Although Osmo is a new name to North Americans, the brand is among the most established wood finish lines in Europe, with over 2,800 dealers in Germany alone. The company is currently looking for new dealers in North America, and it's offering retail distributors undeveloped territories and minimal opening order requirements. "Our dealers are overjoyed with the finishes, the demand for the product, and, especially, the profit opportunity," says Sean Reynolds of Osmo North America. 

 

Wood imparts beauty to a space like no composite imitation can match, but most flooring installers conceal the wood's natural beauty and texture under a polyurethane film. "Now, they have a better choice," says Reynolds. "Osmo Polyx is an all natural wood finish comprised of natural oils and waxes," he describes. "It preserves the look and feel of the wood, instead of covering it with a coat of plastic."

Unlike a urethane, Polyx is not film forming. Its oils penetrate and bond within the wood, so an Osmo finish cannot peel, blister, or crack. And another feature that sets it apart is that a Polyx finish is easy to touch up if there's wear on heavy traffic areas. The Osmo family includes DIY-friendly Polyx-Oil as well as a lower-VOC pro-grade option, Polyx Professional Hardwax Oil. When properly applied with a low-speed buffer, Polyx-Pro provides twice as much coverage per gallon as conventional finishes.

 

In addition to their floor finishes, Osmo has a range of products for indoor use, including the Polyx Professional Color Oil, Top Oil, and Wood Wax Finish for furniture and cabinetry. For exterior, Osmo features the Park Lane oil-modified finish, One Coat Only microporous finish, Clear Oil Finish, and Opaque Gloss Wood Stain.

 

As for safety, "Osmo is even great for children's toys," said Reynolds. "In fact, there's a European standard for testing finishes that are suitable for children's toys, and Osmo products satisfy those requirements."

 

The opening order for a dealer is typically about $2,500, and that includes free freight. "We also offer marketing and merchandising materials plus technical training and support"

 

Interested end-users can find the nearest Osmo dealer through the company's website, and interest has definitely been on the rise since Osmo was featured in the May edition of House Beautiful. "It's a fantastic wood finish, and people really appreciate it after they've

seen it or worked with it on a project," said Reynolds. "Ultimately, it's the way wood should be finished."