What's the difference between all the Osmo finishes?

It seems there is a lot of confusion out there over the differences between all the Osmo products. I am asked all the time about how to choose which finish to use, and am constantly told the numbers just add to the confusion. And I totally get it. I felt the same way when first starting to use Osmo on my own projects. While I won’t be covering every single product Osmo makes, I can offer some guidance on the ones I do. I’ll try to make this as simple as possible.

There are three lines that I currently carry: Clear Extra Thin, TopOil, and Polyx.

The Clear Extra Thin 1101 has the LEAST amount of wax of all the Osmo finishes. Because of this, it penetrates the wood more deeply. It was created to be used on exotic woods that have a naturally high oil content. However, it can also be used on domestics. Why would you want to do so? Because it is also great at bringing out the depth of figure in figured woods such as curly & birdseye maple, crotches & burls, etc. Another thing it excels at is darkening walnut wood (again, because of the minimal wax content it really saturates the wood fibers). I often use it as a base coat on walnut before top coating with Osmo Polyx. And yes, it does need a top coat.

The TopOil 3045 finish is food safe. That means it’s great for kitchen utensils, bowls, and accessories; countertops, butcher blocks, and cutting boards; and children’s toys. You are not restricted to these categories though. I once used it on a dining table for a family with very young children. I figured there was a good chance those kids mouths would end up on it at some point. I currently only carry the clear satin, but there is a matte and a couple of tinted variations (if interested in these, please let me know).

Now we come to the Polyx family. I think this is the one that trips people up a bit. It is comprised of five individual products. Four are clear, and one is not. Let’s start with the one that is not - Osmo Effect/Neutral/Raw 3041 (I have seen it referred to all three ways which also adds to the confusion). It has a 2% white tint in it to counter the natural ambering of lighter woods, such as maple, ash, and white oak. You can use either 1 or 2 coats, depending on the look you are after. You will never get a truly white finish from it because it only has so much white in it. It has more of a matte finish to it and should be topcoated with a clear Osmo finish. I have used it on both maple and ash, and the wood looks almost bare afterwards.

UPDATE: As of 2022, Osmo has discontinued Polyx 3041. I know many of you are disappointed, as am I - it was one of my favorite finishes for light woods. It has been replaced with Polyx Raw Matte 3051. 3051 still has some white tint in it, just not as much as 3041. It will still counter the ambering of lighter woods. However, you can apply multiple coats of 3051 without the white building up and becoming visible in the pores, which is what would happen with 3041.

The remaining four clear Polyx finishes can be further distinguished by their sheen levels. 3011 is a gloss finish, the highest sheen of the group. You can also buff it after the last coat to bring the sheen up a bit, if desired. 3031 is a matte finish, the lowest sheen available. That brings us to 3043 and 3054, which are both satin finishes.

So why are there two different clear satin Polyx finishes? 3054 is the original North American formulation. 3043 is a slightly thinner variation of it, in order to make it easier to apply by brush or roller. You can also apply both with a non abrasive woven pad or lint free cloth. And you can even be a rebel and apply 3054 with a brush or roller - it just might take a little more finesse.

I hope this helps clear up some of the confusion. As I add more Osmo products to my site, I will update this information. As always, please reach out if you have any questions.