Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C, 650 ft², Wood Stain, Super White, 1.3 L

Resurfaced this knife block (photo) that used to be just natural color with the Charcoal shade Rubio. It has a nice modern tone and is perfectly matte, as if covered with a matte varnish (it is not). The block is made of a very hard wood and yet it penetrated quite well, despite the 220- grit finish. Perhaps it could have been even better with a 150 but I wanted a very smooth final surface. It comes in two bottles, one is the colored oil mix and the other is a transparent accelerator. You actually can use the same accelerator with different colors. Just mix them 3:1 and you’re ready to go. It takes time to harden, the manual says mix as much as you can use in 15 minutes. It can be applied with anything: a pad, a brush, a soft cloth etc. After leaving it on for a few minutes, wipe it off and buff it until the shiny part is gone and it is done. My advice is wear rubber gloves as this stuff penetrates every pore on your skin and doesn’t wash off easily. It has a very low odor and is not toxic for food usage after it cures. It stops being sticky after a few hours but the full cure takes about seven days. Repeated layers don’t change much in my experience, it is basically just one application. If any Cons I’d say it is quite expensive for this small bottle, I’d buy more colors if it wasn’t this expensive. Also as it is one application only and no poly on top (probably can do an oil-based one if needed) it requires a perfectly prepared surface with no stains or other problems. I recommend this product.

If I could give this product 10 stars- I would. Was extremely easy to use. It has minimal to no odor at all. I purchased the shell gray stain with accelerator to use on birch butcher block countertops. If you follow the exact directions provided on the manufacturer’s website you can’t mess up. I combined the 2 bottles in a cup, mixed well. Used the plastic scrapers to apply even coat of the product all over the surface. Make sure you work with smaller areas. Spread the product; wait 5-ish minutes and buff it off. Used a sponge brush for crafts to coat the edges then wiped those after 5 mins. I used the blue shop towels to buff off any excess product. Application wasn’t messy and it was extremely easy to work with. After buffing off excess, it took about 45mins-1 hour for the butcher blocks to feel dry to touch. The stain dries to matte finish. I purchased the small bottle+ (130ml) and that was enough to finish an 8ft x 2ft + 2x 4ft x 2ft slabs of butcher block. The color of the stain came out a bit darker than what was shown on the pictures provided with the product- but I did expect it to vary, considering my butcher blocks aren’t made of oak wood as the sample in the picture is. Mine came out darker than shown, and I’m very happy that was the case. Reason why I picked this product is 1) because of its fast curing time. The counters should be fully cured in 5-7 days. Ready for installing and light use after 2 days. 2) huge upside- it only needs re-seasoning every 5 years. 3) does great to protect counters from staining. And it’s virtually completely water proof. This was extremely important since I’ll be using them in my kitchen. All in all- perfect product- fast cure time- easy to use.

I have used Rubio Monocoat Pure on more than one project, including a small pine tabletop and my kitchen island butcher block top, and I have been very happy with the results. It is easy to mix using the 3:1 ratio of Part A to Part B. Part B is not required to use the product, but it helps it cure faster. I prefer using Part B because it allows me to put my finished pieces back into use sooner. I really like the finished look it gives the wood, and the pieces I have treated with it have held up very well over time. That has been especially important on the kitchen island, since the top gets regular use. The product is more expensive than many other wood finishes, which gave me some hesitation at first. After using it and seeing how well my projects have held up, though, I think it is worth the cost. Overall, I have been very pleased with the appearance, durability, and performance, and I would use it again on future wood projects.

I love this finish. This was my first time using Rubio Monocoat's Oil Plus 2c. I hate spending hours on milling, joinery, glue-up, and sanding only to get disappointing results with the finish. Rubio Monocoat is a simple but amazing product that has become my new go-to. I always thought Rubio was expensive, but I never really considered how much I was spending on stain and topcoat, not to mention the extra time and effort. I love how simple it is to apply and how little product you actually need. A good spreader or scraper is important to get the coverage you want. When I mixed it up based on the expected coverage, I didn't think it was going to be enough but it was more than enough. Once I buffed it in, the finish revealed a beautiful grain pattern in the desk top. I used the Pure color (or lack of additional color) on walnut and it’s gorgeous. The finish provides great protection and looks fantastic. It does have a slight odor for a couple of days, but that fades quickly as it cures. I can’t say enough good things about it, I love this finish. I consistently get perfect results, and applying it has turned one of my most hated parts of woodworking into one of my favorite.

