Finishing woodwork projects is the last step in a labor of love so it's critical that the finish show off the hard work, and the details of the wood . Add this to the fact that I have always tried to use products that are eco friendly and the list of finishing products starts to diminish signficantly. The only problem is that in many cases, the eco-friendly products I have tried have not given me anywhere near the kind of finish I wanted ... or expected ... until I discoverd OSMO.
If you have never heard of the word OSMO, don't be too alarmed. It is wood finishing product developed in Germany about 30 years ago. Sadly, it has taken many, many years to hit the North American markets.
One of the biggest advantages of OSMO is that it is eco friendly, and that is because it is made primarily from natural, renewable sunflower oil and plant waxes. In many countries in Europe, with their very high population density, their laws and restrictions on finishing products is quite advanced. OSMO is often a preferred product as it is so safe that it is even approved as a finish for children's toys! Originally created as a floor finishing product, OSMO has since been adapted for use in other ways, but knowing that it is used as floor finishing material helps to understand just how durable this product can be.
For woodworkers, the benefits are numerous, The product will not chip, flake, blister or peel, it has an enormous coverage which means it is not expensive to use. Best of all, it is easy to apply and makes a great finish, AND if it is being used in situations where "finish wear" is a concern, OSMO can be re-finished over top of it'self with only moderate sanding or roughing of the area to be re-finished. It reall is a remarkable product. OSMO comes in both an interior and exterior grade. The main difference with the exterior grade is the addition of UV inhibiting charcteristics.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT to understand the OSMO is NOT applied to woodworking projects like many of the finishing products you may be accustomed to using. OSMO is NOT a product for the spray gun, nor is using it with most standard paint brushes recommended. OSMO must be applied with a very thin coat, which means it requires special application.
We were very lucky to know expert woodworker and finisher Phil Makin of Frameworks Services, who kindly took the time to explain OSMO to us and take us through the steps of finishing with OSMO. We wish to acknowledge Phil for his time and recommend him for your wood project requirements, sample of which are posted in the second part of this article.
OSMO Intro - Part 1
PLEASE CLICK THE "READ MORE" BELOW TO SEE PART 2
As you will see in the videos, application of OSMO is done with a small 2" x 2" fibre pad, and applied "sparingly" similar to a french polish technique. Want to know about CLEAN UP, well, there is none if you are using a small pad, simly throw the pad away when you are done, it's even eco friendly, which means the small pad will not even damage the environment. It's seems too easy doesn't it !!
OSMO is available as clear finish and is also available in a variety of different colors which makes it even more versatile. So if you are looking for interior or exterior ... floors or special wood project OSMO isa product you will at least want to consider.
Now that I understand how to use this product and have started to use it, it has totally changed how I finish my woodworking projects. If nothing else mattered to me and I was ONLY concerned about a great finish on my projects I would select OSMO for that reason alone ... all the other benefits make this a "game changer" for all of us who want an economical, easy to use product that looks great.
Samples of Phil Makin wood working projects
Copyright - Colin Knecht
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