Osmo - Rapid Dry

[masochists-r-us]

Having used regular Osmo of our quarry tiles in the hearth very successfully and having read the feedback on this forum, I decided to buy Osmo Rapid for a new oak floor. Apparently it dries so quick you can apply two coats in a day. However, went to buy floor brush to apply it with and was told by the guy in the decorating shop that they don't stock it because it's meant for use by professional floor contractors in commercial settings. He said the problem for us will be that it will dry too quick and we may get a poor finish. I'm now worried. Has anyone here used it yet ?

 

[Lime]

I haven't used it but the quick drying aspect can sometimes be a problem.
Much depends on weather i.e. warm or cold, high or low humidity.
However I have long since stopped believing what shop sales people say about specific products that they don't stock.

My most recent experience was when I wanted to buy an Exide battery from a car accessory shop.
The man suggested I buy another make.
I said I wanted Exide as my experience of them was good and I had bought Exide batteries from his shop many years ago.
Oh! You won't be able to buy one now. They've gone out of business, he said.
My reply: That's odd, I was speaking to them on the phone just 10 minutes ago.
Whereupon I promptly left.
(True, I rang Exide to find their nearest stockist but they were 70 miles away)

Moral of the story:- Don't believe everything you are told about a product that isn't in stock.

 

[Andrew Bodenham]

I've just used Osmo polyx Rapid to put the first coat on an new oak staircase. I'm a big Osmo fan, having used a variety of their products in different situations, and found them all good.

The Rapid certainly dries fast - I found that going back over an area after 5 mins it was starting to 'pick up' on the surface. I'd say if you were doing a large area (e.g. a floor) you'd need to spread it pretty quick to keep a wet edge. Having said that the finish is good and consistent after 1 coat.

I've got a floor in my own house to do soon, and I'll be using the standard polyx as I've found the long wet time a great help in getting a good finish, and it's very forgiving.

 

[Penners]

Wherever possible, I tend to shy away from quick-drying paints (although I've never tried this Osmo product). It's my experience that the quick drying effect seems to preserve brush marks - the stuff is dry before they've had a chance to flow out and allow the liquid to level off perfectly. This results in a finish that is, on a very small scale, "corrugated" (for want of a better expression) and unsatisfactory.

My old grandad had a saying: "Do you want a quick job or a good job?"

 

[MatthewC]

My old grandad had a saying: "Do you want a quick job or a good job?"

Are we related? That's what my dad used to say! :wink: :shock:

 

[Penners]

Speaking as a dad and grandad myself, we're full of smug little aphorisms like that.

 

[masochists-r-us]

Thanks everyone,
Went ahead with Osmo Rapid because we had already bought it and we simply don't have enough space to make a whole room out of bounds for an extended period. In the event we applied it quickly and carefully and we're very happy with the result. It did take longer to dry than the 4-5 hours it said on the tin, but I guess this depends on ambient temp/humidity. No reason we could see why a competent DIY 'er shouldn't use it.