Update 1 year later -- bumping to 4 stars. While it still "micro scratches", I've been pleased overall with durability and it's not as if someone else would view the wood island as totally scratched up. The surface been a workhorse for a year and I've been less careful, and while it doesn't necessarily look "like new", it looks good and most wouldn't know the difference. The early returns on scratches caused me some concern that I might have to abandon the finish, but I'm now planning to stick with Rubio monocoat. The scratches definitely fade over time although I can easily point many out still. Using the surface spray soap and occasional universal maintenance oil helps. And the fact that I did 2 initial layers. In the end, I'm happy with the choice of this for a high use kitchen island with the understanding that's it's higher maintenance and cost than traditional polys (and I'd suggest to use the other Rubio products for maintenance + hand sanitizer spray occasionally if you need to disinfect well), it provides a nicer feel/look with an easier application and less odor than the platicky poly finishes. So, if you're okay with those trade-offs, then it can be a good choice for a kitchen island. The pros/cons indicated below still apply though. I think a matte poly (harder to find) would also be a reasonable choice if someone wants a more scratch resistant surface, but doesn't give quite as nice of a feel/look (and smells much worse at application time) and sacrifices easier repairability. Update 6 months later after using it as a kitchen island/working surface -- liking it overall, still scratches: This finish does a solid job of resisting stains/spills. When I spill a drink on the countertop, it beads on top and is easily wipable. I still tend to wipe things right away so as to not test my luck, but if something small was left overnight, it's not a big deal. It still scratches fairly easily although the maintenance oil does soften the appearance of scratches but doesn't eliminate them. I apply a new maintenance oil coat once every few months. I do like the finish look and feel, and might bump up rating to 4 stars...I use the Rubio Soap regularly to clean it, which works well, but that doesn't disinfect, so I use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer spray when I need it (e.g. raw meat got on it) which seems to work well (Rubio used to sell an alcohol-based product to disinfect). To summarize, Pros: Looks good Feels good Easy to apply Smells good Resists spills/stains well/beads on top (still, wipe immediately) Repairable (although I have yet to re-sand and apply new coat, but simply applying a new coat of maintenance oil does restore it somewhat) Cons: Expensive High Maintenance Poor Scratch Resistance compared to more traditional finishes Original review: Using for a wooden kitchen island (maple butcher block). Applied it about 6 weeks ago. Did two coats based on recommendations here that it gives extra protection (and followed manufacturer's recommendations) + added Rubio Universal Maintenance Oil for additional durability (and then ANOTHER coat of maintenance oil two weeks later). The maintenance oil replaced the "high traffic" product that Rubio used to sell for hotels and commercial flooring applications. I figured all that would give it as good of a shot of durability as I could. This stuff smells nice, is easy to apply, looks really nice after application, and all that. It does seem to resist water/spills/stains although I've been fairly careful to wipe things up quickly so haven't fully tested sitting water or if certain products would stain it. However, my island now scratches ALL THE TIME. Maybe a kitchen island that is heavily used isn't the best use case for the product. Move a plate? Scratch. I knew it wouldn't be as scratch resistant as a poly, but figured it would offer at least some scratch resistance and the repairability/look was worth the tradeoff. I also got the Rubio Soap so I've bought into all the product line (3 different products) and spent a fair amount of time and money. Right now, I'm undecided if it was a wise choice to go with Rubio Monocoat or if I should have simply done a matte oil-based poly for a similar look with much less maintenance/cost. I am hopeful that after several months or a year, I can simply re-apply product or sand and re-apply and a "like new" surface will be there for me without too much effort. If I can do that, perhaps it's worth the extra maintenance but certainly, it's not close to a maintenance-free product like a poly would be (of course, poly is much harder to "start anew.") Depending on how that turns out, I am debating sanding it off and simply applying a poly, which would totally negate the benefit of Rubio Monocoat in the first place (easy repairability and look/feel of nature wood) and make it just a really expensive clear stain, which would have been silly. The kitchen island is a working surface that I use frequently (although I never cut/work on the surface directly), so perhaps going the traditional route would have been much easier and lower maintenance going forward for this type of use case. I saw some scratches in the first couple of weeks and applied another layer of maintenance oil and it did somewhat diminish the sight of the scratches, but didn't eliminate them. We'll see how the surface looks after several more months of wear and how applying more maintenance oil "brings it back to life" (or doesn't). So, I think Rubio is a great product for the right purpose. If you're planning to use a surface a lot and don't want to deal with maintenance, a poly solution might be a better fit depending on your particular wants/needs.

