Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Is the WoodProtector 'value for money'?
We say a resounding 'Yes!' It's far better 'value for money' than other solutions. But we would say that, wouldn't we!So we've explained why we know it's better 'value for money'! We've used a typical 'teak oil' solution as a comparison and feel confident you'll agree with us.
Firstly, what's meant by 'value for money'? This is a combination of 'economy, efficiency and effectiveness'.
Economy
Teak oil is normally between £10 to £15 for a 1 litre bottle depending upon the quality of the product you purchase. So you can get four/five bottles (or more if it's the really cheap stuff) for the same price as Holmenkol's WoodProtector!
However, for a teak oil solution and after items have been cleaned, you'll probably use three or four £10-£15 bottles for a clean consistent visual finish to cover the same area as Holmenkol's WoodProtector.
Why? Because with oiling, absorbtion varies over the cleaned wood surface. You'll need to apply a more generous application and, almost certainly, a minimum of two coats (whether by brushing or ragging).
Efficiency
We believe if the work is approached fairly with a quality finish in mind, then it takes the same time to apply one coat of teak oil or WoodProtector.
You can be a little more slapdash with teak oil and rush the job.
However, if you need to apply more than one coat of teak oil to get an even visual finish then using WoodProtector is more efficient.
Effectiveness
This is the big benefit! There's simply no comparison.
WoodProtector is technologically superior, will leave your wood better protected against UV and dirt, will last longer, will leave a natural finish and show the grain, won't stain the wood with a colour, won't mark clothing, won't attract further dirt and algae, will resist staining, doesn't smell....the list goes on!
Have another read of our CLEAN...RE-OIL...GETS DIRTY...LOOKS HORRIBLE...CLEAN...description in Treatment (click here)
If your only measure is affordability then get teak oil. If it's 'value for money' then get some WoodProtector!
Finally, measure any protection cost against the value of your wood!
Is the 8-in-1 Cleaner 'value for money'?
Yes!
A 1 litre bottle makes 100 litres of cleaning solution at recommended
strength. Other products on the market targetted for the same type of
job don't make up the same volume and can cost up to 50% more. We don't knock competitors! We believe in our product and that it's the best that technology can offer as it's born out of the Holmenkol Sports Products' laboratories. We genuinely know it's far better technically and is better 'value for money'. We can't find anything that has a similar technologyand/ or price-point comparison!
But simply Google 'teak cleaners' , do your own research and you'll get a good feel!
Is the WoodCleaner+Brightener 'value for money'?
Yes!
A pack makes up 10 litres (approx. a two gallon bucket) of cleaning and brightening solution. Other
products are often a two stage process i.e. you'll need to buy a
'cleaner' and also buy a 'brightener'. The total cost can be up to
100% more!Again! We don't knock competitors! We believe that our product is better technically and therefore offers far better 'value for money'. But another Google search will again give you a good feel!
Why do I need the Micro-Steel cleaning brush? It looks expensive!
This brush is not cheap but if you care for your wood then read on!
It's
not a normal brush as the price suggests. You won't pick one up like
it in the local hardware store and it won't wear out as it's made from
extremely dense razor-thin stainless steel bristles. Despite the metal
bristles it's soft to the touch!
Brushes that are typically
purchased from a hardware store or chandlers are made of plastic.
They're not dense (the brush bristles are spread wide apart) and
they'll be far to rough on the wood surface. They'll 'dig-out' the
soft wood fibres from in between the grain at the same time as they
lift the dirt from the wood. This can leave the wood 'open-pored' and
showing 'grooves' between the grain.
The MicroSteel brush is specially designed to avoid that harshness and it does not 'dig-out' the wood in between the grain. It can't becuase it's so dense and it's by far the best for gentle cleaning of all wooden surfaces.
Thanks to the extreme density
of razor-thin stainless steel bristles, only the loose wood fibres are
removed from the surface. Single bristles cannot get in between the
wood grain. Therefore the soft fibres found in-between the harder ones
are not torn out and the surface is prevented from becoming rough and
open-pored.
The final benefit is that once purchased you'll not need another as it doesn't wear out! And you'll have the best cleaning brush for wood that's currently in the marfket place!
Is it easy to clean the brushes and pads after using the protector?
Are the cleaners safe to me and the environment?
Yes
they are! The photo's show cleaning around a feature pond and also on
yacht decking where rinsing drains straight to the sea/marina
environment. They are completely bio-degradeable. WoodCleaner+Brightener is a mild, yet effective cleaner. It is not too aggressive for joints and finishings such as gelcoats nor for other surfaces or fabric.
Unlike conventional teak cleaners, WoodCleaner+Brightener works with high quality surfactants and a mild oxygen bleaching agent. The pH value is neutral and therefore skin kind.
