How to Treat Oak Doors

Choose a quality oil like Treatex Hardwax

Treatex Hardwax Clear Oil is ideal for most interior timber applications, especially oak doors. It’s available in a matt, satin and gloss finish so you get complete control over that final look. It’s also quick drying, durable, spot repairable, easy to clean, water resistant and low on odour, whilst no sanding required between coats. There are of course many other options out there, but this is our go to choice because it has proven itself for more than 40 years in the industry, and you’ll see we provide ‘clear’ and ‘colour tone’ options on our website.

Prepare your unfinished oak door

Even with a brand new unfinished oak door, it’s important to remove any dust, dirt and other contaminates because these could lead to uneven absorption of Clear Hardwax Oil. You should then make sure the door to be treated is completely dry. It’s recommended that you stir the tins and ensure the product is at room temperature before use. You should also note that enough product will need to be purchased to complete the whole project, so when more than one container is required; it is advisable to mix them together before use. For best results we recommend a small trial application prior to starting a project.

Applying the oil

Okay so you’re happy with the trial and you’re good to go. Use a brush or roller to evenly apply the Treatex Hardwax Oil, allowing roughly 30g per m². With internal doors it’s important to pay attention to ‘end grain’, and in these areas you should apply wet on wet until product is no longer absorbed by the wood. When you’re happy with the coat, allow it to dry. In a warm and well-ventilated room it will take anywhere between 3 and 6 hours to dry fully. You can then (with a brush or roller) add a second coat of the oil, again allowing 30g per m². Once you’ve added this coat you just have to wait. The surface will reach maximum hardness after 24 hours.

Don’t forget…

Be very careful not to apply Treatex Hardwax Oil too thickly because drying time will be increased, so if you feel as though some areas do have a relatively thick covering, you will want to add several extra hours on to the drying time. You probably already know this trick if you’ve carried this kind of work out before, but if not, be sure to tightly wrap a plastic bag around any wet rollers and brushes to stop them drying out between coats. Any set of plastic carrier bags will do the job!