{"id":1186,"date":"2025-01-29T04:27:35","date_gmt":"2025-01-29T04:27:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/?p=1186"},"modified":"2026-01-07T04:26:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T04:26:17","slug":"revisited-pallmann-magic-oil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/revisited-pallmann-magic-oil\/","title":{"rendered":"Pallmann Magic Oil Review after 12 Years | 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s hard to believe it\u2019s been 12 years since we wrote this blog post: Pallmann Magic Oil review.<\/a> The response we received from that series of articles about using hardwax oils for wood floor refinishing has been incredible. A lot has happened since then.<\/p>\n

\"Revisited:<\/p>\n

At that time, not many people had heard about hardwax oil and hardened penetrating oil finishes. And only a select few hardwood floor refinishing companies were offering them to their clients. We were the only Naperville hardwood flooring company using them.<\/p>\n

12 years down the track and hardwax oil finishes have become extremely popular. They are now a very serious contender among mainstream wood floor finishes. It\u2019s been fun watching their progress. We have completed over 150+ hardwax oil refinishing projects in that time\u2026 almost half of them Pallmann Magic Oil.<\/p>\n

So I guess the big question is: What do we think of hardwax oil finishes now? How are they performing? Are we still using and recommending them for our hardwood floor refinishing projects in Naperville and Chicago? Are there any issues to be aware of?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In this article we\u2019ll revisit our Pallmann Magic Oil review. In a future article we\u2019ll take another look at our Rubio Monocoat review.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re happy to say the pretty much everything we wrote in the original Pallmann Magic Oil review still stands true today.<\/p>\n

In that article we covered the basics of what we look for in a finish:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Has to look good<\/li>\n
  2. Must be long-lasting, durable to traffic and resistant to spills<\/li>\n
  3. Have relative easy maintenance and repair<\/li>\n
  4. Not \u201cyellow\u201d excessively over time<\/li>\n
  5. Not have high VOC\u2019s and stink up the home for days\/weeks on end<\/li>\n
  6. Not take forever to cure<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    We are still extremely happy with the performance of Pallmann Magic oil in covering each of these 6 points.<\/p>\n

    So how has it performed in the real life?<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Some of Our Pallman Magic Oil Projects Revisited a Few Years Down the Road\u2026<\/h4>\n

    Below are some of the jobs we\u2019ve been able to go back and revisit over the years in order to see how the Pallmann Magic Oil finish system was holding up.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Pallmann Magic Oil Project #1 \u2013 Elmhurst, Illinois<\/h5>\n

    We sanded and refinished this builders showroom in Elmhurst, Illinois with Magic Oil over five years ago now. It\u2019s one of our favorite colors \u2013 a process of the oak wood floors being fumed, stained and finished with Magic Oil. Here it was the day it was finished…<\/p>\n

    \"Black<\/p>\n

    It gets quite a bit of traffic as any office and showroom would. We asked the owners, and nobody takes their shoes off (which makes sense for a public showroom). That means that snow, salt, dirt and grit get brought in and walked over the Pallmann Magic Oil coated floor on a daily basis.<\/p>\n

    How has it held up?<\/p>\n

    Extremely well as you can see in the photo below…<\/p>\n

    \"Pallmann<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Pallmann Magic oil Project #2 \u2013 Hinsdale, Illinois<\/h5>\n

    This hardwood floor in Hinsdale, Illinois was sanded, stained and refinished 4 years ago. A beautiful white oak floor, stained spice brown and Magic Oil applied on top. This is a very active home. A family of 5, 3 active kids and a large dog. A very high traffic home by anyone\u2019s standards\u2026<\/p>\n

    \"Pallmann<\/p>\n

    Looks good, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s their pooch looking very guilty\u2026<\/p>\n

    \"Dog<\/p>\n

    To show how much abuse these Pallmann Magic Oil stained wood floors get, last year, while we were back here installing and refinishing flooring in the hallway\u2026 one of their kids was riding his hover board round and around the hardwood floors in the kitchen.<\/p>\n

    This is a perfect example of why we love and recommend this hardened penetrating oil\u00a0finish system so much.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Pallmann Magic Oil Project #3 \u2013 Naperville, Illinois<\/h5>\n

