Textrol is a penetrating wood oil finish for exterior softwood and hardwood on both horizontal and vertical surfaces. It is a penetrative product which saturates the wood to protect it from within – as there’s no film on the surface it will not peel or flake.
Textrol enhances the natural beauty of the wood whilst providing a mildew-resistant finish with exceptional and long-lasting protection from the effects of moisture, weathering and UV rays. It can be applied wet-on-wet which saves time as you don’t need to wait for coats to dry during application and the maintenance is easy with local touch-ups and no laborious sanding required!
When first applied, Textrol will give the wood a rich, matt colour which will gradually lighten over time to the finished look. It is now available in 4 different colours for a range of looks all with premium protection.
Why should I use Textrol?
If you are looking for a finish that brings life to older wood and allows the wood to shine through then Textrol is perfect for doing just that. It is also great if you are looking for a protection from the effects of moisture, UV rays and weathering.
The maintenance of Textrol is very simple too, there is no sanding required and you can bring the finish back to life with a few localised touch-ups wherever you may need them.
When Textrol is first applied it will leave the wood looking nice and rich. Over time this will fade into a lighter colour to give the finished look. Using this oil-based wood finish gives you the best of both worlds. It provides brilliant protection from the elements while enhancing the beauty of the wood.
Applying Textrol to hardwood or softwood couldn’t be simpler, it is a nice and quick process with very simple clean up. As Textrol’s place is within the wood, the application process involves repeated coats being applied ‘wet-on-wet’ until no more oil can be absorbed into the wood.
Ideal Uses for Textrol Penetrating Wood Oil
- Reviving dried-out and weather-beaten decks
- Protecting garden fencing and gates from splitting and cracking
- Maintaining decking with no laborious sanding
- Enhancing the natural wood look of garden furniture
- Showcasing beautiful sidings and cladding
- Protecting decks for the future
Please Note swatches are given as a guide only and are based on use for light coloured softwoods. Actual colour will depend on the type and age of the wood surface treated. Always test a sample first before coating the entire surface.
Surface Preparation
New wood surfaces
New wood surfaces have a hard shiny surface known as mill glaze which prevents maximum penetration and bonding of any finish. To properly prepare the surface for application, and minimise splitting, swelling, cupping and checking caused by exposure to the sun and rain, first treat with Seasonite and allow the wood to weather for 6-12 months before applying Textrol.
Weathered wood surfaces
All surfaces must first be clean, dry and free of dirt, grease, grime and mildew. If any mildew is present, treat it with a solution of 1 part bleach to 3 parts water. Scrub the solution on to the surface and allow to stand for 10-15 minutes then rinse thoroughly. Clean weathered wood with Net-Trol to remove the loose wood fibres, dirt and other surface contaminants. If necessary sand the surface after cleaning (80 grit paper). After cleaning, allow the wood to dry for 2-3 days before finishing.
Previously oiled surfaces
Textrol may only be applied to bare wood surfaces or a weathered wood that was previously finished with Textrol. All other oils or sealers must be completely and thoroughly removed with a wood oil remover such as Owatrol’s Aquanett and then the surface must be cleaned and neutralised with Net-Trol before applying Textrol. If necessary sand the surface after cleaning and stripping (80 grit paper). After cleaning, allow the wood to dry for 2-3 days before finishing.
Previously coated surfaces
Textrol may only be applied to bare wood surfaces or a weathered wood surface that was previously finished with Textrol. All previous coating must be completely and thoroughly removed with a stripper such as Owatrol’s Dilunett and neutralised with Net-Trol before applying Textrol. If necessary sand the surface after cleaning and stripping (80 grit paper). After cleaning, allow the wood to dry for 2-3 days before finishing.
Application of Textrol penetrating wood oil
Application Tools
- Brush
- Roller
- Air-less sprayer .011 – .015 fluid tip/ 700-800 psi or less
- Garden sprayer
Apply the first coat of Textrol and allow it to penetrate into the wood (15-30 minutes). Apply a second application and allow it to penetrate for 15-30 minutes. If required repeat this procedure until the wood is saturated i.e. will accept no more oil. Do not allow Textrol to become touch dry or dry between coats. Once the timber is saturated, brush out or wipe up any excess product that has not penetrated to avoid shiny spots. NOTE: Textrol is not a surface coating, its place is in the wood not on the surface.
