{"id":570,"date":"2012-03-28T23:14:53","date_gmt":"2012-03-28T23:14:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/?p=570"},"modified":"2026-01-07T04:49:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T04:49:24","slug":"the-hardwax-oil-experiment-part-4-pallmann-magic-oil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/the-hardwax-oil-experiment-part-4-pallmann-magic-oil\/","title":{"rendered":"The Hardwax Oil Experiment \u2013 Part 4 Pallmann Magic Oil"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>So here we are 4 months into our Hardwax Oil Experiment. This is our final test subject \u2013 Pallmann Magic Oil. For the last 3 months we have extensively tested and reviewed <a href=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/the-hardwax-oil-experiment-part-1-osmo\/\">OSMO Oil<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/the-hardwax-oil-experiment-part-2-monocoat\/\">Rubio Monocoat<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/the-hardwax-oil-experiment-part-3-bona-indoor-oil\/\">Bona Indoor Oil<\/a>. After our not so great outcome last month with Bona\u2019s product, we\u2019re happy to report that this hardwax oil did way better!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2232\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Experiment.jpg\" alt=\"Pallmann Magic Oil Experiment\" width=\"700\" height=\"350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Experiment.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Experiment-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Experiment-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Experiment-350x175.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Unlike Rubio Monocoat and OSMO, most people will probably not have heard very much about Pallmann Magic Oil. In fact getting any consumer information about it can be very difficult because the distributor in the States doesn\u2019t market anywhere near as well as the other two hardwax oil distributors.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>But if you\u2019ve browsed through our website you\u2019ve probably noticed that we\u2019re HUGE fans of Pallmann\u2019s water-based finishes.<\/p>\n<p>In fact for water-based finish systems we exclusively use their Pall-X Power single component system and Pall-X Gold, their high-end 2 component system. Both of these finishes are amongst the best of the best and we wholeheartedly recommend them to our clients. (You can read more about these finishes <a href=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/how-to-choose-a-hardwood-floor-finish-part-4\/\">here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>So the pressure was on for Pallmann to prove to us that their hardwax oil is as good as the water-based line-up. To say we had very high expectations going into this experiment is an understatement.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s see what Pallmann have to say in their limited Magic Oil marketing materials\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Pallmann Magic Oil Features:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Made from a hybrid of natural oils and waxes<\/li>\n<li>Environmentally friendly with extremely low VOC\u2019s<\/li>\n<li>Comes in 6 colors (unlimited colors if you stain first and use Neutral)<\/li>\n<li>Easy to look after, clean and maintain<\/li>\n<li>Easily spot-repaired<\/li>\n<li>Uniform matte, velvety surface that repels dirt and water<\/li>\n<li>Enhances the beauty of your woods natural grain<\/li>\n<li>Great chemical resistant properties and non-flammable<\/li>\n<li>Rated for use on radiant heat floor systems<\/li>\n<li>Rapid drying properties allow for refinishing to be completed quickly<\/li>\n<li>Two component system<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Pallmann Magic Oil Benefits:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>The non-toxic natural oils and waxes makes it a very environmentally and family friendly finish to use<\/li>\n<li>Because there\u2019s very low VOC\u2019s and no solvents you won\u2019t be driven out of your home by horrible fumes<\/li>\n<li>Scratches and damage can be easily spot repaired without having to re-coat the entire room to match the sheen<\/li>\n<li>It won\u2019t off-gas bad fumes, chemicals and smells for weeks after it\u2019s applied<\/li>\n<li>Doesn\u2019t form a plastic film like other varnish, acrylic and polyurethane finishes<\/li>\n<li>It\u2019s a two component finish which makes it durable enough to be used in commercial applications as well as residential projects<\/li>\n<li>Because you can stain the floor first and then top coat it with the Neutral color, you have pretty much unlimited color choices<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Sounds pretty impressive doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s see how this finish held up to our real world testing\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>STEP 1 to our Pallmann Magic Oil Review:<\/h4>\n<p>Like all the other finishes we\u2019ve tried out and tested, we started out in our shop on test panels. (We never, ever practice or experiment with new products on our clients floors.)<\/p>\n<p>The oiling application went well and the dry time matched what was advertised \u2013 4 hours till it can be walked on and overnight to cure. We experimented with different liquids and it stood up to them extremely well. We were also impressed with how durable it was as we scratched them up and banged them around with various instruments.