Care

Base: two coats of tung oil. A natural drying oil used for more than a thousand years. Its small molecular structure allows it to penetrate deep into the grain and form a flexible, water-tight barrier from within. The oak's natural figure deepens and takes on a warm, living glow.

Top: two to three coats of Osmo Color clear wax. A micro-porous finish based on natural oils and waxes. It forms a hard, durable surface that does not chip, peel or flake. It is water-tight and rejects everyday household liquids — coffee, wine, water — while letting the wood breathe.

First weeks: tung oil reaches full hardness in about 30 days. The Osmo wax cures completely in 2–3 weeks. The surface deepens and strengthens each day during this period.

First years: oak darkens slowly in light. This is a natural process you cannot, and need not, prevent. The tung oil deepens the oak's golden-brown tone further. Subtle wear-marks begin to register the piece's history.

Over decades: oak treated with natural oils is often at its most beautiful between 50 and 100 years. The wood tightens, the grain deepens, the surface becomes silken-matte. This is called patina — a sign of quality, not wear. Compare it to antique furniture, whose value rests on exactly this living surface.

Every year adds a layer of life to the altar. It does not weaken — it grows richer.

• · Dust with a soft, lint-free cloth or a soft brush.
• · Splashes and stains: wipe dry immediately with a soft cloth.
• · When needed, wipe with a barely damp — not wet — cloth, along the grain.
• · Always dry the surface immediately after wiping.

• ✕ No abrasive cleaners, solvents or alcohol — they damage the wax surface.
• ✕ No standing water — moisture can seep into joints.
• ✕ No prolonged direct sunlight — causes uneven darkening.
• ✕ No detergents, soda, bleach or all-purpose cleaners.
• ✕ Do not place directly next to a radiator or stove — dry heat strips the wood.

Tung oil and Osmo wax are long-lived: they do not need routine maintenance. The altar is mostly decorative, so the surface wears more slowly than a floor or table.

When is it time to refresh

Drop a bead of water on the surface. If it beads up and stays as a sphere, the finish is intact. If it absorbs or spreads, it is time to refresh. In normal use this happens every 2–5 years. Some altars never need refreshing within a lifetime.

Refreshing instructions

1. 1. Clean the surface carefully with a soft cloth.
2. 2. Let dry fully — at least overnight.
3. 3. Apply a thin layer of Osmo Color clear wax with a soft, lint-free cloth, along the grain.
4. 4. Let absorb for 20–30 minutes.
5. 5. Wipe off any excess with a dry cloth — the surface should not be glossy or sticky.
6. 6. Let cure 24 hours before use.

Product: Osmo Color clear wax, code 3101 or equivalent Extra Thin.

The tung oil + Osmo combination is self-repairing: a single scratch or worn spot does not require sanding or refinishing the whole piece. Clean the area, apply a thin layer of Osmo wax only to that spot, wipe off any excess. The patch blends into the surface within a few weeks.

• · Indoors, at stable temperature and humidity.
• · Avoid prolonged direct sunlight — UV darkens the oak faster and unevenly.
• · Avoid placing next to radiators or stoves — dry heat strips the wood.
• · Suitable humidity: 40–60%. Finnish indoor air is often very dry in winter — a humidifier may be useful.
• · No special protection is needed — the altar is designed to live in the everyday of a home.

Caring for the altar is not maintenance. It is part of the relationship to the piece — the same principle as oiling a leather binding or sharpening a blade before use. The materials are alive: tung oil pressed from a tree, Osmo's natural waxes from plant oils. They respond to their environment, change and grow with the wood. This is a deliberate choice.

Each altar contains roughly 80 hours of Roope's hands, decades of oak growth, and centuries of wood-finishing tradition. Caring for the altar continues that chain.