For hardwoods, the Dane Care range includes lyes from Woca and Faxe, both Danish manufacturers who market lyes with different characteristics and uses.
All of their lye products, barring Woca Softwood Lye, can be used on hardwoods; oak, ash and other; Douglas Fir too.
Put simply lye as presented by the Danes is a unique liquid that helps protect wood and keep it from turning yellow over time. Think of it as making the wood look lighter and keeps it looking nice and fresh.
After using the lye, you must complete the wood protection by using finishes such as oil, soap or lacquer or soap.
You can use Wood Lye on any type of wood whether used for floors, furniture, or even wooden stairs. It wont normally be used outside.
Why prepare with lye?
As wood has a clear finish applied it will take a much richer, yellow, honey tone. This may be elegant and traditional with hardwoods, but fewer people appreciate this with softwoods that can appear orangey. Furthermore as wood gets older, it changes colour again and gets darker.
Danish Lyes are principally of two types; Softwood or Universal. On reviewing customer feedback about these lyes then the key phrases are: ‘a light, white, scandi feel’, ‘a cool design’, ‘a soft, peaceful look’, ‘a calm, quiet feeling with warm tones’, ‘a simple light colour’ and ‘textures you can feel with your hands’.
Basically, Danish lyes helps you complete protection for your wood and keep it light and beautiful. As the wood gets older, it will actually get lighter still hence only looks better and better! Designers love this system to create spaces that feel natural, calm, and timeless.
Why oil finishing?
Oil will give a fully protected finish AND allow the even application of white pigment to achieve your aesthetic wish without the risks that come with lacquer; yellowing, poor adhesion, application marks.
Soap finishing of a lye treated hardwood is not specified. The alkali nature of the soap concentrate that is needed achieve any degree of protection is too high and will discolour the hardwood before it becomes lighter.
Subsequent cleaning.
This will be with a thinner of solution of the white Woca Natural Soap. Since the wood will by this time be fully oiled and cured then the soap can do its thing and continuously add its own oiliness and nourishment to the wood as well as depositing a fine amount of white pigment into the surface. This fine deposit of soap then becomes a barrier between wood and dirt. So next time the floor is cleaned and grime that has adhered to the surface will dissolve away and be far easier to remove from the floor.