Outdoor timber is a popular choice for outdoor furniture, with various oils available to ensure durability and longevity. Teak oil is a popular choice, as it is suitable for exterior wood surfaces, particularly teak wood. Linseed or Tung Oil are also used, which work by penetrating the wood and seeping into it. Specialist exterior wood oils are formulated with a blend of oils, resins, and UV filters to provide better durability and longevity.
To ensure long-life protection against wear, rot, and decay, there are two strategies to choose: using raw linseed oil, teak oil, and natural oils. Traditional wood oils like Rio Verde Teak Oil are popular choices for protecting outdoor wood furniture. Boiled linseed oil is cheap and easy to apply with a rag, but raw linseed oil may attract dirt. Treatex Exterior Oils are perfect for any outdoor wooden surface, adding the ideal finishing touch to various garden woods.
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, explains how to make oiling exterior wood easy and effective for DIY homeowners. Boiled linseed oil can enhance wood grain and provide some weather resistance, but it requires more care than raw linseed oil. Overall, choosing the right exterior oil for your outdoor timber is crucial for its longevity and appearance.
📹 Wood Finishes – A Quick Guide – Varnish / Stain / Oil / Wax / Lacquer / Polyurethane / Shellac
A quick guide to wood finishes – what to use, and when to use them. In this video I cover stain / dye, oil, varnish, shellac, …
What is the best oil to waterproof wood?
Pure tung oil, also known as China wood oil, is a highly regarded oil for outdoor furniture due to its capacity to cure through oxidation, thereby imparting a flexible, waterproof finish.
Can you oil exterior wood?
Wood oil is a versatile tool that can enhance the appearance and protection of both interior and exterior timber. However, the application process can vary greatly depending on the surface and the oil used. Wood can be overprepared or underprepared, resulting in less optimal conditions for oil application. To ensure the best results, it is essential to conduct a small test on an inconspicuous area of wood before applying the full surface.
The wood must be clean and dry, and when oiling exterior wood, ensure it is frost-free with a maximum moisture content of 20. This will help determine the desired look of the oil. Hence, proper application is crucial for optimal results.
What are the disadvantages of using linseed oil on wood?
Linseed oil is a non-drying oil made from the pressing of dried ripe seeds of the flax plant. It is not suitable for wood as it takes time to dry, and it lacks UV inhibitors. It can support mildew growth and may not harden sufficiently on surfaces with frequent abrasion. Boiled linseed oil is processed by oxidation or adding metallic thinners to speed up its drying time. Pure linseed oil is not suitable for wood and may be available in health-food stores.
Can you waterproof wood with olive oil?
Olive oil is a natural and effective solution for nourishing wood, enhancing its natural shine and providing protection from water. It also enhances the color of certain fixtures and treats minor scratches and marks on wooden furniture. This oil is a natural alternative to traditional stains and is particularly beneficial for restoring older or weathered pieces. Its benefits include promoting the release of wood’s natural beauty, smoothing out scratches, and enhancing the overall appearance of the furniture.
How to seal raw wood for outdoor use?
The application of a combination stain and sealer represents an efficacious methodology for the sealing of raw wood intended for outdoor use. This approach effectively protects the wood from the detrimental effects of ultraviolet radiation and moisture, thereby preventing the occurrence of warping and other forms of deterioration.
Which oil is better for wood?
Teak Oil is a popular choice for garden furniture due to its ease of use, weather resistance, rain protection, and natural-matt finish. It preserves the honey color of outdoor wood and is suitable for restoring garden furniture. Danish Oil is a durable alternative to traditional oils, offering a natural look and good protection. It is also suitable for repairing or maintaining floors, as it can be used to re-oil spots without sanding and treating the entire floor. Decking Oil, specifically designed for decking, can be used to treat all wooden decks. These oils are suitable for a variety of outdoor wood types and are suitable for a variety of outdoor needs.
Does oiling wood make it waterproof?
While oil stains may be aesthetically pleasing, they do not fully waterproof wood. Waterproofing treatments such as Roxil Wood Protection Cream and Roxil Coloured Wood Stain Preserver provide protection against water ingress and the majority of wood-related damage. The moisture that causes deterioration of untreated wood originates from within the timber itself, making waterproofing a crucial step in maintaining its quality.
Is olive oil good for wood?
