INDURO VS OILS & LACQUERS

There are a few different types of wood finishes. The two main ones are lacquers and oils. Each has its pros and cons. Instead, we use Induro, which is actually right in the middle, so you’ve got all the best bits without any of the bad bits.

LACQUERS

Lacquers are very protective in terms of staining. The downside of lacquers is twofold. First, they can give the surface a plasticky look. Even with the best ones, where you don’t get as much plasticky look, it’s always somewhat apparent. However, the major downside to a lacquer is that they’re not completely stain-proof, so it will start to mark over time. It’s also definitely more susceptible to heat marking than oil.

Once it does start to mark and build up, you can’t really refinish it. As soon as you put more lacquer on it, it gets repelled by the existing lacquer. This means the whole table has to be stripped entirely so there’s no trace of lacquer left, and then refinished. The cost of doing that is the same as making a brand-new table. So, lacquer essentially gives you a disposable product. You have to accept that in a few years, you will have to buy a new table if it has been lacquered. It depends on how tolerant you are to stains building up and how much you look after it.

OILS

The major benefit of oil is that you can always refinish it—as long as it’s a good quality material like the solid timber we use for our Standard Oak and Statement Oak. You can repair marks that have appeared or just sand off the surface and re-oil it. So, oils are very good if you’re someone who wants to buy a product and keep it for life.

The downside of oils is that they’re not as protective as lacquers. The table will generally show signs of wear and tear more quickly. If you like things staying pristine, oil might get on your nerves quickly because it will show signs of use.

PRODUCT TESTING

We used to use oil, and we’ve used every kind of oil imaginable. I’ve tested them all against everything. I’ve had samples sat on my desk and tested each against olive oil mixed with turmeric to replicate Indian food being spilt. I’ve used red wine, water, coffee—all of it. I’ve had it sat on samples, let it soak in for different amounts of time, and cleaned it off, and the Induro finish that we now use performs better than anything.

INDURO FINISH

Induro is right between an oil and a lacquer. It has the protective qualities of a lacquer (with even better heat and scratch resistance). But it also has the benefit of oil: if it marks or you want to refresh the surface after a few years, it can be refinished. So, it doesn’t have the downside of a lacquer, which makes the product disposable.

With Induro, you’re getting all the plus sides from a performance point of view of a lacquer and all the plus sides from a longevity point of view of oil. But the best thing about it, or arguably the best thing when balancing it with performance characteristics, is that the visible surface quality is better than anything. It doesn’t have the artificial look of lacquer. It has a pristine appearance. When you rub your hand over it, it’s got a silky smooth feel to it as well. So, it keeps the wood looking and feeling as natural as possible with as much quality as possible. I can’t imagine we will ever find anything better than it. It’s the best that there is.