Just coming back on here to say I’m still so impressed with durability and appearance of the finish. Two years in and my heavily used oak butcherblock island still looks fantastic. When I say heavily used, I really mean it - it gets out through the rigors of running a professional cake design business and a family kitchen where every meal is made from scratch. Sourdough, food coloring, dirt covered vegetables from the garden, jam making, pizza dough - the lot. Absolutely brilliant product. We've done several kitchen remodels in the past and have always used IKEA's Behandla on our butcherblock countertops. Sadly that product has been discontinued and its replacement, Stockaryd, is not the same thing at all. It is just Tung oil, which sinks into the wood but provides no barrier whatsoever - the second you use even just a damp cloth on it, the wood grain rises up and becomes rough again. With Behandla I could empty a bottle of food coloring on my butcherblock and it would wipe right off, leaving no stains at all! So disappointed. Next I tried a butchblock conditioning cream which added beeswax into the finish, supposedly for enhanced water resistance and durability. That was a fail too, so then I added a layer of the same company's Wax It All, hoping that the extra wax would be deal clincher. I didn't wash it for a week, and the first time I took a damp cloth to it, not only did the grain rise up immediately but it left a huge white patch in the finish. There wasn't even any cleaner on the cloth, just water. In desperation I searched the web for a better solution and came across Rubio Monocoat. As a cake decorator who works from home, I need a product that has food safety certification, but I didn't want to use a polyurethane because of the risk of flaking and the lack of ability to do spot repairs, not to mention the horrible chemicals. Rubio Monocoat sounded almost too good to be true but after reading lots of reviews and educating myself on their website about how it actually works, I was ready to give it a go. The biggest part of the job for me was prepping the countertops, as I had to sand them right back down to bare wood. If you have new, untreated butcherblock, you will breeze through this process! The packaging truly sucks (how are you meant to separate the two tins?!) and the instructions are printed so small that I couldn't read them even with glasses on! However the website is very informative and tells you everything you need to know. As promised, the butcherblock was touch-dry at the end of the buffing process and the smell from the linseed oil was very minor and not unpleasant - no VOCs!. The next day we started to put plates etc on the counter but did no food prep or anything that would require cleaning on it, as you have to keep it dry for five days in order for the oil to cure. At the end of five days, I cleaned it down with a damp cloth and was thrilled that it stayed smooth as glass. I put it to the ultimate test, slapping dough on to it and making pizza last night, and it came through with flying colors. Scraped up the excess dough, washed it down, and the countertop is still good as new. Thank God - have finally found a replacement for Behandla! Don't waste your time on oils - they might work for a butcherblock chopping board or a wooden salad bowl, but they don't work for a countertop that needs cleaning daily. This product is natural, food safe and actually does what it says on the tin! Their customer service is also very good. They have a chat on the website which is actually a human being and not a bot. They answered a couple of questions I had and were very honest, clarifying which of their maintenance products had food safety certification and which didn't - it would have been very easy for them to just say they all did, but they were very specific, which I really appreciated. All in all, five stars!

Almost impossible to screw up, just make sure your surface is clean. I didn’t use the Rubio wood cleaner beforehand (budget…), but used acetone as an alternative to clean the surface ahead of time as they suggest. Once I was sure there was no dust (swipe with a black nitrile glove), I went to town. Used this for a walnut veneer media cabinet with curly maple overlays. My first solo built cabinet and I’m thrilled with the result. Such a time saver too, no scuffing and recoating over and over. Not sure I’d use this finish on a coffee or dining table, but for this low-traffic/use peice it’s perfect. One coat. Some people swear by two coats for walnut, but it was too shiny for my liking in a test piece. Also, as others note, the stuff smells friggin amazing.

Just like most everyone else has said, this product was great! Went on so easy with a rag and I followed with a white scrub pad. Perfect finish with a matt sheen and very even. I pre stained with intense black and followed the instructions exactly, including using the recommended wood cleaner step. It does have an odor, although not terrible, but it has lasted a week already so just be aware the finished product will need time for it to dissipate. I was nervous to take on the project as a complete novice, but it came out great and i saved big $$$ compared to estimates I received from pros. My fireplace mantel came out great and I get so many compliments, I may have to do more woodworking now!!

Good oil, easy to apply and I'm happy with the finish. Worth noting, this colour is not a paint, but an oil. It simply tints the natural colour of your wood. I was able to increase the strength by applying a slightly thicker layer, leaving overnight and rubbing off the excess before applying the cure

I can safely say I’m now a Rubio Monocoat convert! I’ve tried this a few times but didn’t really like the overall matte finish. I always used Osmo PolyX gloss for a good sheen on epoxy tables and place mats. I had an order recently and the customer requested a matte finish and I happened to have a small 100mm bottle of the pure Oil plus 2c and gave that a go. After the finishing process literally being one coat and completely dry in less than 24hours it got me wondering if this finish is actually good… but I need a higher shine to my pieces. Got a small 100ml kit of the SheenPlus and I can safely say I am 100% converted to Rubio. 48hours and my finish is done! It was taking me 5-6 days with Osmo and stressing me out with the uneven dull finish until coat 4+. Rubio has eliminated that completely. I’ve even tried applying oil plus 2c in the AM and then adding the SheenPlus in the evening to cut down time even more with good results. While the weather is hot I think you can get away with it but doubt this will be as successful during the winter.

Super calidad de tinta y protector ,uno piensa q el costo es alto pero vale la pena por que no se desperdicia ya q abarca una gran superficie con tan poco

Vieeeeeel dunkler als auf dem Beispiel. Würde ich nie wieder kaufen. War so eine Arbeit das wieder ab zu bekommen.

Très facile à appliquer et le résultat donne vie aux grains du bois de façon magique. L'odeur est même agréable. J'ai utilisé le gris cendre. C'est un peu dispendieux mais je recommande sincèrement Rubio