We've used the Cleaners without any gloves on many occasions with no adverse reaction. But you may have a sensitivity to the products and covering your skin will avoid any issues. Use your common sense...especially if you have open cuts! Your skin is a brilliant cover but take care with it!
So our responsible advice is that when using any cleaners (such as car washing cleaners etc.), it's always good practice to recommend you wear protection such as clear latex or rubber kitchen gloves. Manage your own risks.
(The WoodProtector is virtually 'drip-less' and can be wiped off if any spillage occurs. It's also bio-degradeable and can easily be washed of skin.)
How much do I need?
This is almost unanswerable but we'll give some information that hopefully helps! As a guide, 2 packs of WoodCleaner+Brightener and 1 litre of WoodProtector should easily handle a large table and 6 chairs. The manufacturer states that a 1 litre bottle of WoodProetctor covers between 8-13 square metres (90-140 square feet).
A pack of WoodCleaner+Brightener makes up 10 litres (nearly a UK-sized two gallon bucket) of solution. 1 to 1.5 litres should be good enough for a large chair with arms and 2 litres for a large table. If your wasteful then more will be needed but it should be more than adequate.
If you're cleaning very dirty/ingrained items and/or lots of items then it'll be more cost effective to use the 8-in-1 Cleaner on its own initially. The 1 litre bottle makes up 100 litres of normal cleaning solution which is a lot!
You can then mix a final solution of WoodCleaner+Brightener and use as a final rinse wash on the already cleaned surfaces. This will allow the Brightener to work prior to using the WoodProtector.
We've used a 1 litre bottle of WoodProtector on a very large extending table and 7.5 large chairs all with arms!. We thought we'd be able to do eight but we didn't want to skimp!
Is the WoodProtector 'non-slip' after it's been applied?
One astute client spotted that some products have a description "no slip appearance". This is ambiguous.
The product literature is very clear and says “Wood decks remain completely non-slip”. The WoodProtector does not put down a ‘slippy’ surface; or worse a glossy or oily ‘slippy’ surface such as varnish or teak oil when first applied. The WoodProtector is very quickly absorbed (almost sucked) into the cleaned wood and dries speedily.
Frankly, any surface with loads of water on it is an innate ‘slippery’ place and
this is especially true for yacht decks and hence another example of ‘one hand for the boat and one for yourself!’
The
WoodProtector, in normal dry conditions, does not engineer a slippery surface as
other products do. And it certainly does not ‘enhance’ an innate slippery
surface!
Does the WoodProtector help prevent staining and 'algae'?
Yes it does. Wood gets 'stained' from natural sources such as UV, algae and dirt in the rain or atmospheric dust. In addition man made stains from food etc. will always occur.Wood in a non marine environmnet, such as tables, chairs, gates, cladding and sculptures suffers as much UV and weathering from rain as a yacht deck. Furniture also gets heavy family use from al fresco eating, barbecue fats, coffee cups, wine glasses and the like.
Finally, a fresh water environment is also more condusive to an ‘algae growing environment’ as salt water on a boat acts as a natural algae repellent.
The WoodProtector helps prevent all the types of staining mentioned. However, it won't stop a prolonged or very aggressive attack from fuels or acids etc.
What do I do if I get a deep stain after I've used the WoodProtector?
Simply clean the specific area to get back to the wood finish you started with (and if necessary the rest of the visible area nearby to 'feather the look'), wait for the wood to dry and re-apply some new WoodProtector.Can I do the work on sunny hot days?
Yes and no!It does no harm to clean on a sunny days and the product effectiveness is not reduced in any way.
However, it's more cost effective if you can undertake the cleaning work on non-sunny days, evenings after the sun has gone down or in shaded areas. Why? Because wood tends to dry quickly in bright sunshine and you'll need to keep wetting the surfaces which uses more solution!
Don't apply WoodProtector in direct blazing sunlight. You wouldn't varnish or paint in very hot conditions and the same common sense is needed when applying the WoodProtector. If it's generally warm then WoodProtector will dry more quickly and that's fine. As no edges are left with normal application it won't harm. You'll be able to see where you've been (whether its bright or dull)!
Can I do the work on rainy days?
Yes and no! Yes...if it's the cleaning part then some additional wet won't really harm but heavy rain will dilute the cleaner (marginally). Use your judgement and who wants to be working in a heavy downpour anyway. A light shower is no problem!
No...if it's the Protector. The manufacturer says use on dry wood and we stand by that recommendation (although the mildest shower in the middle of a treatment won't really harm...so don't worry if you get caught out!).
Does the WoodProtector wear down through use?
