How many coats of Osmo finish should I apply?

I am often asked how many coats of Osmo finish should be applied to projects. As with most things in woodworking, there is no hard and fast rule. I know this can be a frustrating answer. It really depends on how much protection the piece needs and how you are applying the finish. I think we can all agree that a dining table requires more protection than a curio cabinet.

The next part - the application method - is a bit trickier to quantify, at least for the individual working in the shop. Luckily Osmo recently sent me this graphic, which quantifies how much total finish is needed for protection and how much finish different methods lay down per coat. Yes, it is in metric, but I think we can still get the gist of it. Easy Pads (or any lint free cloth) produce the thinnest coats, which means you will need more coats to achieve the highest durability. Microfiber rollers, on the other hand, will produce the thickest coats so you can rapidly achieve the most protection. And don’t be afraid to use different application tools on the same project, especially if you are more comfortable (and get better results) with one. Perhaps you get the best results using lint free cloths, but dread applying several coats in order to achieve more durability. You could use a microfiber roller for the first coat or two and end with a coat using the lint free cloth.

I hope this clarifies part of the finishing equation. Now you just have to decide how much protection your piece needs.