    This photo was taken 3 years after we finished this Naperville hardwood floor refinishing project. Its red oak stained 25% Rosewood and 75% Golden Brown and finished with Pallmann Magic Oil. Unlike the above wood floor refinishing projects, this is quite a low traffic home. But they do have a small dog that scampers around on them\u2026<\/p>\n

    \"Pallmann<\/p>\n

    As you can see, the floors look like new. They have done a wonderful job looking after them.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Pallmann Magic oil Project #4 \u2013 My Own House<\/h5>\n

    I love this hardened penetrating oil finish system so much that we used it in our own home. We did a glue-down installation of white oak in a herringbone pattern in the kitchen and family room, and straight wood floor installation throughout the rest of the house…<\/p>\n

    \"White<\/p>\n

    Beginning the Pallmann Magic Oil application over a dark stain…<\/p>\n

    \"Applying<\/p>\n

    This is the finished dark stained white oak floor after applying Pallmann Magic Oil…<\/p>\n

    \"Pallmann<\/p>\n

    View of the kitchen with dark stain on the herringbone hardwood floors…<\/p>\n

    \"Pallmann<\/p>\n

    Here is the dark stained stairs and landing with Magic Oil…<\/p>\n

    \"Pallmann<\/p>\n

    The straight laid wood floor hallway…<\/p>\n

    \"Pallmann<\/p>\n

    These floors are close to 3 years old now. We are a family of 5 with a growing puppy. You can see him in the video below doing a durability test on the floors…<\/p>\n

    \"Puppy\"<\/p>\n

    We are super impressed with the looks, wear and durability of Pallmann Magic Oil on hardwood floors. And we now have ample proof that Magic Oil is a wonderful, long lasting and beautiful finish system in all types of situations.<\/p>\n

    If that\u2019s the case, then\u2026<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Why Are There People Online Saying Their Floors Are Leaving Spots and Easily Scratching with Pallmann Magic Oil?<\/h5>\n

    Yes, we\u2019ve noticed that too. From the comment section of our original Pallmann Magic Oil article, and from phone calls we\u2019ve received to help repair projects others have done, we see that certain people are definitely having issues with this finish.<\/p>\n

    Here are some of the issues that readers from all over the country have commented on in our blog\u2026<\/p>\n

    \u201cI am a homeowner who has had Magic Oil applied to existing red oak flooring, sanded down of course. I am so disappointed and am beginning to think that maybe something was missed in the application<\/b>. I\u2019ve got water spots everywhere<\/b> and I cannot seem to remove them. Everytime I turn around there is another scratch or blemish<\/b>. We have only had the product on a week and I think we are going to have it sanded down to the bare and start with something else. Any advice?\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    That doesn\u2019t sound good.<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s another one\u2026<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe recently had new Red Oak floor installed and finished with Pallmanns Magic Oil. The floor guy did not have experience with product but<\/b>\u00a0was willing to try it. We ran into a couple problems and would greatly appreciate your opinion\u2026 it appears the finish is compromised in places<\/b>, especially in the kitchen where we are seeing lots of spotting and \u2018dry\u2019 patches. The installer admitted the finish set up on him faster than he expected leaving excess oil on the floor<\/b>. The installer was willing to come back and rescreen and spot re-finish. But that raised the question of how hard it will be for us to spot-fix ourselves in the future.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Can you start to see the problem?<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s another comment that is more obvious\u2026<\/p>\n

    \u201cI went with magic oil to get a little extra sheen. Sanded to 120 grit, then applied two coats consecutively<\/b> (spread on pretty thin with plastic trowel-like tool, left on for about 15 minutes, excess wiped off with paper towels<\/strong>, then buffed with a random-orbit polisher with microfiber cloth<\/strong> covering. Immediately repeated same steps with 2nd coat<\/b>. After curing, it looks very blotchy \u2013 lots of uneven sheen, almost hazy\/dry in some spots\u2026\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    We\u2019ve seen quite a lot of these types of comments on other home renovation forums and Reddit wood flooring posts too.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    If We Love This Finish So Much and Haven\u2019t Had One Problem In 12 Years\u2026 Why Are Others Experiencing Such Issues?<\/h5>\n

    What\u2019s the cause of badly performing Pallmann Magic Oil floors that are leaving spots, patchy and blotchy areas and are easily scratched?<\/p>\n

    From our experience, 3 things in particular\u2026<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    1. Inexperience in applying these types of hardwax\u00a0oil finishes.<\/h6>\n