<\/p>\n<p>So step one was easily passed, onto the next stage\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>STEP 2:<\/h4>\n<p>This is when we get to test it out on a real world floor. Like in our <a title=\"The Hardwax Oil Experiment \u2013 Part 1 OSMO\" href=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/the-hardwax-oil-experiment-part-1-osmo\/\">OSMO experiment<\/a>, our good friend Arvydas from Arch Remodeling (you can see a few of our projects with him on our <a href=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/photos_of_hardwood_floors.html\">Photo\u2019s<\/a> page) stepped in with a cool project that needed the hardwood floor refinished.<\/p>\n<p>Arvydas is a very creative contractor and like us he\u2019s eager to try out the latest products. This project was pretty special to him because they were his own floors.<\/p>\n<p>As usual, he went way beyond installing boring conventional store bought flooring.<\/p>\n<p>He had found some antique reclaimed timber that he had custom milled into floor boards of various widths. These boards were full of rustic character and the milling added even more. To make the floor even more interesting he installed cross-cut log inserts throughout the floor.<\/p>\n<p>We took great care to keep all the saw blade marks, worm holes, hand-scrapping and other cool looking character on the floor as we carefully sanded it.<\/p>\n<p>No big belt sander on this unique floor.<\/p>\n<p>Take a look at how it turned out\u2026<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2403\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-1.jpg\" alt=\"Pallmann Magic Oil Project \" width=\"700\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-1.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-1-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-1-322x230.jpg 322w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In the picture above we\u2019re buffing off the excess oil from the first coat of Magic Oil.<\/p>\n<p>The shot below shows us finishing off the last coat.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2404\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-2.jpg\" alt=\"Pallmann Magic Oil Buffing\" width=\"700\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-2.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-2-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-2-322x230.jpg 322w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a close up of the floor.<\/p>\n<p>Isn\u2019t it beautiful? I love all the character in it with the saw blade marks and the checks and other imperfections. It looks like it\u2019s been there for a hundred years, not just a few days\u2026<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2405\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-3.jpg\" alt=\"Pallmann Magic Oil Close Up\" width=\"700\" height=\"980\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-3.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-3-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-3-731x1024.jpg 731w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-3-164x230.jpg 164w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This photo was taken after all the renovations were completed\u2026<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2406\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-4.jpg\" alt=\"Pallmann Magic Oil Finished\" width=\"700\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-4.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-4-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-4-322x230.jpg 322w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u2026and another to show richness and the nice sheen this hardwax oil has.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2407\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-6.jpg\" alt=\"Magic oil In Kitchen\" width=\"700\" height=\"980\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-6.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-6-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-6-731x1024.jpg 731w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-6-164x230.jpg 164w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And lastly, here\u2019s one of the stairs. Again you can see the nice velvety sheen on the tops of the treads\u2026<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2408\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-5.jpg\" alt=\"Magic Oil On Stairs\" width=\"700\" height=\"980\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-5.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-5-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-5-731x1024.jpg 731w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Project-5-164x230.jpg 164w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This was a pretty special floor and we really enjoyed working on it.<\/p>\n<p>The next project we had the pleasure of using this hardwax oil on was in Darien, Illinois. It\u2019s a Lithuanian caf\u00e9\/gift shop\/deli called Old Vilnius Caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n<p>This place used to be a hardwood and carpet showroom before it was transformed into a caf\u00e9. Ironic hey.<\/p>\n<p>Because of the commercial nature of these floors, this would be the perfect place to see how well these floors stand up over time with all the traffic that would make its way through the store on a daily basis.