Maintenance
Decks & other horizontal surfaces
Most decks & horizontal surfaces will only require a maintenance application of Textrol every other year. A single application of Textrol every other year will be sufficient to refresh the natural beauty of the deck/horizontal surface and to maintain protection. A periodic clean between applications with Net-trol to remove dirt and contamination will renew the appearance of the wood.
Cladding & other vertical surfaces
Most cladding and vertical surfaces will only require touch up applications of Textrol. When areas treated with Textrol turn grey, clean with Net-trol and apply a single application of Textrol to replace material which has weathered out. Areas retaining good colour do not need a maintenance application. Badly weathered areas may require 2 applications of Textrol (apply the second application as soon as the first has penetrated the wood). Surfaces with harsh exposures to the sun and weather will weather wear more quickly than other areas. If this happens, clean effected areas with Net-Trol and apply Textrol as necessary, blending into areas which still have good colour.
Clean Up
Clean all tools and equipment with white spirit whilst still wet. If allowed to dry, remove with paint stripper.
NOTE: Any rags, steel wool etc. soaked in Textrol may spontaneously catch fire if improperly discarded. These must be saturated with water after use or placed in a sealed, water filled metal container, before disposing with household waste.
Things to Remember
- Before starting, test the colour choice on a small area. Allow to dry to determine final colour (remember that this colour will lighten over a couple of months to the final colour).
- Cover everything you do not wish to coat, including plants and shrubs.
- Apply between 5°C and 35°C.
- Do not apply if cold and/or wet weather is expected within 24-48 hours.
- Mix product thoroughly before and during application.
- Do not thin.
- Always work the entire length of a deck board or horizontal siding to a logical break, such as a window or door frame.
- Never stop the application in the middle of the wall.
- Vertical siding should be coated from top to bottom.
- Do not allow to dry between coats – apply Textrol ‘wet on wet’
- After spray application, always back-brush or back-roll to improve penetration and uniformity of coverage
- If using an airless sprayer it should be .011 – .015 fluid tip/ 700-800 psi or less
J. Allerton –
Verified Owner
Easy to apply with brush or cloth (on rails), certainly looks good, waiting to see how it weathers over winter…
Sandy Langford –
Please would you pass on my grateful thanks to Ken for the free Aquanet to sort the rain damage to the then newly treated Textrol decking. We have now had sufficient good weather to try it out and it has certainly worked. I have also used it to remove some Textrol splash marks from the white upvc step too where I had tried all sorts of things to remove them but none had any effect whatsoever until Aquanet.
The finish of Textrol is worth waiting for and even when unexpected disasterous weather arrives or accidental splashes occur on white plastic, it can be rectified! Excellent customer service, thanks.
David Lawson –
Verified Owner
In 1998 I bought a full set of Hardwood garden furniture, and life promptly overtook me, and I ended up neglecting it. The external surfaces oxidised, turned a “silver” colour, and life went on. In 2007, I moved house and took the set with me as it was a long lasting hardwood not attainable these days. After the Big Recession in 2008/2009 I started to drift into “Retirement Mode”, and belatedly thoughts returned to sorting out the garden furniture. Out came the Sander, rolled the sleeves up and set to.
Two months later a big garden table and 8 chairs were sanded down to the original wood, and the moment arrived …… will it restore or not?
It did, and Textrol did a fantastic job, I was mentally prepared for parts of it to be beyond restoration after – literally – 12 years outside bare to the elements – wind, rain, snow, the lot(!). It was incredible, it restored just like new, repeals water like a medieval crewman repealing borders on his ship, and – literally – looks like new.
If this stuff can do that kind of restoration job …. well, it’ll “do anything” as they say. For the last 5 years I have dutifully given it a single light coat at the Season start, and a single light coat to “tuck it up” for the winter under proper garden furniture waterproof covers.
