Treatex Hardwax Oil and Other Options for Personalising a Wood Mantelpiece
All of the most well-thought out living rooms have a focal point - something that commands your attention when you enter a room - and for a lot of households this tends to be the mantelpiece. A well-styled mantelpiece is a great way to set the look and feel of your living room. Are you going for something cosy and inviting? Modern and minimalist? Stylish and sheek? Once you’ve figured this out, it’s time to start tailoring it to match your vision.
With the right personal touches, your wood mantelpiece can become the living room feature piece that you’ve been searching for. But with a seemingly endless amount of decoration options, it can be hard to know where to start. Luckily, we have a solution for you. Treatex Hardwax Oil is the perfect way to get a headstart on personalising your wood mantelpiece. Our Hardwax Oil is the perfect finish for your wood mantelpiece: not only is it a durable, water repellent oil, but it also produces a gorgeous finished product without making you compromise the wood’s natural charm. This guide will cover everything you need to know about Treatex Hardwax Oil - from how it works to what varieties it comes in - as well as additional ways that you can make your wood mantelpiece something to be proud of.
Personalising Your Wood Mantelpiece with Treatex Hardwax Oil
What is Treatex Hardwax Oil?
Treatex Hardwax Oil is an oil-based wood finish designed for interior use. Unlike other types of oil, hardwax oil provides an aesthetically pleasing and very natural looking finishing method, without forming a “plastic”-esque film over the wood (which can obscure its grain and texture). Manufactured with a combination of natural oils and waxes, its exceeding popularity is down to its ability to simultaneously enhance and protect the natural features of a wooden surface.
How Will Treatex Hardwax Oil Enhance the Appearance of My Wood Mantelpiece?
Treatex Hardwax Oil works differently to other finishes: rather than forming a film to coat the wood, it penetrates into the wood’s surface to protect it internally. Not only does this enhance the appearance of the surface, but it also creates a finish that is resistant to cracks, flaking and peeling.
What varieties does Treatex Hardwax Oil come in?
Treatex Hardwax Oil is available in two key models. Whilst both possess different properties, they both achieve consistently fantastic results.
Treatex Hardwax Oil Ultra (Natural)
Want to treat your wooden mantelpiece with a nice wood finish without ruining the wood’s natural colour or texture? Treatex Hardwax Oil Ultra Natural is specially formulated to help preserve the natural beauty of light coloured timbers. This hardwax oil is user friendly, easy to apply and quick to dry. It provides an attractive finish, whilst also being long-lasting and durable.
The Ultra Natural Oil contains a small amount of white pigment which allows it to be used in two different ways:
As a base coat for lighter timbers: If you want the ability to protect a light coloured timber whilst also preserving its natural colour as much as possible, Treatex Hardwax Oil Ultra Natural can be applied as a base coat under Treatex Hardwax Oil Ultra Clear to neutralise the warming effect.
As a top coat for surfaces treated with Spruce Colour Tone: For a more pure white, seal Spruce Colour Tone with two coats of Treatex Hardwax Oil Ultra Natural. When Treatex Hardwax Oil Ultra Clear is applied on top of our Spruce colour tone, it can have a slightly yellowing effect on the colour.
Treatex Hardwax Oil Ultra Natural is easy to maintain with our great selection of maintenance products, and spot repair solutions if the surface is damaged. It contains no biocides or preservatives, based on our formulation of sustainable raw materials, such as candelilla, carnauba and beeswax. This oil works best with light coloured timbers, such as oak, ash beech, birch, maple and sycamore.
Treatex Hardwax Oil Ultra (Clear)
If you want to not only preserve your wood mantelpiece’s natural beauty, but also enhance and show it off, Treatex Hardwax Oil Ultra Clear is the product for you. This Hardwax Oil is a fantastic timber treatment, following the success of previous formulas whilst also improving upon them an ease of application and the durability of the finish.
