Osmo Oil customer service is absolutely horrendous! Has anyone else had problems with them?
I’m a professional decorator and one of my clients asked me to use Osmo oil on an exterior timber project. I’ve never used Osmo Oil, so I phoned their customer service to check the recommended period beforemy client would need to apply another coat for maintenance.
My Experience With Their Customer Service Department
I got through to someone staight away, giving me all the “depending on this and that” that all companies come out with. He couldn’t give me a decent answer, but when he did try to give an answer, he wasn’t very convincing. So another recoat maybe needed in 8 months or 3 years, depending on the variables……..
So then I tell him he didn’t sound very convincing and surely they’ve got some sort of an idea on how long there products last in general UK weather, middle of the island type weather. I say that I may have to consider alternatives, to which he says “OK” and puts the phone down.
He also contradicted himself because he was telling me there clear UV oil doesn’t last as long as the tints, but online they are recommending the clear coat as a final coat to extend the life, to which he tells me this could be wrong.
So Osmo oil is a product which may not even last a year on an external, but if it does, we don’t even know how long that may be. We have a customer service rep who doesn’t know his own product and can’t answer a single question. Then to top it off, he puts the phone down on me!
I don’t very often do many wood staining jobs, maybe one small job a year, but I’ve always used Dulux unless specified. This a decent sized house with all oak doors and windows that are being sanded back to natural because the last job was done poorly with Sadolin.
I don’t know what to do now. Maybe I’ll go for Dulux or something completely different. I know one thing though; I’ll never use Osmo as long as I live! There are better exterior products out there!
What Other Decorators Think About Osmo Oil and Their Customer Service
The Osmo 420 UV protection is difficult to recoat. You’re looking at a good 2 months before it stops being tacky, which put me right off using it. I’m not surprised you’re having problems With Osmo Oil customer service because their products aren’t much better.
I had a convocation with the Osmo rep a few years back at brewers. he told me that the clear will break down 12 to 15 times quicker than a tinted oil. He said that it would need looking at after 6 months, especially on anything horizontal like windowsills, beads etc. I’ve seen tinted osmo fail after 12 months & it’s a ball ache putting it right again. It puts you off using Osmo Oil on an outside.
I had a similar experiance with Osmo last year. They recommended UV clear for two garden benches. Complete failure within six months. I spoke to them this year and they said UV is only for vertical surfaces not horizontal! They then suggested decking oil for the garden benches!! I have had to completely redo the job for my customer. Over to Barrentine who were much more helpful.
You’re always hearing about decorators having problems with Osmo Oil. The fact is, yes their oil looks awesome, but they don’t stand up in the great British weather, so they’re not fit for purpose. I’ve used them in the past and you’re having to go back over them every year which is ridiculous!! You should be able to apply a product and have faith it will last for three or four years before it starts to fail. Try Fiddes HD Wood Oil instead.
As a professional decorator, how could you possibly consider using this on a client’s house. There are far better alternative products available.
The longevity of Osmo oil is known to be crap. No wonder the customer service guy didn’t want to answer your questions. He probably doesn’t want to break any bad news to you.
I don’t mind the door oil for interiors.
Blog written by Michael Price – Professional Painter and Decorator
Always stick to sadolin dulux or crown great after sales service and great advice on any wood prior to staining and prepping.
Id like to pipe in. I thought I researched enough to choose Osmo oil for a friends project, very expensive stuff, So I just feel they should be more forthcoming on the product info IT DOES NOT WORK on paduk or obviously other oily woods. But their product info and info on the can does not indicate that it might just become a messy expensive proposition using Osmo, without grain sealer,
unless is there some kind of wax can cure the streaky look??
there are areas that now that its “dry” are dull looking even tho when carefully applied it looked consistent, . I just should have realized despite all the” wonder product” promo it does not perform dependably on paduk like Tru oil or many other finishes and does not really feel cured just waxy. Now since Ive been told shellac helps to seal paduk I wonder why I didn’t just use shellac in the first place. maybe I can find a wax to fix this and avoid have to strip it all and refinish
shocking i looked into the varnish they sell before i bought it,
i coated a new staircase that i was fitting before i fitted it
i have used ikea varnish the same as osmo and it dried clear the osmo was tinged white and looked awfull thinking i hope this does not go cream in 6 months time i had covered 10 spindles and decided to stop the works i had to buy 10 more spindles and start again osmo told me to wipe there varnish off with metherlated spirits but made it worse,,,,,,even a belt sander would not help do not use this stuff it’s horrible and not cheap
Ten years ago we paid a local firm to supply new oak windows for our period property. After 2 years we noticed blackening on the sills and uprights. I complained to osmo and was told that the 8 to 10 degree runoff slope was insufficient and should be 16 degrees but I do wonder why the problem is creeping up the frames. Very dissatisfied to say the least. The outfit that made the windows has since vanished.
I have used osmo 420 clear on my house with red cedar and it’s only lasted 6 months and now it’s gone all blotchy it’s very disappointing as it’s not cheap spoken with the rep and they are looking into it any suggestions
Thanks
Scott
Used Osmo UV protection oil on an old shopfront made of ?iroko after being recommended the product by a friend in Wales. 2 coats applied in summer of 2021 after sanding to 100 grit. This was in the Italian alps, facing south and thus exposed to much sun, and increased UV as at around 3000′ altitude. It does get wet, but not half as much as in the windy UK where we have constant driving rain.
By summer 2023, there was no obvious deterioration of the Osmo surface in Italy but it was washed down and a very thin maintenance coat applied anyway.
Considering the shopfront had had previous issues with peeling coatings, and how much effort removing previous coatings was, I’d say the Osmo oil was an improvement, but how it would compare to linseed oil, or other more hi-tech alternatives for example, is not something I can comment on.
Problem is, if, unlike me, you are a professional, there is a world of difference between a product that isn’t bad, and a good product. As an amateur, of course, I’m very happy with it.
Hi I emailed u 3 weeks ago u said u would send me samples off Osmo oil ?