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some pictures of the floors\u2026<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2397\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-2.jpg\" alt=\"Pallmann Magic Oil Project\" width=\"700\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-2.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-2-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-2-322x230.jpg 322w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The photo above shows us starting the sanding process by removing the old polyurethane finish. Because it was a previous flooring showroom there were a few different species of wood and various patterns in the floor.<\/p>\n<p>In the picture below we\u2019re finishing up staining and are getting ready to apply the Magic Oil\u2026<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2398\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-3.jpg\" alt=\"Magic Oil Project Staining\" width=\"700\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-3.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-3-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-3-322x230.jpg 322w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And here is the project all finished up\u2026<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2399\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-4.jpg\" alt=\"Pallmann Magic Oil Project\" width=\"700\" height=\"980\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-4.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-4-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-4-731x1024.jpg 731w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-4-164x230.jpg 164w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Shot from another angle&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2400\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-5.jpg\" alt=\"Pallmann Magic Oil Sheen\" width=\"700\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-5.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-5-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-5-322x230.jpg 322w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This is what it looks like with all the shop fittings in place open for business\u2026<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2401\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-7.jpg\" alt=\"Pallmann Magic Oil Cafe\" width=\"700\" height=\"980\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-7.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-7-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-7-731x1024.jpg 731w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cafe-Pallmann-Magic-Oil-7-164x230.jpg 164w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>So what do we think of this hardwax oil finish system after these two jobs?<\/p>\n<p>Well let\u2019s go back and review the basics of what we look for in a finish:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Has to look good<\/li>\n<li>Must be long-lasting, durable to traffic and resistant to spills<\/li>\n<li>Have relative easy maintenance and repair<\/li>\n<li>Not \u201cyellow\u201d excessively over time<\/li>\n<li>Not have high VOC\u2019s and stink up the home for days on end<\/li>\n<li>Not take forever to cure<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>So far both Rubio Monocoat and OSMO have passed these 6 requirements with flying colors. How did Pallmann\u2019s Magic Oil fare?<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s see\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h5>1. Good Looking:<\/h5>\n<p>What do you think from the pictures above?<\/p>\n<p>Personally, we think Magic Oil is the best looking finish out of the 3 hardwax oils we\u2019ve tested and used. It has a bit more sheen compared to the very matte Rubio Monocoat \u2013 but without the plastic coated look.<\/p>\n<p>Like Pallmann promises, it looks very natural and really enhances the beauty of your timber\u2019s natural grain. You can really see that in the first floor we finished above. The character just popped out and came alive when the Magic Oil was applied.<\/p>\n<p>If you want more sheen, we can just buff it a bit more to polish it up. Of course it will never be high gloss or even semi-gloss, but if you\u2019re after a deep, velvety matte look, then this hardwax oil really fits the bill.<\/p>\n<p>As far as colors, it only comes in 7 including Neutral which is way under Monocoat\u2019s 40+ basic colors and unlimited variations with the pre-treatments.<\/p>\n<p>These are the 7 basic Magic Oil colors&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2421\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Standard-Colors.jpg\" alt=\"Standard Colors\" width=\"700\" height=\"413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Standard-Colors.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Standard-Colors-300x177.jpg 300w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Standard-Colors-350x206.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>But those basic colors can be mixed together to come up with custom blends. These are some of the custom blend possibilities&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2422\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Custom-Blends.jpg\" alt=\"Magic Oil Custom Blends\" width=\"700\" height=\"1186\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Custom-Blends.