Olive oil is a natural wood polishing agent that not only moisturizes and lubricates wooden furniture but also enhances its natural beauty. It inhibits wear and deterioration, thereby enhancing the overall appearance of the wooden fixture. The use of olive oil for the maintenance of wooden furniture offers a simple and reliable solution that relies on natural ingredients.
How to waterproof exterior wood?
To achieve complete waterproofing of wood, it is necessary to saturate the material with a sealant and construct a robust outer layer. The application of three to four coats of polyurethane is necessary, with the use of water-based polyurethane requiring a greater number of coats. The optimal method for protecting wood from the elements is to use a stain/sealer that contains both a wood stain and a wood sealer.
Is linseed oil good for wood outside?
Linseed oil is a low-sheen, non-drying oil that is utilized by woodworkers for the fabrication of kitchen cutting boards. It is not advised that this product be used on exterior or exposed woods, as it can be removed through washing. Mineral oil, a food-safe wood oil, is utilized for kitchen cutting boards and is non-drying, yet can be removed through washing. It is regarded as a wood treatment rather than a wood finish, as it does not form a solid, dried film on the wood.
Why not use linseed oil on exterior oak?
Boiled linseed oil is not suitable for use on oak due to its high concentration of natural water-soluble extractives and tannins. These extractives can react with the metal driers in the oil, causing black spots that resemble mould spots. Boiled linseed oil is highly flammable and improper storage can lead to spontaneous combustion. Product datasheets should provide strict storage recommendations, including temperature, humidity, and sunlight exposure.
If you are unsure about using the oil, contact the manufacturer before leaving it in an unsuitable environment. To apply the oil, use a dry rag and lay it flat on a non-flammable surface. Store the rag in a metal container, never discarding it, as it can be a fire risk due to lack of air ventilation. All materials must be considered fire risks during preparation, usage, and cleaning.
📹 The LIES and confusion of Tung Oil wood finish
Sorting through the mess of contradictory information about what should be a simple subject Pure tung oil: …
The ONLY Tung oil I use is made by Real Milk Paint Co. They pride themselves on making only pure, “old-time” natural finishes. No high glosses or anything. The only additive option that the offer is the Tung products that contain either orange or pine oil, to make for easier absorption. But this article is correct, there is so much misinformation about Tung oil, and I find that most woodworkers really have no clue how the real oil actually works, how to use it, and the true benefits of it (food safe, animal / child safe, etc).
It’s always a pleasure perusal (and listening to) your articles. Al though I’m an “old boy” myself now, I still learn new stuff thanks to your very well documented reports. As to the question of oil finishes, as a cabinet maker myself, I once met an instrument maker and restorer (baroque clarinettes, flutes,and oboes) in Paris. He used to submerge his wooden “blanks” (unfinished blocks of wood) in different oils for up to two years!! He showed me a future baroque boxwood mouthpiece that he had soaked for two years in sweet almond oil. Honestly, simply rubbing over a piece of wood with some oil will never penetrate like actually submerging it in the oil. Today everyone wants an “instant” or very quick finish. I’ve done French Polishing (Shellac) here in France for over three decades. The “real Mackoy” takes about six months to do a genuine French Polish job- two to three seasons. At nearly 65 I now prefer oil finishes. I still think soakings the best method. In which case it would be better to slightly dilute the oil solution for better penetration. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Greetings from France.
I have an oak entrance door directly in the harsh sun, and rain. It was finished with varnish and had to be sanded and coated every year, till i tried pure tung oil. Now, it is to my surprise looks new every day and withstand all weather much better than varnish. I will continue to oil every year just by light sanding and Tung oil again. It is much more beautiful and resistant.
Thank you!!! I and many other semi pros and novice natural wood finish aficionados appreciate the informative factual discussion and online seminar on Tung Oil finishes. Your article was a flash back to my “apprenticeship” with a senior from eastern Europe who married into a family of furniture makers from France and Spain. I remember coming to his shop behind his home and finding butcher blocks, tables and chairs brought to him by businesses owners and families who wanted genuine craftsmanship in maintaining, restoring and repairing these heirlooms. One of my first projects in his shop was restoring the tung oil finish on two cutting boards belonging to two sisters in our neighborhood. The cutting boards were wedding gifts to these two sisters from their maternal Grandfather. It took almost TWO MONTHS to complete the restoration.
