Wood finishes, oils, sealers and waxes in stock in Cape Town, with nationwide delivery across South Africa. Whether you are sealing a deck, oiling a worktop or reviving old furniture, the finish you choose matters more than the brand name on the tin — so here is how to pick.
Oil, varnish or sealer?
A varnish or polyurethane forms a hard film on the surface. It is tough, but when it fails it cracks and peels, and the repair means sanding the whole surface back.
An oil or hardwax oil soaks into the timber instead. It cannot peel, a worn patch can be cleaned and re-oiled in place, and the wood keeps its natural feel rather than looking coated in plastic. For floors, worktops and furniture this is usually the better long-term choice, which is why it is what most of our customers end up buying.
A sealer is not a finish on its own. Rustins Sanding Sealer seals the grain so your topcoat goes on evenly and you use less of it — worth doing on open-grained timber like pine or oak.
Floors and worktops
Osmo Polyx®-Oil is the hardwax oil we sell most of, in gloss (3011), satin (3032), semi-matt (3065) and matt (3062), plus Express and Rapid for a faster cure and Anti-Slip 3088/3089 for stairs and wet areas. Rubio Monocoat is a single-coat alternative that colours and protects in one pass. For kitchen worktops and chopping boards use a food-safe oil such as Osmo Chopping Board Oil or Rustins Chopping Board Oil.
Decking and exterior timber
Decking oil is the right product for a deck — not a varnish, which will blister in South African sun. Osmo Decking Oil 430 Anti-Slip keeps grip when wet; Rustins Decking Oil and Rustins Textured Decking Oil are more affordable options. Against sun greying, Osmo UV-Protection-Oil 410 and EXTRA 420 slow the process (420 adds film protection against algae and mould, worth it on shaded or coastal walls). For garden furniture, Liberon Garden Furniture Oil and Howard Sunshield Outdoor Furniture Wax.
Teak, tung and danish oil
Liberon Teak Oil is made for teak, iroko and other naturally oily hardwoods, where a standard oil struggles to penetrate. Danish and tung oils are thinner, soak deeper and suit bare furniture and turned work. Rustins Exterior Wood Oil and Rustins Door Oil cover exterior joinery and front doors.
Waxes and restoring old furniture
Liberon covers the restoration end: Beeswax Paste and Liquid with turpentine, Purified Beeswax, Liming Wax for an aged white-grain look, Black Patinating and Verdigris Wax for metal effects, Spirit Dyes for colour, and Easy French Polish. Howard covers everyday care — Orange Oil furniture polish, Restor-A-Shine, Butcher Block Conditioner and the Chalk-Tique waxes for chalk-painted pieces. Clapham's and Joe Mama's beeswax salad-bowl finishes are food safe for bowls and boards.
Not sure which to use?
Tell us the timber, where it is and how much traffic or weather it takes, and we will point you at the right product. Bring an offcut to our Claremont shop and we will test a finish on it with you before you commit to a tin. We stock Osmo, Rubio Monocoat, Liberon, Rustins, Howard, Clapham's and Joe Mama's, and deliver throughout South Africa.