Yes
just as other finishes wear down through use but it takes a lot
longer. Keep an eye on high use areas and if necessary quickly
re-clean and reapply some further protector to that area (including a
small overlap).Can I apply WoodProtector to new wood?
WoodProtector is recommended especially for new hard or softwood as it allows you to build up maximumsurface protection right from the start so as to preserve the natural grain and colour.
We'd recommend a light clean with the WoodCleaner+Brightner first. This will remove any dirt that has been picked up in manufacture, transit, storage and final handling whilst fitting. Grease and dirt from from hands, boots, tools etc. will be 'bound-in' if not cleaned. This shouldn't impact the protection but may make the visual finish less than optimum!
Can I use WoodProtector on all woods?
If you've paid a lot of money for your wood and want to preserves the visual appearance then we'd recommend it's use on all woods; both hardwood and softwood.Some hardwoods are extremely hard and dense (far more than oak or teak) and those species of wood take up less water naturally. WoodProtector relies on a degree of water absorbtion so extremely dense hardwoods don't take up the same level of protection as a softer wood in one go. Applications over time are better.
Will the wood turn grey/silver again?
Extensive
tests in Australia have shown that even after more than 10 months, UV
protection is still active, and the wood surface becomes just a little
lighter over this period.The wood can be easily cleaned. Dirt, algae, and moss struggle to take hold on the surface and rinsing with clean
water and a sponge should be sufficient to remove any surface dirt.
If it's been so long since the wood was cleaned and the silver/grey patina has re-emerged in certain areas, then re-apply HOLMENKOL WoodCleaner+Brightener to clean these areas until they have the colour they had before first applying WoodProtector.
This partial cleaning is much less laborious than the first cleaning as WoodProtector effectively protects the lower wood layers from deep dirt. Therefore hardly any wood is removed from the surface, so the wood will not be "scrubbed off" and the protection lasts much longer.
In these areas, apply 2 layers of WoodProtector as only a small amount remains in the wood due to
intense cleaning and brushing.
When I clean the wood in future will it take me as long as the first time?
This answer depends on how long it is between each cleaning period. The time taken to clean, and if necesary reapply WoodProtector, should be a lot quicker than the first clean and protection process that occurred on dirty and unprotected wood. If you've got a particular bad spot for your wood (e.g. under trees with heavy tree sap and bird lime) then cleaning will still be laborious but it should be quicker than had it not been protected.
If you've let the wood get dirtier and dirtier over time then expect it to take a long time!
It's analagous to using your car in offroad conditions and waiting months between each clean. When you eventually do clean it, it'll need far more effort than if you had rinsed the vehicle every week to get rid of the dirt at the time!
Can the whole process be applied to previous finishes and do I have to sand the surface?
Previously varnished!
If your wooden surfaces have been varnished, then applying WoodProtector on top is not recommended. It's a hard slog, but stripping off the varnish and sanding back to bare 'original' wood is the only option. At that point you have a 'virgin' surface and can see the original beauty of the natural wood.
Previously Oiled!
Visually, the WoodProtector allows the natural underlying wood colour and grain to be seen. It will therefore reveal what’s underneath - good or bad!
Experience tells us that if you have used oil in the past, and presuming it was done some time ago, it's either been absorbed by the wood and/or evaporated and the surface has just become ‘grubby’ visually.So our view would be that the real time to judge whether to sand or not, will be after you’ve cleaned the surface(s) to be treated.
It’s difficult to describe 'judgments', but if you feel you can see a nice even colour and texture of the wood after it’s been cleaned and has dried (and accepting that wood has natural colour variation within itself) then we'd say use the WoodProtector without sanding! In simple terms if you like what you see then use the WoodProtector.
On the other hand, if the cleaned surface looks really variable or horrible in colour and texture and you don’t like what you see, then you can choose to sand as you see fit. If there's marked variability and you apply WoodProtector on top then it’ll only bug you later on as the variability will still be seen through!
In all jobs, the key is preparation. The preparation in this context is the cleaning process; especially as it has had oil applied previously. Don’t leave yourself short on this activity.
If you have large areas to clean and prepare (e.g. 40/50ft yacht with a full teak deck), then we'd go for the1 litre bottle of 8-in-1 Cleaner first. You can make gallons of cleaner very cost effectively, clean hard and be generous! It won’t have the ‘brightening’ element in it. However, you can ‘top-off’ with a final WoodCleaner+Brightener 'rinse' which should bring back a more even colour finish due to the mild oxygen bleaching effect on the wood.
Finally, you’ll really get a massive benefit from the MicroBrush! It’s so kind to the wood yet helps the clean process enormously.
The chandler brushes can be really harsh on decks!
‘Don’t spoil the ship for a ha’peth of tar!’