How to work with Tung Oil and Wood?
Question:Hello. This is my first time using this so i hope i have great success with this. I am ReFinnishing my kitchen Cubboards and making new doors for the cubboards. I want to use Tung Oil but i dont know how to use it. I have heard mix it with Mineral Spirits. Why? And what is the mixture ratio?? I also heard that Tung Oil will harden Fast. Does it?? Im looking to put 2 or 3 coats on the wood. I would like a glossy finnish. Will someone please tell me how to use Tung Oil and if i need to mix it? And mix it with what?? Thank You and God Bless your endevers
Answers:
I was going to use Tung oil on a cabinet that I just refinished. When I was out looking I found a rub on polyurethane made by Minwax and I used that. It gave the cabinet the look that I used Tung oil but it seals it because of the poly. It was very easy to work with and would highly recommend it.
Tung oil just brings out the woodgrain. It takes a day to dry, but will look great when you finish. Then you could put a coat of Polyeuthene over it.
Tung oil has long been used not only as an eventual finish but as a preservative of sorts, for wood furniture especially. The mineral spirits helps the wood absorb the mix but also dillutes the Tung oil, altering it's effectiveness to a degree.
I've always applied mulitple coats, allowing the oil to soak into the wood, waiting a day and applying another coat. Obviously the end result will depend on how porous the wood is. Tung oil, as it drys/hardens actually becomes similar to a waxy substance.
The nature of POLY being different than Oil, I'd probably try a test piece first, before the final gloss coat of anything. Certainly there are finishes that are not polymer based that will also give you a nice gloss.
Steven Wolf
Tung oil right out of the bottle applied with a cloth will provide a nice looking finish that will "pop" the grain and darken the wood. It is not very tough or protective of the wood however. I would recommend that after you apply one coat of tung oil, that you then apply a coat of varnish either alkyd or polyurethane to protect both the tung oil and the underlying wood. This will change the appearance very little if a relatively clear varnish is used. You can opt for any type of finish you care to with this approach either flat, satin, semi-gloss or gloss. If you use gloss and don't like the look, you can lower the gloss with a grey abrasive pad sold at woodworking stores or home centers. Simply lightly rub the surface and the gloss will decease as you go. Tung oil cures enough over night to handle the peices but does not fully cure for a month. Note that tung oil is a reactive finish the cures by polmerizing with oxygen not by simply drying out. Tung oil is fragile enough that I would worry about cleaning it without damaging it even after it is fully cured.
When tung oil use was first released to the public by the government in the '70's, a few popular shows taught how to use it.
You simply rub it in with your hands.
Hand rub it into the wood.
By the way, when it was released to the public, food and drink can manufacturers used it to coat the inside of the aluminum and tin food and drink cans. They may still do.
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