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Custom-Blends-177x300.jpg 177w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Custom-Blends-604x1024.jpg 604w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Custom-Blends-136x230.jpg 136w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And on top of that, because Magic Oil is a 2 coat system, you can use one of the 7 colors as the base coat, and a different color (or color mix from above) for the second coat.<\/p>\n<p>This opens up the possibility for all sorts of cool two tone color effects&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2423\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Two-Tone-Colors.jpg\" alt=\"Magic Oil Two Tone Colors\" width=\"700\" height=\"802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Two-Tone-Colors.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Two-Tone-Colors-262x300.jpg 262w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Two-Tone-Colors-201x230.jpg 201w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You can also use a <a href=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/staining.html\">stain<\/a> underneath \u2013 like we did in the caf\u00e9 above \u2013 to obtain any color you want and then top coat it with Neutral.<\/p>\n<p>Here is a Sedona Red and Ebony 50 percent mixed stain with Neutral Magic Oil on top&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2017\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dog-On-Hardwood-Floor.jpg\" alt=\"Magic Oil Hardwood Floor\" width=\"700\" height=\"525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dog-On-Hardwood-Floor.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dog-On-Hardwood-Floor-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dog-On-Hardwood-Floor-306x230.jpg 306w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And this is DuraSeal Heritage Brown with Neutral Magic Oil&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1721\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-7.jpg\" alt=\"Pallmann Magic Oil stained dark\" width=\"700\" height=\"979\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-7.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-7-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-7-732x1024.jpg 732w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-7-164x230.jpg 164w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And this floor is stained DuraSeal Nutmeg before Neutral Magic Oil was applied on top&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1730\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/magicoil3.jpg\" alt=\"Magic Oil stained Nutmeg\" width=\"700\" height=\"933\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/magicoil3.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/magicoil3-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/magicoil3-173x230.jpg 173w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>With the basic colors, the mixes and blends you can obtain from them, the option to use stains and pre-treatments \u2013 your color options really are unlimited.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h5>2. Long-lasting, durable to traffic and resistant to spills:<\/h5>\n<p>Along with looks, this would have to be the biggest factor people are concerned about when they choose a finish system.<\/p>\n<p>And for good reason too.<\/p>\n<p>Nobody wants to invest a significant amount of money into restoring their hardwood floors and find out soon after that it\u2019s not as durable or spill resistant as they thought it would be \u2013 as can be the case with cheap oil based and single component water based finishes. This is also a frequent complaint for those that use traditional penetrating oil finishes that need constant upkeep and re-oiling to keep their protection intact.<\/p>\n<p>You need to be confident that spills and other mishaps can be cleaned up without leaving long-lasting damage, and that every day traffic and use won\u2019t prematurely wear them down after a few months or years.<\/p>\n<p>Pallmann Magic Oil does extremely well in this regard.<\/p>\n<p>As it is a blend of wax and natural oils, the finish penetrates deeply into the pores of the wood as well as forming a durable protective surface on top. The nice thing though is that it\u2019s not a thick plastic covering that mutes out the natural look and feel of the wood. And unlike cheap surface finishes, Magic Oil won\u2019t crack, flake, blister or peel.<\/p>\n<p>We were also very impressed with its resistance to all of our test liquids as well. None of them left any permanent damage on our test panels.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a two component finish so it is very durable. If it\u2019s used in a commercial application you can double the hardener for added strength. Our real life tests are still inconclusive (we need more time) but we\u2019re pretty certain that it is most likely the toughest hardwax oil finish available. We\u2019ll update this post when we\u2019re absolutely certain.<\/p>\n<p>Again we have to ask\u2026 is it as strong as our Pall-X96 and X98 finish systems?<\/p>\n<p>And the answer is the same as the other two hardwax oils \u2013 No.