    This is referring to both inexperienced wood flooring professionals that are practicing on client\u2019s floors (a BIG no-no), as well as the growing group of DIY homeowners.<\/p>\n

    These wood floor finishing products are professional grade finish systems and take quite a lot of expertise and skill to apply properly.<\/p>\n

    Proper equipment to buff the hardened penetrating oil in, as shown in the photo below, is needed to do a professional job…<\/p>\n

    \"Buffing<\/p>\n

    Yes, they can be done by a DIY homeowner that has some woodworking and painting skills and follows the manufacturer\u2019s instructions\u2026 but (and please don\u2019t shoot me), its most likely out of the realm of most weekend DIYers.<\/p>\n

    I say this because if even apparent hardwood floor professionals, with all the right tools available and years of experience with other finish systems, are having a tough time applying Pallmann Magic Oil properly… how is a DIYer, without<\/em> these tools and skills, supposed to be able to. Just getting used to taming a buffer is a skill on its own for the uninitiated.<\/p>\n

    You can see in one of the comments above a DIYer used paper towels and microfiber cloths for buffing vs the recommended red and white pads. They also put 2 coats of oil down each time before buffing. Effectively applying 4 coats of finish. These are not the instructions Pallmann gives for applying Magic Oil properly. This will result in most of the oil being soaked up into the cloths and leaving too little to soak into the floor. Thus, resulting in a dry, patchy finish.<\/p>\n

    Any deviation from the professional instructions and tools will result in improper application.<\/p>\n

    Here is the second issue\u2026<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    2. The hardwood floors are being sanded too fine<\/h6>\n

    We sand up to 100 grit for Magic Oil floors. We have read of homeowners sanding anywhere from 150 grit up to 300 grit, and then applying Pallmann Magic Oil.<\/p>\n

    Higher grits are not better when it comes to sanding hardwood floors. Using high sanding grits closes off the grain too much. Sanding up to 300 grit will virtually polish the wood surface. Because the grain pores are now so tight, the oil won’t be able to penetrate and soak deep enough into the wood. This will cause bonding issues and failure of the finish.<\/p>\n

    And the last issue we see causing problems is…<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    3. Too much finish being left on the floor.<\/h6>\n

    The chemical design of these types of finishes directs that in order for them to perform properly, they have to be applied in the exact correct coating sequence, in the right timeframe and all excess finish needs to be removed quickly before it dries and cures.<\/p>\n

    If you don’t have speed and experience, it can be quite stressful as the finish quickly sets up on you.<\/p>\n

    In one of the comments above you can see this was the issue for the inexperienced hardwood flooring installer that was using this on a customer’s floor for the first time. It set up on him too fast and he left excess oil on the floor \u2013 leading to a compromised finish.<\/p>\n

    \"Pallmann<\/p>\n

    Excess finish left on the floor won\u2019t cure properly. It will leave the wood floor patchy, easily scratched and prone to water spotting.<\/p>\n

    If either of these 3 steps are done incorrectly \u2013 like the comments shown above \u2013 then yes, there will be issues.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Hopefully that clears up some of the confusion of why some are having issues\u2026 while experts in using these hard wax oil finishes are not.<\/p>\n

    Like all things in life, the more skilled someone is at something, the better the result will be.<\/p>\n

    Sanding and refinishing hardwood floors can be very frustrating, time consuming and costly when things don\u2019t go right.<\/p>\n

    If you decide to have a go applying Pallmann Magic Oil yourself, please practice, practice and practice some more<\/em> on large sample boards before taking a shot at your entire house. And even then, when you start, do the closets first, then the back bedrooms, then the main bedroom before starting on the more open and used rooms in your house. That way you\u2019ll have some experience by the time you get to the living room.<\/p>\n

    If you decide to hire a professional hardwood floor refinishing company and they tell you they haven\u2019t used these types of finishes before\u2026 seriously consider whether you want them practicing on your valuable wood floors.<\/p>\n

