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 Antique Lye, can be used on softwoods; pine, spruce and larch. Douglas Fir also, but the colour of Softwood Lye on this wood isnt pleasing.
In summary:
Woca Softwood Lye + Oil or soap for pine, spruce, larch
Woca Wood Lye + Oil or soap for pine, spruce, larch and douglas fir
Faxe Universal Lye + Oil or soap for pine, spruce, larch and douglas fir
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.
Choosing between oil and soap finishing?
Soaping is not only easy and low cost, but gives a distinct white and soft feel to the wood. In time soap builds up and what was a matt floor takes a satin sheen. However, my pitch to those choosing to soap is that they dont ring me in the first six months saying the floor is prone to looking dirty. Soap takes time to impregnate and build a solid finish, hence you need to be damp cleaning with the soap solution regularly to achieve the full finish.
If that sounds onerous then Oil will immediately give a fully protected finish AND allow the even application of white pigment to achieve your aesthetic wish. The wood is given a solid start and will wear well whilst being cleaned in time with soap. In time it essentially becomes a soaped floor.
We dont recommend lacquering or hardwax over softwood floors. There are considerable risks; yellowing, poor adhesion, application marks. In addition I have seen terrible wear patterns on such floors that I've never seen on soaped or oiled.
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.