5" Engineered White Oak with Custom Pallmann Magic Oil Blend in Oak Park, Raleigh
Full demo of existing flooring as part of a whole-home remodel, followed by installation of 5-inch engineered white oak throughout the main level. A custom Pallmann Magic Oil blend was developed on-site and cut into the floor as samples before full application. The result is a buttery, open-grained hardwax oil finish that brings out the depth and ray fleck of wide-plank white oak.
Location
Oak Park, Raleigh, NCSpecies
White Oak, 5" Engineered
Finish
Custom Pallmann Magic Oil Blend
Square Feet
1,800 sq ft
Completed
2025
This Raleigh hardwood installation project covered 1,800 square feet of 5-inch engineered white oak throughout the main level of an Oak Park home undergoing a complete remodel. A custom Pallmann Magic Oil blend was developed and evaluated directly on the floor in natural light before committing to full application. The same finish was carried onto a white oak accent wall, unifying the material across the space.
The Challenge
This Oak Park home was undergoing a complete remodel. Existing flooring was demoed out entirely before new material could go in. The scope covered multiple connected spaces in an open floor plan including the living room, dining area, kitchen, and sunroom, all requiring a seamless finish across different room shapes and natural light exposures. The homeowners wanted a warm, rich color that read as natural and lived-in rather than stained. Pallmann Magic Oil was the right system for that look, but the specific custom blend had to be developed and evaluated on the actual floor before committing.
What We Did
After demo and subfloor prep, 5-inch engineered white oak was installed throughout the main level. The wide plank format was chosen specifically for white oak, which shows its distinctive ray fleck and open grain better at 5 inches than at narrower widths. Once installation was complete and the floor was sanded, we cut several Pallmann Magic Oil custom blend samples directly into the floor so the homeowners could evaluate the color under the natural light of each room before making a final decision. The chosen blend produces a warm golden-brown that enhances the ray fleck without masking the grain. The Pallmann Magic Oil penetrates the wood rather than forming a surface film, delivering the open, smooth feel underfoot that wide-plank white oak deserves. The same finish was applied to a white oak accent wall feature, tying the room together.
Before
During
After
Products Used on This Project
Common Questions
Why choose 5-inch engineered white oak over solid?
Engineered white oak at 5 inches gives you the wide-plank look that shows white oak's ray fleck and open grain at its best, with better dimensional stability than solid at that width. Wide solid planks move more with seasonal humidity change. Five-inch engineered white oak at the right thickness can still be sanded and refinished, giving you the long-term benefit of solid without the movement risk.
What is Pallmann Magic Oil?
Pallmann Magic Oil is a penetrating hardwax oil finish that saturates the wood rather than forming a film coat on top. It produces an open, buttery feel underfoot that polyurethane cannot replicate, enhances the natural grain without masking it, and is spot-repairable if a section is damaged later. It does not have the plastic sheen associated with poly. For wide-plank white oak in a design-forward home, it is often the right choice.
How do you develop a custom Pallmann Magic Oil blend?
We mix Pallmann Magic Oil colors in ratios and apply test panels directly on the actual floor, in the actual room, under the natural light conditions that will be present day-to-day. Studio or showroom evaluation of a stain panel tells you very little about how a color performs in a real space. For the Oak Park project we cut multiple blend panels across the open floor plan and the homeowners evaluated each under different light before making a final selection.
Can Pallmann Magic Oil be applied to a white oak accent wall?
Yes. The same Pallmann Magic Oil blend applied to the floors was used on the white oak accent wall in this project. The finish penetrates the wood surface the same way regardless of orientation, and using the same product ensures an exact color match between floor and wall.
How long does a Pallmann Magic Oil floor take to cure?
Pallmann Magic Oil cures fully within about 5 days under normal temperature and humidity conditions. Light foot traffic can resume sooner, but furniture should stay off for the full cure period. Unlike polyurethane, which builds up in layers, Magic Oil penetrates in a single application and polishes to a smooth surface as it cures.
Ready to Start Your Project?
Every project starts with a free in-home consultation. We come to you, assess the floor, and give you a written estimate before any work begins.
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