<\/p>\n<p>But\u2026 the great thing about these hardwax oils, including Magic Oil, is that if there is any surface damage done it can very easily be spot repaired \u2013 which brings us to the next point\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h5>3. Easy Maintenance and Repair:<\/h5>\n<p>As we talked about in <a href=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/the-hardwax-oil-experiment-part-1-osmo\/\">Part 1<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/the-hardwax-oil-experiment-part-2-monocoat\/\">Part 2<\/a> of our Hardwax Oil Experiment, easy maintenance is one of the reasons \u201cplastic\u201d surface finishes have been so popular over the years compared to hard-to-maintain traditional penetrating oil systems.<\/p>\n<p>Magic Oil won\u2019t stain or watermark like traditional penetrating oil finishes yet it is also very easy to clean like a surface finish.<\/p>\n<p>But as we also talked about in those two write-ups (sorry for some repetition here), the strength of this system is also its greatest weakness. These finishes are basically a big \u201cplastic\u201d sheet spread out across the entire floor and deep scratches are very hard to repair properly if you want to blend them and match the sheen in with the rest of the floor.<\/p>\n<p>But hardwax oils \u2013 including Pallmann\u2019s Magic Oil \u2013 really excel when it comes to repairability.<\/p>\n<p>Sure they\u2019re not as tough as a two component water-based finish system\u2026 but when they do get scratched or damaged they can easily be spot repaired and the area will seamlessly blend in with the rest of the floor.<\/p>\n<p>This is because only the open (damaged) wood fibers will take the new oil. The existing finish next to the scratched or damaged area won\u2019t accept new oil so there is no overlapping or additional buildup of finish.<\/p>\n<p>This really is a huge feature.<\/p>\n<p>If well looked after and properly maintained with Pallmann\u2019s maintenance products \u2013 \u2018Pallmann Hardwood Floor Cleaner\u2019, \u2018Magic Oil Care\u2019 and \u2018Magic Oil Clean N Prep\u2019 \u2013 this finish system should last a lifetime and you will possibly never need to re-sand your floors ever again.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2427\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Maintenance.jpg\" alt=\"Magic Oil Maintenance Products\" width=\"700\" height=\"413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Maintenance.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Maintenance-300x177.jpg 300w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Magic-Oil-Maintenance-350x206.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u2018Pallmann Hardwood Floor Cleaner\u2019 is for daily light cleaning. \u2018Pallmann Magic Oil Care\u2019 is a long term maintenance product that is used every 4 \u2013 6 months and is just an easy application with a dampened microfiber mop. \u2018Magic Oil Clean N Prep\u2019 should be used every few years to remove any residue from the previous two cleaners before applying another coat of Magic Oil.<\/p>\n<p>All of these can be done by the homeowner.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2018Magic Oil Clean N Prep\u2019 process and re-application of Magic Oil that is suggested every couple of years can also be done by your hardwood floor guy to make it easier if you like. This process goes much faster with the right equipment.<\/p>\n<p>All in all it\u2019s far easier to look after compared to a traditional oil finish and much less hassle long-term to completely re-sanding and refinishing your entire hardwood floor every 7 to 10 years if you have a lower-end surface finish.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h5>4. Non-Yellowing:<\/h5>\n<p>The natural oils and waxes used in the finish are non-yellowing so you don\u2019t have to worry about that ugly old orange look that you can get with after a couple of years with polyurethane oil modified finishes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h5>5. VOC\u2019s and Stink Factor:<\/h5>\n<p>VOC\u2019s or Volatile Organic Compounds can be very harmful not only to the environment but also for your health. Lately governments have been trying to curb the usage of products with dangerous levels of VOC\u2019s and have started to regulate the hardwood floor industry. Many businesses are finding themselves having to quickly become adept at using lower VOC finishes.<\/p>\n<p>Thankfully we were ahead of the curve and have been using low VOC finishes for some time.<\/p>\n<p>Our favorite waterborne finishes, <a href=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/how-to-choose-a-hardwood-floor-finish-part-4\/\">Pall-X Power and Pall-X Gold<\/a> are 180g\/liter and 200g\/liter in the VOC department. That is extremely low for a high-end finish. Most oil based finishes are way above 500g\/liter and Glitsa is a whopping 725g\/liter!<\/p>\n<p>In contrast Pallmann Magic Oil in the Neutral color we used has less than 5g\/liter. The colored versions have 9g\/liter. That\u2019s less than OSMO\u2019s 50g and slightly more than Monocoat\u2019s amazing zero grams per liter.<\/p>\n<p>That makes it very environmentally friendly as well as family friendly.<\/p>\n<p>The smell is just a mild vegetable oil like smell that will quickly dissipate with proper ventilation. It smells like you\u2019re cooking fries in old oil. So if you need to stay at home during the finishing process, that won\u2019t be a problem. This finish definitely won\u2019t drive you out of your home like some of the crazy stinky ones out there.