So here we are, now 17 years since I bought the hardwood garden furniture set, having now treated it properly for the last 5 years, and its stunning …… all the original patination is still there, the colour is as vibrant as ever, there is no “thick layer” building up to a mess (its all soaking in nicely).
I cannot praise this stuff highly enough, if my garden furniture can survive that abuse, be restored to new, and turn it into a waterproof vibrant wood – it’ll do anything if you use it wisely, sparingly and as per instructions on the tin. Run don’t walk and get some – and provided you initially sand it all down very carefully (take the time to do it properly) – you will not regret it, magical results ….. 🙂
Sue Thompson –
Verified Owner
This is the second time that I have bought Textrol, and I wouldn’t consider buying anything else for our hardwood decking. The first tin lasted two seasons and after each treatment, the wood reverted to its original condition, with complimentary comments from everyone who saw it.
Michele Williams –
Verified Owner
With 100sq m of decking which is exposed to the sea air keeping it looking good is always going to be an expensive business. I have adhered to the Owatrol system (Seasonite/Netrol/Textrol) since the wood was new and treated it annually. 3 years on there is no flaking and water still sits on the wood. The real test will come this year when I sit back and put the ‘system’ to test. There is no doubt that Textrol knocks the others into a cocked hat and it’s simple to apply.
John Cunningham –
Verified Owner
Been meaning to protect my hardwood decking for a few years and let it slip, so I firstly needed to clean the wood prior to oiling it. I spent ages online reading reviews and looking at processes to remove the aged look of the wood and the moss covered areas. I am so lucky I didn’t waste my money on cheaper alternatives to begin and have to redo the deck. I made the decision to spend that little bit more on these products and get it right the first time as I really didn’t want to waste time, effort and money on failed attempts. I bought both the Net-trol to clean and Textrol to protect and though expensive together, its so much cheaper than paying some company to do the job. I applied a coat of Net-trol (using old paint brush) to a pre soaked decking in sections working to the instructions and keeping it wet for 15mins by reapplying a mix of 3-to-1 water with Net-trol that I mixed in an old paint bucket, then washed it all off with a hose and scrubbing some parts with a brush. The wood when dry looked like i had just sanded down the decking, I was amazed at how easy that part was. Left it for a few days to dry fully, then planned to protect it using the Textrol. I bought a mini paint roller from DIY store and poured small amounts of oil into the tray and applied it to the wood using the roller. It was so easy this way and took me about 1.5 hours to apply two coats of oil. The results were stunning! From grey weathered wood that was slowly turning green over the past few years, I now had a deep hardwood decking fully restored for minimal effort and £100 cost. I really can not praise the products enough and how easy it all was to do. Well worth paying a few pound more and getting the right result first time.
Eileen Chin –
Verified Owner
I was genuinely surprised by the superb results that I got from Textrol. My furniture had been sadly neglected and weathered for many years. It now looks as good as the day that I bought it. Amazing!
Jacqueline –
Verified Owner
This is a great product which we use in our second year. Make sure you buy enough as you will need more than suggested. We used it also on our furniture with great results and looking fantastic. Delivery was very quick and we can only recommend this product even if it is pricy.
helmut –
Verified Owner
Well, what can i say except ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT.
Before I read a blog about owatrol products I went with the advice of a so called Expert and was utterly disgusted with the result. I had spent over £120 and all I got was a worse looking decking than I ever had. I had no other choice but to remedy this and that’s when I read about owatrol.
OK, cost rather more than the like of conceal, cuprinol and others I could mention but the result I have achieved leaves me kind of gobsmacked.
I could not be happier with the outcome. the decking NEVER LOOKED BETTER.
I can only recommend to spend the extra money for this product, if applied as instructed (and I am 63 year old with two left hands DIY-er) nobody will be disappointed with the result.
…and if the maintenance is going to be as good as the first job I will be proud as punch and gladly pay the extra £££.
Tom –
After a little accident with the sprayer emptying 5l of the Textrol on the deck I finally finished. I must say my wife and I are very pleased with the end result. Expensive but you can clearly see where the quality is.
Thank you for your assistance.