Lot’s of great information! I just want to add: Pure tung oil, like all natural products, varies somewhat from one batch to the next. This is one of the reasons it’s so hard to say with any definity how long it will take to cure. Not only do you need to take into account temperature, humidity, and air movement, the type of wood, the oil in two different bottles of the same brand of pure tung oil may have different cure times. That’s okay. We’re dealing with a natural process and cannot rush it.
I’ve been finishing wood for 60 years and didn’t know this. Mostly used Deft (Lacquer), waterspar varnish, shellac, polyurethane. For gun stocks I like the harder, more durable finish of poly blends and multiple coats, sanded in between. But sometimes I still use a Linseed Oil blend (True Oil) that dries quickly, if the customer wants a “hand rubbed oil” finish, usually 6-10 coats, polished to a high gloss with 4-ought steel wool. Thanks very much!
Thanks James, as always, well presented and informative. I used the same Wood River Tung oil a couple of weeks ago for the first time, it took only three days to dry, at least I considered it dry since my sand paper didn’t clog up. I really like it now. Thanks again for some useful insight into another confusing finish. Hope you are doing well.
Great article, thank you. Simple rule of thumb to know if the tung oil is ready for the next coat: run your fingertips perpendicular to the grain. If you encounter any resistance, you need to wait. If your fingertips easily glide across the grain, you can apply another coat. As you mentioned, tung oil doesn’t actually “dry” like many other finishes. Rather, it reacts with oxygen to cure, as part of a chemical reaction. I found it takes 1-3 days before another coat of tung oil can be applied. That’s right, it’s difficult if not impossible for a professional to afford that as they need to turn work over much more rapidly. Tung oil is a beautiful finish in that it does not hide the grain and allows the wood to show through. It offers excellent service in that unlike finishes like polyurethane or acrylic, it can be spot repaired as opposed to needing to be completely sanded before refinishing
Thanks James! My goto finish for most of my turned wood and shop cabinetry, benches etc., is Minwax Tung Oil finish. For stuff on the lathe I generally apply three coats, using the third coat as a lubricant to wet sand with 400 or 600 grt. I like how it responds to friction after wet sanding and will generally add a coat of minwax finishing paste wax to add more depth and lustre. Now I understand why I like what it does for me. Many thanks and stay safe. Cheers from BC!
This is spot on, and agrees with the extensive research I had to do about 15 years ago when applying finish to a new M1 Garand rifle stock, which was made of nice dark, dense walnut. I used pure Tung Oil, applied it moderately thick and let it soak for an hour, wiping it every 20 minutes or so to saturate evenly. Wiped off excess and let it sit for ten days. Repeated that cycle for seven coats, I used 600 grit between, not sure how much that matters in the end. It took a ton of oil and the final result was impressive. When all the coats were done I gave it a buffing, a very light application of natural carnauba wax, and buffed it out again. Water beads and slips off like a car hood, but it isn’t slippery in the hands. Maintaining the wax finish every time out in the field keeps it in great condition. Yeah it took almost three months, but time well invested.
Thanks for the clarification. I used the “tung oil” that came with a Formby’s refinishing kit on 1/4 round toe molding I installed when I re-did a living room, dining room, new family room and entrance foyer. (A lot of toe molding!) The amber color was a perfect highlight to the tile & carpet we (she) selected. I applied 4 or 5 coats, assembly line style, to the new trim before cutting and fitting it. After install, it was easy to touch up any raw edges. The finish dried hard & took very little maintenance. And scuffs & scrapes were easy to touch up & blend. Now I know that if I had used pure tung oil, I would have had a mess on my hands!
Hi Stumpy, I bought a tin of tung oil a few years ago when I was wood-turning porridge spurtles. I’m and inexperienced 74-year old amateur but someone told me it was “food safe”. THANK YOU for explaining… I will now have to dig out the tin to find out if it was pure or if I may have poisoned some wedding guests (given the spurtles as gifts! Nobody seems to have died yet but I am now very annoyed that, like many others, I may have been misled. Your calm manner and clear explanations make you an excellent teacher. THANK YOU. Malcolm, Scotland.
