Tips and Tricks

Restol™ Wood Oil is designed to be applied to untreated or treated wood. In general, Restol™ Wood Oil will not work effectively if applied on top of existing paint or stain. Therefore we do not recommend this. We suggest that you first fully remove the old coating. Restol™ Wood Oil can then be applied in the usual way.

Hardly any surface preparation is required. Give it a stiff brushing, always ensuring that the final surface is dry and free of dust. If you want an extra smooth result, you should give the surface a light sanding. Preparation takes no time at all.

Restol™ Wood Oil is ideal for this as well. No special surface preparation is required either. Simply remove loose items with a (wire) brush and ensure that the surface is free of dust. You can also use a high-pressure spray to clean the surface.

This is not mandatory. If an extra smooth result is required, you should give the surface a light sanding. This can also be achieved by using a scourer pad. This will achieve the required result in no time.

Yes, this can be done providing the wood is sufficiently dry. If your garden wood is still slightly moist, we recommend that you let it dry for a few weeks. This will give an even better surface on which to apply Restol™ Wood Oil.

To a degree this depends on the surface type, temperature and humidity. Usually it will be touch-dry in around 6 hours and can be over-coated after 1-2 days.

If Restol™ Wood Oil is left standing, the heavier ingredients will settle to the bottom of the can. It is always important to stir Restol™ Wood Oil well, especially as the bottom is invisible from the top. The length of stirring should be in proportion to the length of time the can has been left standing. One minute should be used as a rule of thumb. The product will have been stirred sufficiently when the stirring device can be scraped over the bottom with little or no resistance, and the surface of the Restol™ Wood Oil is evenly coloured.

Yes, you can. Providing the surface to be treated is sufficiently dry, there is no reason why Restol™ Wood Oil cannot be applied in the winter. Watch out for cold hands …. wear gloves.

Ideally, Restol™ Wood Oil should be applied when it is dry and there is a light breeze. It should not be too warm, nor in excessive direct sunlight. Relaxing in your t-shirt and shorts, and enjoying a nice job in the garden ….

We recommend two coats on impregnated wood and three coats on all other wood. Ultimately, the decision to apply an additional coat depends on the end result – the surface of the wood should appear to be evenly coated with Restol™ Wood Oil. If you’re not satisfied, apply a top coat. When applying by brush or roller, always do so along the length of the wood (i.e. with the grain) for the best results.

No. Restol™ Wood Oil is not designed for this. While the solvent fumes will have largely dispersed in a well-ventilated room during the course of a day, the characteristic odour of linseed oil may persist for several weeks. Despite many people finding the odour pleasant, there are others who will find it unpleasant.

Yes, but we recommend that you work in the shade as far as possible to achieve even drying and good surface absorption.

Yes, you can apply Restol™ Wood Oil with a roller or a paint sprayer. Spraying is very quick. You can spray large areas and, providing it is done properly, you will get a great finish. Follow the instructions for the spray equipment and wear suitable respiratory protective equipment.

While Restol™ Wood Oil is best stored under dry conditions at room temperature, it can be stored almost anywhere providing it is protected from frost.

Restol™ Wood Oil can be kept one year. However, there are cases of people using a tin of Restol™ Wood Oil 15 years after it was first opened. Always make sure you stir it well!

The durability of Restol™ Wood Oil depends on the colour used, the surface coated, the number of coats applied, but mainly on the combined effects of rain and sunlight. In general, the darker the colour, the longer the working life. Locations exposed to a lot of sunlight, for example horizontal surfaces, will need more frequent maintenance.

Wet areas should be soaked up using a cloth, then cleaned further using a duster or brush and white spirit. Stains on clothing can also be removed using white spirit. Once the stains have dried, Restol™ Wood Oil will be difficult to remove.

Restol does not need to be thinned, it is, in fact, preferable not to, as it is ready to use and liquid under all normal conditions. In the event that you need to thin it, use a small amount of white spirit.

Brushes, as well as rollers and spray equipment, should be cleaned using white spirit.

This is the phenomenon whereby water droplets on the surface are not absorbed by the wood,. They remain in droplet form and, on sloping surfaces, roll off.

Yes, all Restol™ Wood Oil colours can be mixed between them. Similarly, all colours can be made paler or more transparent by adding Restol™ Wood Oil Natural. Remember to make a note of the ratio in which the colours have been mixed, so that you can reproduce the same colour in the future.

The surface of Restol™ Wood Oil is glossy, immediately after application. The level of gloss will deteriorate with time, turning to a silk, or even matt finish.

You probably need to stir for longer. Try stirring again, including at the bottom of the can.

The semi-transparent colours have a slightly higher pigment content, giving reasonable coverage from a thinner coat. With both versions the wood grain will remain visible even after three coats.

Restol™ Natural contains no pigments. The pigment is what gives Restol™ protection against UV light in sunlight. Without UV protection the working life of Restol™ Natural is reduced considerably.

Yes, you can. Refer to Decking for our special application procedure. This can be found under the Information menu and selecting Special types of wood. However, Restol™ Wood Oil will not last forever, so some routine maintenance will be required.

Yes, Restol™ Wood Oil is designed to be used on all kinds of hardwood. We have developed application procedures for several special types of hardwood, i.e. Bangkirai, Teak, Iroko, Merbau and Western Red Cedar. This advice can be found under the Information menu and selecting Special types of wood. Thermally modified wood also requires special consideration. Please consult our advice on the Special types of wood page.

The residual solids content is the part of the product remaining once the volatile components have evaporated. The residual solids content for Restol™ Wood Oil is relatively high compared to similar products.

VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound, or in Dutch: Vluchtige Organische Stoffen, VOS. The European Directive (VOC Directive 2004/42/EG) sets limits for the maximum amount of VOCs contained in products in different categories. In its product group (product group: A/e) Restol™ Wood Oil satisfies this maximum value as it contains less than 400 grammes of VOCs per litre.