Wax Oil is a flowing liquid so it penetrates deeply into the wood. This allows it to cure within the wood grain in a strong protective hold, enhancing the natural beauty and authenticity. This enhancement gives more depth and interest to the wood shades yet also offers a gentle, natural finish and enables the surface to breathe.

Two coats of Hard Wax Oil should be applied to clean, smooth sanded wood. Application via either brush or high-quality roller (3mm velour) is ideal, and for larger flooring areas an electric-powered buffer saves labour time and cost. The product is ready to apply directly onto the surface, without requiring primers or thinners. For best results, the first coat should flood the pores of the wood, with thirstier species such as kiln dried pine requiring a more generous first coat than solid oak or iroko. This first coat gives the internal protection, so any excess on the surface can be buffed away with a lint free cloth or industrial cleaning buffer to expedite drying. The second coat should be applied sparingly in line with the wood grain and will protect the wood surface, but only a thin layer is needed for optimal performance. Again, gentle buffing can optimise the surface coverage. It is important not to apply the product too thickly, as a thick surface layer will detract from the subtle beauty of the wood grain and its characteristic texture.

As an elegant and protective finish, Hard Wax Oil will complement a range of modern and classic interior styles, enriching the colour of the wood whilst protecting the floor or surface against liquid spills and scratches. Our new Hard Wax Oil is highly durable, and out-performs competitor products in testing for resistance against both scratches and common spillages such as wine, tea, coffee, and tomato sauce.

If surface damage does occur then the product can be spot repaired without the effort of renovating the entire room, saving both time and money. This gives an advantage over similar floor coatings, avoiding the need for lengthy re-sanding of the wooden surface before re-application.

Our Hard Wax Oil offers excellent surface water-resistance and also won’t crack, peel, flake, or blister, making it highly durable and offering long lasting, low maintenance protection.

Hard Wax Oil offers both the customer and consumer an essential range addition, complementing our Water-based Armourflex Lacquer. Both products protect the wood in different ways, contrasting traditional oils and waxes with fast-drying modern resins. The protection from our Hard Wax Oil comes primarily from its three-dimensional hold within the wood grain. In comparison to this, our Lacquer provides a tough, protective surface film, utilising the latest cross-linking resin technology and drawing on the hardness of innovative ceramic particles for additional strength and scratch resistance. Together, they form a complete range of offerings for nourishment and protection of internal wood.

Armourflex Hard Wood Oil is also supplied ready to apply for easy application. Its competitive market pricing makes it accessible and affordable, bringing exceptional protection of internal wooden surfaces to everyone. Both are available in Matt, Satin, and Gloss finishes, catering for every taste and project type. They offer low ongoing maintenance and assure the beauty of wooden structures for future generations’ continued enjoyment, making them a must have solution in every stocked range of woodcare products.

For further information on Armourflex Hard Wax Oil visit https://www.barrettinepro.co.uk/

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