I was first exposed to Tung Oil as a finish back in the late 70’s while working as a cabinet shop manager. We had a joe building stereo speaker cabinets and the person who had us building the cabinets specified the Tung Oil finish for them. He worked as a engineer for Chrysler in their trim plant and he had taken all readily available wood finishes and made test samples that were placed inside the climate chamber at the plant and were exposed to freezing cold all the way to extremely hot climates and the whole spectrum of humidity. Of all the finishes tested the Tung Oil was the only one not effected by the wide range of climate conditions. It was easy to apply and I always recommend it as a great finish for people just starting out. The trick to Tung Oil is you MUST read the label on the container to assure you are getting pure Tung Oil. Nothing else will do. Tung Oil rules!!
Great article man! Felt the need to congratulate you on how articulate you were with the explanations. Glad to see people like you, who like spending more time to get things done properly, get their appreciation. Like you said, the latter are more than the former, but still, people who have the patience to go all the way through a process are still around. We just have to look. Plus, the ones who are in a rush are probably secretly jealous on the patient ones…haha. thanks and cheers!
I’m in the process of giving a refinished Les Paul a Tung Oil finish. I used Tung Oil on quite a few necks already. It’s the first time I’m using it on a whole body. Your article helped me a lot, in regards to being patient with adding new coats. Really appreciate your explanations! Best wishes from Germany 🙂
Thanks for clearing up some of my confusion about penetrating oil finishes. I have use Old Masters Tung oil and Varnish on several walnut projects and have been very pleased with the results achieved with multiple coats in a short period of time (days instead of weeks) I have been looking around to see if I can find how much actual tung oil is in this product, but seems to be a secret! I just found your website a few weedskago and have been impressed with the quality of the articles and your knowledge of the subjects. Keep em comin!
I always think it’s better to differentiate between stuff that ‘dries’ by evaporation and stuff that ‘goes off’ by a chemical reaction. A classic case of the confusion that can result, was when I saw a DIYer knocking up 3m cube of setting concrete and adding water, thinking it would be OK. Needless to say, his garage base did not last long. It also applies to finishes. If you say “it dries”, then people naturally assume it’s like their washing and dries by evaporation. If a finish sets and hardens by chemical reaction then, IMHO, another term is required to avoid misunderstanding. Anyway! Thank you for your vid’s. No ego. No hype. No BS. Just pure education. Brilliant!
Nice information. In 85 I redid my Rem 870 pump foregrip and rear stock. They are walnut, and had the factory shiny finish. Had to completely sand all the factory finish off by hand. My gunsmith told me turpentine and tung oil would give me the non glare but nice finish to the wood. I started with a 80% turpentine/20% tung oil mix. It literally sucked the mix in in minutes. Did 2 of these. Then it was a slow crawl through the process of changing the mix percentages like so. 70tur/30tung- 60/40 – 50/50 – 40/60 – 30/70 – 20/80, and one 100% final tung oil wipe letting it sit for 2 days. Between each application, I’d use steel wool to remove any build up on the pieces. I put 2 coats min of each application, waiting 3-4 hours before doing the percentage mix. Final percentage mix was full 24 hours, then moved to next level. It took forever to work through this process, think it was a whole month before I was done with it. But it was worth it, the 2 pieces still look like new, shed water better than a duck, and are even hard to scratch when using the shotgun. The whole process was to give a redo to fix my mom’s last husband’s attempt to blue it, and failing completely. I was doing a “tactical look” to the 870 with the matte non glare finish military weapons had. No civilian firearms did this back in the 80’s. I given the 870 on my 13th birthday, replacing the one from my 12th birthday that was stolen. 1975 I got the 2nd one, and I still thank my Dad for spending the money to replace the first one after giving 2 870’s to me and my stepbrother who got his in a left hand version.
Very helpful article. That makes perfect sense. Something ive found with the blends is that it can kinda lift if you put too much on, too soon. it looks like bubbled superglue when it happens. I recently made a few bow and arrow racks where i drilled small indentations in the base to sit the arrow tips in & keep them in place. The oil gathered here despite turning the piece upside down to drain them. It became opaque and full of bubbles in the holes/wells, so i had to re drill them to clean, recoat. No biggie. Looked like polymer that had failed to cure right. Could be a total disaster if you put too much blend on a table in one coat. Where i now see i went wrong was trying to build up a solid first coat as if it where pure tung oil. Thank you.
