Most of the timber surfaces that leave our studio in Torquay are finished in Oli Natura hard wax oil. It goes on thinly, it keeps the colour and grain of the timber in view, and when a patch wears years later, it can be repaired in that spot rather than stripped back.
This guide covers how to apply it to a piece of furniture at home: preparing the timber, putting the oil on, building up the coats on a dining table, and repairing a worn area later. It follows Oli Natura's own technical data sheet, with notes from our bench. For bowls and carved pieces we use Oli Natura worktop oil instead, and our guide to oiling a wooden bowl or carving covers that.
A 1950s Myer Heritage sideboard by Fred Ward in Tasmanian myrtle, restored in our studio and finished in Oli Natura hard wax oil.
Hard wax oil combines oil, which soaks into the timber, with wax, which protects the surface. It needs bare timber to work, and it is the finish we choose for teak, oak, walnut and blackwood tops. Before you open the tin, check four things.
- The old finish has to come off completely. Oil will not penetrate lacquer, polyurethane or shellac, and it will not bond to wax, grease or silicone polish. Anything left behind leaves the oil sitting on top, soft and patchy. The water test in our Oli Natura care guide shows which finish you have.
- Veneer needs care. Much mid-century case furniture is veneered, and the veneer can be thin enough to sand through in a few passes, especially on edges and corners.
- Oily timbers need a test first. Teak and rosewood carry natural oils of their own, and Oli Natura advises a test area on timbers like these before doing a whole piece. Try a small hidden patch and check that it dries properly.
- A good original finish may be worth keeping. On a collectable piece, the original factory surface is part of its value, and once it is sanded off it cannot be put back. If you are unsure, send us photographs before you start.
What you need
- Oli Natura hard wax oil. Oli Natura rates a litre at 20 to 25 square metres per coat, enough to finish several pieces of furniture. It is sold in Australia by Superior Timber Coatings.
- Abrasives. Sandpaper in a range of grits up to 180, a sanding block, a very fine abrasive for cutting back between coats on a dining table, and a vacuum or soft brush for the dust.
- Something to spread the oil. A flat brush, a broad brush or a short-pile microfibre roller. On turned legs and small parts, a folded lint-free cotton cloth is easier to control.
- Lint-free cotton cloths for wiping off the excess, and a white non-abrasive pad if you want a matt finish.
- Gloves, and a sealed metal tin with water in it for used cloths. See the safety note below.
How to apply Oli Natura hard wax oil
1. Sand to bare timber
Remove the old finish completely, then sand along the grain, working up through the grits. For furniture, we recommend a final sand at 180 to ensure the timber can absorb the oil. Stopping at a coarser grit leaves scratches that the oil will make more visible, not less.
2. Clean off every trace of dust
Vacuum the piece, then wipe it over with a clean, dry cloth. The surface has to be dry and free of dust, oil, wax, grease and silicone before the hard wax oil goes on. Dust left in the pores ends up in the finish.
3. Check the room
Oli Natura gives 20 degrees and 50 per cent relative humidity as the ideal conditions, and advises against applying it below 15 degrees. On a winter morning on the Surf Coast, a garage or shed is often colder than that, so warm the room first or wait for a milder day. Keep a window open while you work and while it dries, as the oil cures by reacting with the air.
4. Shake the tin and apply thinly
Shake or stir the oil well. Working one section at a time, such as a top, a door or a side, spread a thin, even coat along the grain with the brush or roller. Thin is the goal. A heavy coat does not protect any better. It only leaves more to wipe off. Excess oil may dry looking cloudy and uneven.
Where you can, coat the underside of a top as well, so both faces of the timber take up and give off moisture at the same rate.
5. Leave it, then wipe off the excess
Leave the oil to soak in for 10 to 30 minutes. Then wipe the surface over with a clean, lint-free cotton cloth, along the grain, until it feels dry and nothing is left pooling or sitting wet on top. Oil left on the surface dries soft, tacky and uneven.
6. Buff it in, matt or silky
Once the excess is off, buff the surface along the grain. This is where you decide how the finish will look. Buffed with a soft cloth, Oli Natura hard wax oil dries to a soft, silky sheen. Worked over with a white pad until the surface looks evenly matt, it dries to a flatter, more natural finish, closer to bare timber. Both are correct, it comes down to the piece and the room it is going into.
7. Build up the coats
Oli Natura's data sheet treats one or two coats as enough for furniture, with the second applied 24 hours after the first. That suits a sideboard, a cabinet or a set of chairs.