Like the Ultra Natural Oil, the Ultra Clear is easy to ease and quick-drying, creating a long-lasting and attractive finish for any wooden surface. This includes floors, doors, stairs, furniture and kitchen worktops, as well as mantelpieces. The Ultra Clear can also be combined with our excellent range of maintenance products and spot repair solutions.
Treatex Hardwax Oil Ultra Clear contains no biocides or preservatives and is made up of a formulation of sustainable raw materials, including carnauba, beeswax, candelilla wax, as well as linseed, sunflower and jojoba oils. It is recommended for all kinds of timber, but please note that dense or oily timbers might require you to use it in conjunction with Treatex Thinner. It can also produce a warming effect on some kinds of timber.
Tips for Applying Treatex Hardwax Oil
● Do not apply the product on too thick as this will significantly extend the time it takes to dry. For best results, raise the room temperature and increase the airflow by opening windows or using a fan.
● It’s essential to use good quality brushes and rollers for application. We stock a range of trade standard brushes, rollers and trays which are ideal for any interior or exterior project.
● Make sure to wrap a plastic bag around wet rollers and brushes to prevent them from drying out between coats.
How Else Can I Personalise My Wood Mantelpiece?
Whilst Treatex Hardwax Oil is a great way of starting to personalise your wood mantelpiece, there are a ton of other extra touches you can make to keep enhancing its charm.
Wood Paint
Whilst the Treatex Hardwax Oil allows you to preserve the wood’s natural beauty, you might also want to give your mantelpiece a new look. Fortunately, with Treatex’s range of wood colour stains, you can have the best of both worlds. Between our Colour Tones Ultra, Classic Colour Collection and Eco Colour ranges, you’re bound to find the colour best suited to the feel of your mantelpiece.
Decorative Items
So: the wood of your mantelpiece is looking fantastic, but you shouldn’t stop there! A big part of making your mantelpiece your own is what you put on top of it. Whilst there are endless possibilities when it comes to putting together a flawless mantelpiece display - from the artistic to the sentimental - here are a few ideas to get you started.
● Picture frames
● Candlesticks
● Vases
● Clocks
● Prints or paintings
● Mirrors
● Books
● Flowers or plants
Additional Decoration Tips
Now that you have a good idea of what to personalise your mantelpiece with, it’s time to start decorating. But you shouldn’t just place items at random - your display requires a certain level of balance and proportion. These simple guidelines will help you to be thoughtful with your decorating decisions.
● Variation: You should add items of different shapes and sizes. Start with taller items at the back, before working your way forward with smaller ones.
● Layering: Don’t be afraid to layer items in front of one another - it helps to create depth. Remember: a mantelpiece is not a photograph, and your guests won’t always be looking at it straight-on. Items in the foreground should overlap those in the back so that it’s not obscured.
● Symmetry: One tried-and-tested formula is to place an accent piece in the middle of the mantel, and then flank it either side with smaller, matching items. The mirror image it creates will look neat and precise.
● Avoid overcrowding: Whilst it’s good to have variety, avoid adding so many objects that it begins to look cluttered. Give your decorative pieces breathing room or they’ll end up getting lost in the mess.
Treatex: Leading Suppliers in Wooden Floor Protection and Wood Colour Stains
Here at Treatex, we are passionate about everything wooden. Wood possesses qualities that no other material does - it is warm, smooth to touch and its dynamic colour and texture is a treat for the eye. We specialise in high-quality wood finishes that enhance the natural beauty of wood. Our finishes are also designed to protect your wood from any potential damage or wear. All Treatex finishes are easy to apply, attractive and very durable.
We have established ourselves as one of the top suppliers of wood finishes in the UK, Europe and Australasia by honing in on the deliverance of exceptional customer service. Whether you need a water repellant oil, a fun wood colour stain for a summer house door, or a finish to help with boat deck protection, our friendly, knowledgeable team are always on hand to offer guidance and answer any queries. With our extensive range of products, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for at Treatex. For more information, please give us a call on 01844 260416, or fill out our online form.