This is an excellent tutorial about “tung oil”. Thank you. I have had really good experience applying the oil and wet sanding it with 320 to 600 grit. it results in a wonderfully smooth finish. It takes about a week or more to dry and doesn’t fully cure for about 30 days, but it’s beautiful. I used pure tung oil thinned about 3 parts mineral spirits to 1 part oil. The Minwax product was good too.
I used Minx Tung Oil on my horribly weathered 35 year old wooden window frames and it seems to work quite well. I clean the surfaces, apply a coat, apply more as it soaks into spots and then wait a day to apply a second coat. The finish lasts several years and then requires only a quick rag applied coat which maintains gloss for a couple more years.
Hello Stampy rubs, I have a finishing question for you. I applied two coats of olive oil letting it dry between the coats and then I applied a mixture of mineral spirits, olive oil, and stained polyurethane in equal parts. Then in a moment of Brilliance I used a spray-on Spar urethane that was highly glossy and found out my sweetheart did not like it. I’d like to stand it off with 220 grit and then apply one more coat of the mixture stained urethane, olive oil, and mineral spirits. I look forward to hearing your answer and will be happy to send you pictures of my results. Thanks for the great education on tung oil.
I’m a new fan! After admiring woodworking from a distance, I’m making a foray into restoring furniture. I say restoring versus flipping because I think there’s a difference in the craftsmanship of the finished product. I’ve seen some truly horrible pieces for sale. The expertise you share through your website is substantial and makes me feel that learning solid fundamentals will make for better projects. Thank you.
This was a great presentation! I’ve been using pure tung oil on most of my turning projects over the last 8 years and I love it. But, I did have to learn that tung oil takes time to properly harden. I wish I had seen this article when I started turning. I have one lidded box that I turned out of cherry burl that by the time I was “done” with it had more than 60 coats on it and it absolutely glowed! I didn’t want to give it up after that, but I had turned it for a friend’s daughter’s 16th birthday (it would have been nice if my buddy told me more than the day before her party!). Anyway, I quickly got the box and lid turned and fitted, gave it to her and then took it back! I told her I needed to finish it and she looked at me kind of weird, but gave it back. I brought it home and over the next year I applied and reapplied and reapplied etc etc every few days or until the previous coat was hard. I had a couple of wood worker friends tell me there was no way that was pure tung oil… but I know it was and I know how much time I put into it. When I gave it back to her, she loved it, so I guess I am ok with having given it up. That was the most coats I’ve ever put on a project. Maybe I’ll try for a 100 coat project at some point, but that will take a couple of years the way I do it! I should ask the gift recipient for a picture of the box since I totally forgot to take one before handing it over! Rick in NH
10 years ago, I installed iroko kitchen worktops for their looks. I did this with some trepidation, having seen friends’ wooden tops blackened & cracked around the sink. Talking to the supplier, they said this was down to a lack of correct finish & also failing to apply finish to the undersides. They recommended Danish oil, with 5 coats to the underside & at least 7 coats to the upper surfaces, followed by an annual reapplication I followed their recommendations & even round my sink, the worktops are in great condition. I really do like the not too glossy surface.
I recently completed a project with pure tung oil and I learned the following things: 1. Don’t put your work in the sun while the oil is curing. The wet areas can crinkle and turn into a gummy mess 2. You can use steel wool to apply it or also a finishing pad. That works it in without the mess of sandpaper. 3. I thought Tung was beautiful on walnut until I applied it to redwood. Wow. 4. You can use Tung just for color like on figured walnut and then apply a lacquer or shellac on top to get a higher gloss sheen, just wait at least a week for it to fully cure. 5. I’ve never seen pure tung oil in a hardware store. 6. Pine. No. Just no.
Thanks for this great article, Stumpy. I really appreciate your approach to this article, as I have been experimenting with Pure Tung Oil myself (with Milk Paint Co.’s Pure Tung Oil) on Alaskan Cedar and Pine. I’m sure it depends on the wood, but with pure Tung oil, I’ve been seeing penetrations of 3/16 to 5/16″, which is much more than I would have expected. I don’t see myself going much further with it, as you were probably born with more wood knowledge than I have, but I really wanted to thank you for such a good approach to a article and a good article itself.
THANK YOU!!! Great article! Now I understand why I had such bad results using something called Tung Oil. The results were so bad 40 years ago, I quit using it. I have a new can, I inherited that has been sitting in the shop for at least 8 years. I have ever opened it. Now I almost know what to do with it.
