How to oil a wooden floor
'/%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Guide written on 6 February 2024 by:
Kate, Flooring Expert, Swansea
Important features
- Preparing the floor
- Sanding
- Dusting and cleaning
- Applying oil
- Post-oiling tips
Why oil a wooden floor?
Oil helps to protect wooden floors from daily wear and provides a matte finish. By following a few simply steps and allowing the floor adequate time to dry, your floors will be looking new in no time. What's more, unlike varnish, it may be possible to work on just one part of your floor at a time if required.
Required skills
Just about anyone should be able to oil a wood floor. If you are in good shape, roll up your sleeves and get ready to work!
Time required
Put aside a full day (accounting for drying time) for a room measuring around 20 m².
Number of people required
One person.
Steps
Preparing the floor
Sanding the floor
Dusting and cleaning
Applying the oil
Post-oiling tips
Tools and equipment
A sander and 220 grit sanding paper
A broom or vacuum cleaner (latter option more efficient)
A soft cloth and grease-cutting wood cleaner
A mixing paddle and paint tray
A tool for opening your oil pots
A wide brush for applying the oil
A soft cloth and wood oil
Wood oil
1. Preparing the floor
This step is essential if you are working on an old wooden floor. Before applying the oil, which will sink into the wood, you will have to prepare the floor. The process is just like painting a wall, in that if you paint over an uneven surface, you will be able to see all its flaws. The same goes for floors.
Use this time to take care of any repairsbefore you proceed to sandingthe surface. If you have any holes or cracks to fill, you can do so using some wood paste. Any leftover residue will be removed when you sand.
Please note: if you plan on oiling brand new, untreated wood, you are in no way exempt from this step!
Untreated floors may still have knots and these are not always filled in for you. You will therefore have to spot-fill before sanding down the surrounding area.
Wood paste
2. Sanding the floor
Once all your holes are filled, you will have to sand down your floor before applying any product. This not only helps to get rid of any leftover wood paste but will make your surface completely even.
Sand down the entire floor using a sander equipped with 220 grit sandpaper.
Use a 280 grit sandpaper if you want to remove any previously applied products (e.g. oil or varnish).
Be sure to check that there is no trace of previous layers when you're done.
Important: always work with the wood grainto avoid any disasters!
Varnish
3. Dusting and cleaning
After sanding, you will have to dust the floor. It is highly recommended to use a vacuum cleaner for this step. If you use a broom, there's a high chance that half the dust will simply fall back to the floor!
You can then use a soft cloth to apply a degreaser to the entire floor and leave to dry.
At this point, you can use masking tape to protect your skirting boards from oil.
You are now ready to give your floor a fresh lease of life!
Degreaser
4. Applying the oil
Once your can of oil is open, give it a good mix using a mixing paddle. Pour a little into a paint tray.
Starting in the corner of the room, apply oil to about three boards using a wide, specially designed brush.
As with sanding, always work with the wood grain.
Wait around 15 to 20 minutes (according to the manufacturer's instructions) for the oil to sink into the wood properly.
You can then wipe down the area with a soft cloth to get rid of any oil excess.
Repeat the process over similarly sized areas, making sure to wait between applications until your whole floor is covered.
Please note: be sure to work in the right direction so you don't accidentally go over the same spot!
One coat of oil should do the trick but you must follow the recommendations set out by the manufacturer. Not all oils perform in the same way; you will have to read the label carefully.
Floor
5. Post-oiling tips
Use a cleaning product specially designed for oiled floors. This will help you to take good care of your floor and protect it as best as possible. Apply a top-up oil on a regular basis to protect your work.
This is not the same type of oil as described above but rather a maintenance oil. These oils are used after the pores of the wood have been penetrated by a first coat of wood oil.
Maintenance oils should be applied using a soft cloth or a microfibre mop. There are no rules when it comes to how often to apply oil. In a bedroom, for example, you might get away with one application per year while you will have to be more vigilant in living rooms or corridors.
Mop
You may be also interested in these guides
Guide written by:
Kate, Flooring Expert, Swansea
Flooring is my life. I love what I do, and I've been doing it for as long as I can remember. So, I'm not bragging when I tell you I know all there is to know about every flooring product. From laminate, parquet and linoleum to PVC, carpeting and tiling, my workdays are spent learning about manufacturing processes, composition, performance, laying techniques and maintenance methods. I've certainly seen my share of mistakes made on construction sites because of what was essentially a lack of information or understanding of the product. Flooring elements are constantly evolving and being improved upon - even us pros can find it hard to keep up! Some of us in the industry use language that is overly technical or loaded with jargon you'd have to be an expert to understand. What's more, flooring salespeople are often so focused on closing the sale that they don't take the time to explain the products in any detail. That's why I want to pass on my knowledge in a way that's clear and accessible, and maybe a bit fun too. Because flooring shouldn't be a chore!
'/%3E%3C/svg%3E){kind=small}