A dining table top takes plates, elbows and spills every day, so we go further to add durability. On a dining table such as the 1970s Queensland walnut starburst pictured further down, we apply four or five thin coats, enough to stand up to everyday life in a family home. Once each coat has dried, we cut the surface back by hand with a very fine abrasive before the next goes on. That takes off any raised grain and dust, and leaves a smooth surface for the next coat to bond to. Each coat goes on thinly, is left to soak in, then wiped off and buffed, exactly as above.
8. Let it cure
The surface is dry to the touch in one to two hours, depending on temperature and humidity, and Oli Natura rates it fully cured two to three days after the final coat. Keep water off it until then. In our experience the finish keeps hardening for two or three weeks after that, so use the piece gently for the first few weeks.
The finished sideboard.
The sideboard before we started.
Repairing a worn patch later
This is the reason we finish in hard wax oil. Years from now, when the end of a table where someone always sits starts to look dry, or a mark goes through to the timber, the repair can be made in that spot.
- Clean it. Wash the area with Oli Natura wood soap and let it dry completely. If the surface has ever been waxed with a paste wax, clean that off too, or the new oil will not bond.
- Sand lightly. Rub the worn area back by hand with 240 grit along the grain, feathering out well beyond the mark so there is no hard edge.
- Re-oil thinly. Apply a small amount of hard wax oil to the sanded area, working it out into the surrounding finish, then wipe off every trace of excess.
- Let it cure. Allow the same two to three days before the area goes back into full use.
A surface that has simply gone dull does not need sanding at all. A clean with wood soap and a thin coat of Oli Natura wood care wax refreshes it, which is exactly what Care Set No. 2 is for. Our guide to caring for oiled timber with Oli Natura covers that routine.
Dispose of cloths safely
Cloths, pads and brushes soaked in oil generate heat as the oil cures and can catch fire on their own. This applies to every oil finish, not only Oli Natura. After use, lay cloths flat outdoors to dry fully before binning them, or store them under water in a sealed metal container. Never leave them screwed up in a bin or a pile.
When it is a job for a restorer
Lifting or blistered veneer, deep scratches and dents, dark water rings that have gone into the timber, and pieces with an original finish worth keeping are better looked at before any sanding starts. See our restoration service or get in touch with a few photographs.
The Queensland walnut starburst top before we started.
The same top, finished with several coats of hard wax oil.
The finished Queensland walnut starburst table.
Where to buy the oils
Oli Natura hard wax oil, project oil and worktop oil are sold by Superior Timber Coatings, the Australian importer of Oli Natura. Alongside hard wax oil, we use project oil for toning and adding depth.
Use the code FOXNWEDGE10 at the Superior Timber Coatings checkout for 10% off the entire Oli Natura range.
For looking after the finish once it has cured, we stock Care Set No. 2, with wood soap in 1 litre bottles and wood care wax in 250 ml tins as refills.
A note on our relationship with Oli Natura. Fox & Wedge is an official Oli Natura ambassador. We are not paid by Oli Natura, and we are not paid to endorse its products. We have used Oli Natura on our restorations for many years, long before the partnership began, and we recommend it because it is what we trust on our own work. In return for being an ambassador, we buy our stock at a discounted trade price. The care products in our store are sold at Oli Natura's recommended retail price.
Common questions
Can I put hard wax oil over an existing finish?
No. It has to go onto bare, clean timber. Lacquer, polyurethane, shellac and wax all need to come off first, or the oil will sit on top and stay soft.
How many coats does a dining table need?
Oli Natura treats one or two coats as enough on furniture. On a dining table top in daily use, we apply four or five thin coats, cut back with a very fine abrasive between each, for a harder wearing and smoother surface.
Will it change the colour of the timber?
It deepens the colour slightly and brings out the grain, much as a wipe of water does. Try it on a hidden area first to see the effect on your timber.
Is it safe around children and pets?
Once fully cured, Oli Natura hard wax oil is tested to the European toy safety standard EN 71-3 and to DIN 53160 for resistance to saliva and sweat, and it is free of formaldehyde, aromatics, biocides, preservatives, cobalt and oximes. Allow two to three days after the final coat before the surface goes back into normal use.
What should I use on a fruit bowl or chopping board?
We use Oli Natura worktop oil, which is made for surfaces that meet food every day and is certified food safe. Allow five to seven days for it to cure fully before use. Our guide to oiling a wooden bowl or carving covers the method.
How soon can I use the piece?
Hard wax oil is dry to the touch in one to two hours and fully cured in two to three days. Keep water and wet cloths off the surface until then, and use the piece gently for the first few weeks while the finish keeps hardening.
Should I do this myself or have it restored?
A solid timber piece with a finish that is simply tired is a good home project. Lifting veneer, deep damage, or a collectable piece with its original finish is worth sending us photographs of first.