Here in Taiwan, there are tons of the nuts lying around at the right season. I’ve asked around about traditional methods of making tung oil, but nobody I’ve asked knows. It might be fun. BTW, tung isn’t pronounced ‘tongue’ in Mandarin. You can write ‘tung oil’ in Google Translate, get the Chinese translation, and turn on your speakers. (or copy and paste 桐油）. The second character means oil.
Thanks so much. I have a dining table to refnish. It’s cherry wood (still need to confirm) solid border with inlay Chevron pattern for length of table in 4 inch strips. I was wondering about refinishes. It’s an old table so I know I have to be careful due to not knowing thickness of inlays. Tongue oil sounds great even blended with White spirits. Thanks for clearing up the confusion & explaining how to really use it.
Several years ago, I inherited a small round antique lamp table. The top was veneer, split 4 ways, with an inlaid edge… beautiful. Except that the old finish had failed. I carefully stripped off the old finish and applied a 100% T’ung oil finish, which I had never before used. Was surprised how long it took to dry. Put on subsequent coats at 5-day intervals, polished it with 0000 steelwool and applied several coats of paste wax. It is absolutely gorgeous! Very durable and seems water-resistant.
You’re such a great teacher. I know I say that on so many articles but it’s just so true and I have to express my appreciation by telling everyone! Your calm demeanor and articulate speech, thorough explanations and demonstrations, your knowledge and understanding of the things you know and the things we need to know. I really hope you win awards for your website. I really am so very impressed by you. Thank you for every second you spend creating your articles for us. 🫶🏻🇨🇦
A pure Tungoil finish on a beech staircase took me about eight layers and more than three months, because you can only process every third step on the same day. This was ten years ago and the steps are still smooth and shining despite I never have done any maintenance since then. Now I’m working on an oaken staircase in a new (old) house. Even after about 10 layers, the wood keeps swallowing a lot of oil at some problematic places. From another oak project, I already knew before I started, that about 15-20 layers will be needed until the job is done. Silly, silly me! grin BTW I’m using the “wet sanding” method, where you sand after applying the oil and before wiping off the residue.
Thank you very much for making this very informative article, and for laying out the truth about this subject. I am a Gunsmith and I used to use Formaby’s Tung Oil for years on gun stocks for refinishing. I Didn’t Realize that it wasn’t Pure Tung Oil. In recent years I have used a blend of half Formaby’s and half Boiled Linseed Oil. An older Gunsmith I know told me thats what he uses, and his stock work is superb, so I switched to that mixture instead. You have gained a subscriber and a fan!
This was very interesting. A certain guitar company offers a tung oil finish on the back of their necks to provide less drag when moving up and down the neck (as apposed to a poly or nitro finish). I wonder what they’re actually using now. I’ll assume, since the setting time is so long, and the need to re-apply so often, that they’re using a “watered down” variety. I might have to shoot them an email. Thank you for the info! 😊
This is very helpful James. I am in the middle of making about 10 sets of coasters and I’m trying different finishes, water-based poly, oil-based poly and lacquer. On the spray can of lacquer it says something like, “Contact your local authorities about the disposal of hazardous materials…” which gave me pause that this stuff isn’t good for our planet. What is your favorite water-resistant finish? Can tung oil be applied enough times to work like poly would for coasters?
I’ve done a 100% pure tung oil finish on my rifle stock and my spade shovel handle… Trust me, it’ll take a bit but since I live in the South the heat helps and dries about 5~7ish days. 5 coats seems to be quite perfect for durability and some water proofing qualities. Looks lovely too. Would recommend a 50/50 mixture of pure tung oil and Citrus solvent or turpentine depending what you have for quicker drying.
