Osmo Polyx -Oil Tints – Tinted Hardwax Oil for Wooden Floors & Furniture

Colour and Protection in One System

Osmo Polyx-Oil Tints combines transparent colour pigments with the natural oils and hard waxes associated with the Polyx-Oil system. The colour highlights the grain rather than completely hiding it, producing a more natural appearance than an opaque paint or heavily pigmented coating.

Once completed with the correct topcoat system, the timber gains durable protection against everyday wear, moisture, dirt and common household spillages while remaining microporous and straightforward to maintain.

Why Choose Osmo Polyx-Oil Tints?

• Adds transparent colour while keeping the wood grain visible
• Available in seven coordinated satin colours
• Suitable for interior wooden floors and furniture
• Suitable for solid, engineered, parquet, OSB and cork flooring
• High-solid formulation based on natural oils and hard waxes
• Durable, water-repellent and dirt-resistant finish
• Resistant to common household liquid spillages
• Microporous and breathable
• Will not crack, flake, blister or peel
• Enhances the natural grain and variation of timber
• Can create transparent or lightly stained effects
• Suitable for local repairs and future maintenance
• Saliva-resistant and sweatproof once dry
• Suitable for children’s toys in accordance with EN 71.3
• Approximately 30m² coverage per litre, per coat
• Available in sample sachets before purchasing a larger tin

Which Osmo Oil Is Right for Me?

Choose Your Colour

Special Guidance for 3040 White

White finishes require particular care because a conventional clear oil topcoat can warm the timber and reduce the clean white appearance.

Suitable Surfaces

• Solid wood flooring
• Engineered wood flooring with an absorbent timber wear layer
• Parquet and herringbone flooring
• Plank and strip flooring
• Oak flooring
• Pine flooring
• Ash, beech, spruce, birch and other suitable light woods
• OSB flooring and interior panels
• Cork flooring
• Wooden furniture
• Tables, desks and shelving
• Solid timber staircases
• Stair treads and risers
• Handrails and newel posts
• Skirting boards and architraves
• Interior doors made from suitable absorbent timber
• Wall and ceiling panelling
• General absorbent interior joinery

Surfaces Requiring Extra Care

Recommended Application Tools

Recommended Accessories

Available Sizes

Coverage is based on approximately 30m² per litre for one thin coat. Actual coverage will vary according to timber species, surface porosity, sanding, application tool and the amount of product applied.

Technical Information

Coverage, colour, drying and curing times are approximate. Temperature, humidity, airflow, timber species, sanding and application thickness will all affect the result.

Surface Preparation

• Ensure the timber is clean, dry, frost-free and free from grease, wax, dirt and contamination.
• The moisture content of the timber must not exceed approximately 18%.
• Completely remove old paint, varnish, lacquer and other film-forming finishes.
• Clean compatible old microporous oil finishes thoroughly before assessing whether they are suitable for recoating.
• Repair or replace loose, damaged or unstable timber before sanding.
• Countersink protruding nails, pins and other fixings.
• Fill suitable cracks, joints and holes before completing the final sanding sequence.
• Sand the entire surface evenly back to clean and absorbent timber.
• For flooring, complete a consistent sanding sequence and normally finish around P120–P150, subject to timber species and the intended effect.
• For furniture and fine joinery, a finer finish around P180–P240 may be appropriate.
• Vacuum thoroughly, including joints, edges, mouldings and corners.
• Stir the product thoroughly with a flat stirring stick or spatula, lifting settled pigment from the bottom of the tin.
• Continue stirring regularly during application to maintain consistent colour.
• Complete a full trial application using the intended topcoat before treating the main area.

Should You Water Pop the Timber?

Lightly dampening or water popping the timber before tinting can open the grain and intensify colour absorption. However, it can also create a much stronger and less forgiving colour effect.

