Hardwax oil vs polyurethane
Hardwax oils go on in fewer, thinner coats and cover far more per can: Osmo prints 24 m² per litre (about 980 sq ft per gallon), Rubio 30–50 m² per litre for its single coat. The polyurethanes below print 500–600 sq ft per gallon.
Both hardwax oil makers name floors as well as furniture; Rubio says the surface can be used after 24–36 hours and is 80 % cured in 2 days. General Finishes gives its polyurethanes 21–30 days to cure.
Side by side
| Property | Hardwax oil | Polyurethane |
|---|---|---|
| Touch-dry | Not printed by the makers we read | General Finishes Arm-R-Seal: 12+ hGeneral Finishes High Performance: 30 min |
| Recoat | Osmo Polyx-Oil Original: 8–10 h | Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane: 3–4 hGeneral Finishes Arm-R-Seal: 24+ hGeneral Finishes High Performance: 2 hMinwax Polycrylic: 2 h |
| Ready for use | Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C: 24–36 h (use (80 % cured in 2 days)) | Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane: 24 h (light use)Minwax Polycrylic: 24 h (normal use (light handling after 3 hours)) |
| Full cure | Not printed by the makers we read | General Finishes Arm-R-Seal: 30 daysGeneral Finishes High Performance: 21 days |
| Coverage | Osmo Polyx-Oil Original: 24 m² per litreRubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C: 30–50 m² per litre | Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane: 125 sq ft per quartGeneral Finishes Arm-R-Seal: up to 500 sq ft per gallonGeneral Finishes High Performance: up to 600 sq ft per gallonMinwax Polycrylic: 125 sq ft per quart |
| Thinning | Osmo Polyx-Oil Original: Do not thinRubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C: Do not dilute | General Finishes Arm-R-Seal: Mineral spiritsGeneral Finishes High Performance: Water, GF Extender or GF Accelerator |
| Makers say it is for | Osmo Polyx-Oil Original: floors, furniture, toysRubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C: floors, furniture, kitchens and bathrooms | General Finishes Arm-R-Seal: furniture, cabinetsGeneral Finishes High Performance: furniture, cabinets |
| Makers say not for | Not printed by the makers we read | Not printed by the makers we read |
The products behind it
| Product | Touch-dry | Recoat | Use | Full cure | Coverage | Thinning and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osmo Polyx-Oil Original One source: Osmo, the maker of that product | — | 8–10 h | — | — | 24 m² per litre | Thinning: Do not thin.Plant oils and waxes; two thin coats on bare wood, one to renew. |
| Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C One source: Rubio Monocoat, the maker of that product | — | —remove all excess within 15 minutes per zone | 24–36 huse (80 % cured in 2 days) | — | 30–50 m² per litre | Thinning: Do not dilute.Two-part: mix about 3 parts A to 1 part B; one coat; clean with water and soap after 5 days. |
| Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane One source: Minwax (Sherwin-Williams), the maker of that product | — | 3–4 h | 24 hlight use | — | 125 sq ft per quart | Sand lightly with 220 grit between coats; 3 coats for most durability. |
| General Finishes Arm-R-Seal One source: General Finishes, the maker of that product | 12+ h | 24+ h | — | 30 days | up to 500 sq ft per gallon | Thinning: Mineral spirits.Conditions: 70 °F, 50 % RH.A thin oil-based topcoat GF says to apply in thin coats with a rag. |
| General Finishes High Performance One source: General Finishes, the maker of that product | 30 min | 2 h | — | 21 days | up to 600 sq ft per gallon | Thinning: Water, GF Extender or GF Accelerator.Conditions: 70 °F, 50 % RH.Water-based acrylic/urethane blend; 25 % volume solids; 3–4 coats. |
| Minwax Polycrylic One source: Minwax (Sherwin-Williams), the maker of that product | — | 2 h | 24 hnormal use (light handling after 3 hours) | — | 125 sq ft per quart | Sand with 220 grit between coats, no steel wool; 3 coats; wait 24 hours over Minwax Wood Finish stain. |
Related
Work it out for your project
Times are the makers' own at the temperature and humidity they name, and several of them say cooler, damper conditions slow their finishes. For how much to buy, the finish coverage calculator uses these same coverage figures. Every finish side by side: the finish dry time chart. What the federal rules say about finishes and food: food-contact finishes.
Elsewhere in finishing: shellac and the shellac cut calculator; for repairs before the finish, wood filler vs wood putty; and for the glue-up, wood glue types.