NIce. Thanks Mr Nubs. I’ve done a few tung oil finishes and I knew most of this, but there was also some new information. I have a project on the bench that’s ready for a finish and it’s the first time I have decided to do a wood, rather than painted, finish on an outdoor piece. I was going to buy a marine varnish, but then I did some reading and found I already had a perfectly good finish in the shop: pure tung oil. I only allowed 24 hours dry time previously, but this time I’ll give it a week between coats. It’s a pretty special table and I want the finish to be special too. It’s the first time I’ve done a project entirely from rough lumber to finished piece with only hand tools (I hate sanding by hand, but in for a penny…)
Spot on…the sandpaper full of uncured finish is the point people should really take away from this. No matter what finish they are using. Over reduce first coat of any oil finish to achieve good penetration. Warm place with plenty of air flow will help. But as my wife knows. Once the finishing starts, we are still weeks away
As a long time finisher of primarily cabinets and stairways, I never understood the appeal of tung oil. The few times where I was asked to apply a tung oil finish, I completely missed the point. This article managed to get across a couple of key points I’d been missing, and I think I’m starting to understand. I still love the look, feel and ease of a good lacquer finish, and I’m even fine dealing with the fumes, mess and smell of spraying it, but obviously it’s not the right choice for every job. I think, in the future, tung oil will be another tool in my belt. Thanks! 😀
Last year I finished two new walnut Garand rifle stocks, one in pure tung, the other in raw flaxseed oil (food grade linseed oil). These were not my first finishes in these oils so I had the benefit of prior experience. Both were built up to a very high gloss, but it took many coats. For the tung it was 14, for the flax it was more than one hundred. I like the flax better but it is certainly a lot more work. For the tung I recommend thinning the first several applications with mineral oil; the flax does not need thinning. The flax finish is a very forgiving process, but it’s possible to ruin tung by not allowing complete drying between coats which can cause it to turn white. When that happens the only solution is to strip everything off and start again. Since both of these oils are natural nut oils you simply rub them in by hand – no gloves or brushes needed, and clean up is simple.
Quick question – if you will do 6, 7, or more coats which must take a long time to dry – when you re-coat in a few months does it require the same number of coats? Just curious. As so many have noted and with which I totally concur – you are a master at delivering information in a way that keeps the listener/watcher involved and very interested. I try to watch your articles as often as I can even though I cannot claim to be a wood worker. Regardless of that, thank you for your enjoyable, charmingly witty and educational articles.
I have found that drying time of pure tung oil depends on humidity and light. Higher humidity seems to cause faster oxidation and reduce gloss. Sunlight greatly speeds the oxidation process and increases gloss. This applies more to the later coats than the earlier, as once it soaks in it is out of the light’s reach and i think its best to have the early coats cure with minimal humidity to get maximum water resistance.
Several years ago I needed a shift knob for my Dakota. I turned one up from glued-up walnut and cherry. It was finished in seven or eight coats of pure tung oil, with the first couple coats getting thinned 50%, then 25% with citrus oil. The finish has never been updated or maintained, other than occasional cleaning. It’s still doing fine, with daily use and wear.
A question, coming in from a different direction, never having been great at wood finishing. In building wooden sea kayaks (cedar and other soft woods), when glassing it is rightfully advised to increase the temp of the room and wood. This is not just for the drying, but opening wood pores for resin penetration and to avoid bubbles. Might this aid in you finishing – not dry time but depth?
Apply much more heavily, to the wood’s end grain. You’ll find that the end grain always absorbs the Tung oil far more quickly…. and the Tung oil helps to seal the ends of the wood fibers, helping to moderate any moisture absorption and release. This helps your project to remain “stable” regardless of differences in temp, and humidity, with the change of seasons.
Nice job! Given this is supposed to “clear up the lies” I would like to add that the picture of the tung tree and nuts in the beginning is not actually Vernica Fordii (tung tree). The picture is in fact of Aleuritas Moluccana (candle nut). The two look similar but vernica fordii has a very different flower. Besides that it was a nice presentation.
Between 40-50 years ago I often rode by a large tung nut tree plantation south of Monticello, Florida, near Tallahassee. Locals swore that tourist occasionally stopped at the small country gas station several miles down the road to make emergency phone calls after one of them had become violently ill from eating a citrus fruit they ran into the field and stole a few miles back.
God damn Stumpy, why can’t all the tutorials be like yours, concise but vastly informative, casual but assertive with authority, humble but confident, informal yet eloquent, broad in scope but also focused in purpose, opinionated while still honest and without the taint of bias, a presentation of your obvious mastery of the products conveyed with your obvious mastery of the spoken word, and best of all for me personally, no f**** stuttering, no “like” and “uh” said a million f*** times, no wasting of the viewers time with dead air and bullshit… holy shit I appreciate your efforts Stumps and i’m guessing everyone else here does too, you definitely have a new sub from me, way to kick ass Nubs, thanks for the knowledge… no… thanks for the wisdom big guy