How to Oil a Wood Floor
If you have a wooden floor, you’ll understand how much maintenance and upkeep it requires. So, if you are wondering how to apply oil to a wood floor, simply follow the steps below to ensure you get the best results.
In this article:
Prepare the Floor
Prep, prep, prep. The first crucial step. You’ll need to use a sander to get through to the bare wood. You can skip this step if your floor has been installed very recently or is unfinished. You will also need to vacuum your wooden floor, and a hoover designed specifically for this task is the best idea to avoid any damage. Next, clean the floor using a wood floor cleaner and microfibre cloth. A great option is to use our Cleaner, WoodPrep or Tannin Primer to get rid of any residue and dust from your flooring. Cleaner helps to eliminate the fine dust on the surface, while WoodPrep is useful for eliminating errors and scratching during sanding and helps to improve the oil colour due to better pigment absorption. On the other hand, Tannin Primer rids the surface of sanding dust while also helping to reduce the chances of tannin marks coming through the oiled surface.
Apply the Coat of Oil
Once your floor has been prepared appropriately, it’s time to apply the oil. Depending on the oil that you choose, this could take a few coats. Using Rubio Monocoat’s Oil Plus 2C however, you can save time and oil as it only takes one coat to protect your wooden flooring, no matter what type of wood it is. You can choose from a great range of colours and sizes to make sure you have plenty of oil to cover your whole floor in the exact shade you need. The coverage of a 1.3L can is 52 m², meaning one can goes a long way!
Apply the oil, wait five minutes or so, before wiping off the excess. Then leave the surface to dry for 24 hours, and avoid using water and cleaning products for five days, until it’s fully cured.
Maintain your Newly Refinished Floor
Now that you’ve gone to all the effort to get your wooden floor looking brand new again, the last thing you would want is for it to get dirty or scratched and to have to do it all over again. To keep your floors in top condition, maintenance is important. You’ll need to clean the floor regularly and make sure to sweep frequently to get rid of dirt and dust. You should use our All Natural Wood Cleaner regularly to keep the surface clean, and refresh the floor with Universal Maintenance 2 Mix when the area is showing some wear and tear, or annually. Avoid wearing shoes inside and get some anti-scratch felt protector pads which you can use to stop furniture from scraping the floor.
Top Tips for Oiling Wooden Floors
Here are some of our final top tips to properly oil your wooden floor for a top-tier finish:
- Stir the oil thoroughly and regularly.
- Wipe up any liquid spills immediately.
- Spot treat any water-damaged areas using our Stain Remover Set. If this is not enough, you can sand away the stain and spot repair (our oil makes this process very easy!)
- Test the oil colour on a small sample area first.
- When applying oil, always start from the furthest edge of the room and work against the grain.
So, there you have it. Now that you know how to oil a wooden floor, why not give it a go and see the difference yourself! With just a few simple steps, you can have your floors looking brand new in no time. Good luck!