Applying a Transparent Colour to Flooring

1. Bring the product to normal room temperature and stir thoroughly before use. Do not thin.
2. Ensure the floor is completely clean, dry and free from sanding dust.
3. Cut in carefully around edges, corners, door frames and thresholds using a suitable brush.
4. Apply one exceptionally thin coat using an Osmo Floor Brush or Osmo Floor Roller Set .
5. Work methodically along the grain and spread the product thoroughly.
6. Maintain a wet edge and avoid stopping in the middle of individual boards or clearly visible areas.
7. Check the surface from several angles for heavy areas, overlaps, brush marks or roller edges.
8. Redistribute visible excess while the product is still workable.
9. Allow the coloured coat to dry for approximately 24 hours under good ventilation.
10. Do not apply a second coloured coat to flooring.
11. Once thoroughly dry, apply one exceptionally thin coat of the appropriate clear Polyx-Oil topcoat.
12. For 3040 White, follow the specific white-system guidance and test before applying a clear topcoat.
13. Continue ventilating throughout drying and curing.

Creating a Lighter Stained Effect

1. Apply Polyx-Oil Tints thinly and evenly with the grain.
2. Work in manageable sections so the colour can be wiped back consistently.
3. Within approximately 20 minutes, wipe away excess product along the grain using a lint-free cloth or white pad.
4. Ensure the same amount of product is removed from each section to avoid patchiness.
5. Blend adjoining sections carefully while maintaining a wet edge.
6. Allow the surface to dry for approximately 24 hours under good ventilation.
7. Apply the appropriate Polyx-Oil topcoat once the tint is thoroughly dry.

Furniture, Stairs and Joinery Application

1. Prepare and sand the timber evenly, then remove all dust.
2. Stir thoroughly to distribute all pigment.
3. Select a suitable brush, applicator fleece, cloth or white pad.
4. Apply the tint exceptionally thinly with the grain.
5. Check vertical surfaces for runs and pigment build-up around mouldings, corners and joints.
6. Remove or redistribute excess product while still wet.
7. Allow approximately 24 hours’ drying with good ventilation.
8. For a stronger colour on furniture or joinery, a second thin coloured coat may be applied after the first has dried.
9. Do not exceed two coloured coats.
10. Allow the final coat to dry fully before normal use.

Drying and Curing

Cleaning and Maintenance

A correctly completed Polyx-Oil colour system can be routinely cleaned, refreshed and locally renovated without automatically sanding the entire surface.

Vacuum or sweep before damp cleaning. Use a well-wrung mop and avoid flooding the timber. Wipe up liquid spillages promptly and never allow standing water to remain on the surface.

Renovating a Tinted Floor

1. Vacuum thoroughly to remove grit, dust and debris.
2. Clean the surface using an appropriate Osmo cleaning product.
3. Allow the timber to dry completely.
4. Inspect whether the wear is limited to the protective topcoat or has penetrated into the coloured layer.
5. Where the colour remains intact, apply one exceptionally thin renovation coat of the appropriate topcoat.
6. Do not apply clear oil directly over bare, dirty or colour-damaged areas, as they may become noticeably darker.
7. Where colour has been lost, carefully prepare and retint the affected area before applying the appropriate topcoat.
8. Feather repairs carefully into the surrounding colour.
9. Complete a trial repair first, particularly on darker colours or large open areas.

Important Application Notes

• Use only on suitable interior timber surfaces.
• Stir thoroughly before and throughout application.
• Do not thin the product.
• Apply a maximum of one coloured coat to wooden flooring.
• Complete flooring systems with the appropriate Polyx-Oil topcoat once the tint is thoroughly dry.
• Take particular care when selecting a topcoat over 3040 White.
• One or two coloured coats may be used on furniture and joinery, depending on the required intensity.
• Do not exceed two coloured coats.
• Apply exceptionally thinly and redistribute excess product immediately.
• Poor ventilation and excessive application will significantly delay drying.
• Water popping intensifies colour and must be completed consistently.
• Different sanding grades can produce visibly different colour absorption.
• Always test the complete colour and topcoat system on the actual timber.
• Dark and extractive-rich hardwoods may require an alternative Osmo system.
• Apply especially thinly to cork and allow additional drying time.
• Avoid general household detergents, washing-up liquid, bleach, steam cleaners and excessive water.

Tool Cleaning

Clean suitable brushes, rollers and application equipment immediately after use with Osmo Brush Cleaner & Thinner .

Do not reuse an applicator containing a different Osmo colour unless it has been cleaned thoroughly. Even a small amount of pigment from a previous colour can alter the final shade.

Complete Your Osmo System