    Read this comment quoted above from our blog again if you doubt me.\u2026<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe recently had new Red Oak floor installed and finished with Pallmanns Magic Oil. The floor guy did not have experience with product but<\/b>\u00a0was willing to try it. We ran into a couple problems and would greatly appreciate your opinion\u2026 it appears the finish is compromised in places<\/b>, especially in the kitchen where we are seeing lots of spotting and \u2018dry\u2019 patches. The installer admitted the finish set up on him faster than he expected leaving excess oil on the floor<\/b>. The installer was willing to come back and rescreen and spot re-finish. But that raised the question of how hard it will be for us to spot-fix ourselves in the future.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    I wouldn\u2019t want you to be an unsuspecting guinea pig and lose time, money and years off the life of your hardwood floors. There\u2019s enough of us professional hardwood floor contractors out there that know what we\u2019re doing and have years of experience now. These inexperienced hardwood floor businesses need to do what we do and practice on sample panels in their workshop and on their own floors (every room in my houses, except for the one in the photos above, has a different finish).<\/p>\n

    \"Magic<\/p>\n

    The photo above is another Pallmann Magic Oil floor we did a couple of years ago. It is red oak and stained Nutmeg.<\/p>\n

    And finally, we got around to it, (I know there are a few requests for this color in the comments) here is White Pallmann Magic Oil on red oak…<\/p>\n

    \"Magic<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve Heard Repairing Pallmann Magic Oil Floors Isn\u2019t as Easy as They Claim\u2026<\/h5>\n

    Yes, we have heard this too.<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s one example from our blog\u2026<\/p>\n

    \u201cUnfortunately, we had some paint leak through one of our painting tarps and it dried in spots on our hard earned beautiful floor!!!! I tried several methods to remove the paint from the surface, but finally resigned to sand and repair the spots. My repair job did not work so well. I sanded the spots feathering them out a bit, restained, waited 24 hours and then reapplied the Magic Oil buffing in well. The spots that were repaired now look like scuff marks instead of blending in with the rest of the floor<\/b>. Is this a sanding issue?\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    In answer to her question\u2026 yes, it was a sanding issue.<\/p>\n

    When attempting repairs in Magic Oil, you need to follow the exact procedure done with the original sand and refinish. Use the exact same grit sequence and even the same sandpaper if possible. Then the Magic Oil should be re-applied in the same way and with the same number of coats as the rest of the wood floor.<\/p>\n

    If the hardwood floor was water popped prior to staining, then that needs to be done as well. Then the exact same stain (hopefully a sample from the original container) should be applied and wiped off in the same timeframe.<\/p>\n

    If you miss one of these sequences it won\u2019t look right or blend into the surrounding area.<\/p>\n

    In some case\u2019s it\u2019s better to re-sand and refinish the whole floorboard. That way if there has been any UV damage, the whole board will at least be the same shade.<\/p>\n

    For our clients in Naperville and Chicago, we keep detailed notes of all our jobs such as sandpaper used, what processes were implemented, as well as samples of stains. That way, should they ever run into this issue, we can help them through the process\u2026 or be hired to do it for them.<\/p>\n

    \"Pallmann<\/p>\n

    The Naperville hardwood floor refinishing project above was done about 5 years ago. This photo was taken almost a year later. Its Red Oak stained with 50% Sedona and 50% Ebony, finished with Pallmann Magic Oil. As you can see, they have quite a large dog and the hardwood floors still look great.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    In conclusion\u2026<\/h4>\n

    Hopefully this Pallmann Magic Oil review gives you good, hands-on insight into the product so you can decide whether it is worthy of your consideration.<\/p>\n

    In our opinion it is one of, if not THE best, hardwax and penetrating oils on the market right now.<\/p>\n

    We love this finish system and stand behind it proudly. We\u2019re happy to have been one of the pioneers in experimenting with and using hardwax oils in the Chicago and Naperville area. We intend to offer them to our clients for many years down the road.<\/p>\n

    We\u2019ll have the 10+ year Rubio Monocoat review ready for you soon. Until then feel free to ask any questions you have about our Pallmann Magic Oil review, or share your experience with it (good or bad) below\u2026<\/p>\n

    –<\/p>\n

    Updated Jan 2026<\/p>\n

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    What do we think about Pallmann Magic Oil after 4 years of use? How is it performing? Are there any issues with this popular hardwax oil?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"4","_seopress_titles_title":"Pallmann Magic Oil Review after 12 Years | 2026","_seopress_titles_desc":"Pallmann Magic Oil review after 12 years of use. How is it performing? Do we still recommend this popular hardwax oil for hardwood floors?","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-product-review"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1186"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1186\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}