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h5>6. Time to Cure:<\/h5>\n<p>Magic Oil is dry to the touch in 1\/2 hour, able to be walked on in 4 hours and completely cured in 12 hours. Technically you could apply 2 coats in one day but we prefer to do a coat a day to obtain better results.<\/p>\n<p>That means it takes roughly the same amount of time as a three coat water-based system and its way faster than a three coat oil-based system.<\/p>\n<p>The big advantage it has over our water-based systems is that carpets and rugs can be put back on the floor after 24 hours \u2013 compared to our suggestion of at least a week later for our water-based finishes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>So did it pass the 6 point test and live up to our expectations?<\/h4>\n<p>Definitely!<\/p>\n<p>If you factor in that any color stain or pre-treatment can be used underneath \u2013 it has an unlimited choice of colors, it uses all natural ingredients, the VOC level is one of the lowest in the industry, it\u2019s very durable, the cure time is fast and it\u2019s extremely easy to maintain and repair.<\/p>\n<p>That makes it an all-out winner in our book.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Our Conclusion\u2026<\/h4>\n<p>We love Pallmann Magic Oil. In fact out of all the hardwax oils we\u2019ve tested, this just might be our favorite.<\/p>\n<p>Since these two projects above we have completed many more floors with Pallmann Magic Oil. Including this beautiful custom hand scraped White Oak floor&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2410\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Stained.jpg\" alt=\"Stained Magic Oil\" width=\"700\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Stained.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Stained-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Stained-322x230.jpg 322w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>They were stained a mix of Ebony + Sedona Red to give it a beautiful dark rich look&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2411\" src=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Stained-Dark-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dark Stained White Oak Magic Oil\" width=\"700\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Stained-Dark-1.jpg 750w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Stained-Dark-1-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pallmann-Magic-Oil-Stained-Dark-1-322x230.jpg 322w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You can see more projects we&#8217;ve done with Magic Oil on our <a href=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/photos_of_hardwood_floors.html\">Photos<\/a> page.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Again, like we\u2019ve discussed in detail before, we realize that these finishes aren\u2019t for everyone. If you love the super shiny gloss look, or a surface finish with a lot of build, then you most likely won\u2019t like Magic Oil. But\u2026 if you love to look of a hand-rubbed oil finish and a nice velvety matte sheen, then it really doesn\u2019t get much better than this.<\/p>\n<p>It also definitely needs to be maintained and re-coated every so often which might be off-putting for a few people that want very low maintenance. But for those that see the benefits that it offers long-term, it could be the perfect finish.<\/p>\n<p>We also love that it is durable enough and has super low VOC\u2019s so it can be used in commercial environments.<\/p>\n<p>Next we\u2019ll have a look at all of these <a href=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/the-hardwax-oil-experiment-the-winner\/\">hardwax oils side-by-side<\/a> and see how they stack up next to each other. Then we\u2019ll choose our favorite.<\/p>\n<p>Feel free to ask any questions in the comment section below\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>**2015 UPDATE**<\/b> <i>It\u2019s been a while now since we put this finish down in the caf\u00e9. We went back to check up on it in Jan 2015 and were very impressed by how it\u2019s holding up to the stores constant traffic. We can now wholeheartedly recommend Magic Oil for these types of projects.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>**2026 UPDATE**<\/b> <em>We&#8217;ve written another full blog post about this hardwax oil.<\/em> <i>See what we think of <a href=\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/revisited-pallmann-magic-oil\/\">Magic Oil 13 years on<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>&#8211;<\/p>\n<p>Updated Jan 2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In-depth review of Pallmann Magic Oil. Find out how it compares to other types of hardwax oils and wood floor finishes&#8230;<\/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":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"The Hardwax Oil Experiment \u2013 Part 4 Pallmann Magic Oil","_seopress_titles_desc":"In-depth review of Pallmann Magic Oil. Find out how it compares to other types of hardwax oils and wood floor finishes...","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-570","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-product-review"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570","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=570"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=570"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=570"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=570"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}