Thread: Polymerized Tung Oil

I got some polymerized tung oil and polymerized tung oil sealer abit ago and am not entirely sure of the best ways to use it.

So far I've just been using some tissue soaked with the oil and then I rub it on the wood. Seems to work, but I'm not entirely sure what signs to look for to know if I have enough sealer on before I move to the normal tung oil. Does it matter anyway? Is there some ideal amount, and if I go over or under that amount will it mess things up?

Also, I've been looking around the web and it says that drying time for normal tung oil is anywhere from 24-48 hours. Many places says that polymerized tung oil dries faster, but how much faster? It's been a few hours now since the last coat and it seems to be relatively dry. Is a few hours alright, or should I wait a good 24 hours even for polymerized tung oil?

So far it seems alright, I hope it really is.

Never used it on scales, but I use tung oil and linseed oil on my longbows. The waiting period isn't just for drying, but to let it penetrate into the wood making room at the surface for more oil. Let it dry for a few days then hit it with some fine steel wool to knock off the nap, then do the next coat. Once it's got a fine smooth finish then you're done.

It's a good question, though. I use a Danish oil (which is, according to the label, tung oil, with urethane resins). Supposed to dry faster. I generally put the scales in there, let them soak at least a day, then take them out an let them dry (again, at least 24 hours). Hit them with steel wool, or a rough wool sock. Seems to work. Maybe Vlad will deign to grace us with his advice, as wood seems to be a particular specialty of his.

polymerized tung oil dries much faster than straight tung oil. I usually use 3-4 coats of poly. tung oil sealer followed by about 3-4 coats of poly. tung oil.

Where did you purchase the products? If you picked them up from Lee Valley, you should have the info sheet that came with them. They should be ready for another coat after about 8 hours. I generally saturate, let sit for about 10 minutes, wipe dry and let sit till dry.

You can also control the gloss to matte ratio by mixing the poly. tung oil sealer and the poly. tung oil together. The sealer is matte, the oil is gloss. Mixing 3:1 (sealer to oil) will give a matte finish. 2:1 middle ground. 1:1 semi gloss. Straight poly. tung oil will give a glossy finish.

I use tung oil on all of my exotic wood brushes, excluding those that are stabilized. I also use tung oil for other wooden projects like scales, stands, bottle stoppers, plates, platters, boxes etc. The great thing about Tung is that it's pretty close to a polyurethane, but it's 100X easier to repair. If a tung oil finish on a table gets damaged, you can just do a spot application and it will look like new. With a urethane, you need to strip and re-apply.

Good luck,

Thanks for the info guys, specialy from Matt, really informative.

The Tung oil I bought is from Lee Valley, and though it came with a nice info sheet, it doesn't say a whole lot about number of coats or drying time.

The one question I still have is how do I know that the wood has been "saturated" properly? I usually just wipe the tung oil on the wood so that the entire surface is covered, but I don't know if this constitutes saturated or if saturated means having the wood dripping wet with tung oil.

I just make an effort to make sure that the tung oil covers the entire piece, and that it remains wet for 5-10 minutes. If you're doing scales, a good choice would be to wet a portion of a paper towel with the tung oil, just so it's damp, not dripping. Then, fold the paper towel around the scale for 5-10 minutes. unwrap, wipe clean and set aside to dry.

If you're using straight poly tung oil for the final coats, for a glossy finish, I would suggest the same as above, but put the paper towel wrapped scale in a plastic bag for the 10 minutes.

Reason is the poly. tung oil dries quite a bit faster on it's own, compared to the poly. tung oil sealer or the sealer/straight oil mix. It won't dry throroughly in 10 minutes, but it could dry enough that when you wipe it down, the surface has already begun to set, causing streaking and folds in the semi-dried surface.

Another thing you should be aware of is that poly. tung oil oxidizes very quickly. You should limit the amount of time you have the cap off the container. Don't leave it open for your hour long project. Also, when room is made in the container, quish the can a little, to minimize the air left in the can when sealed. Trust me! this stuff isn't exactly cheap, and while a can should be good for at least 6-12 months, I've had the stuff turn to jelly in less than two. The good news is that Lee Valley will replace any product that you wish to return, generally without question, but it's still a pita.

Thanks for the info Matt; more or less exactly what I was looking for. But, when applying the poly tung oil, is it really neccessary to have it soak for 10 mins and then wipe off and let dry? or could I simply wipe on a good helping such that the wood is entirely covered, but not dripping or soaked, then let it dry completely and repeat the process?

Since you mentioned how fast this stuff oxidized, I think I'll picked up a can of the inert gas next time I'm at Lee Valley. They sell compressed inert gas that you can spray into containers of reactive products before closing them, so that the air is replaced with inert gases and doesn't react/oxidize.

The oils will actually soak into the wood, forming a layer of protection that is interwoven with the top layers of wood. The different rates that wood will absorb oil, even from one portion of a piece of wood to another, especially in exotics, makes it best to wipe off the excess oil to prevent an uneven or lumpy surface. An overly wet piece of wood can also seal or stick to whatever surface it's drying on.

Nothing says you can't try it, but I've found that residual oils will pool and form bumps that may or may not be visible, but can clearly be felt by hand.

I've also used a very wet paper towel, wrapping the wood up and placing it in a bag for a number of hours. This ensures a deep penetration and the oils remain wet in the sealed bag. You'll need a few less coats but the app. time is longer.

Thanks for the info, but I think either I miscommunicated something in my last post, or you misunderstood.

What I meant to ask was that is there anything wrong with not having a completely saturated coat?
I've only applied two coats so far (waiting for more info before I move on). But, when I have applied the coats, I'd wipe the oil onto the wood, then when I come back 5-10 mins later to wipe off any excess, there really isn't any excess. So I guess what I'm asking is if there is anything wrong with not having that full saturation?

If you can apply an even coat and find it is still even when dried (easier with light applications, as you've noted) that should be fine.

The reason I make an effort to saturate is that Tung oil is all about penetration. It's not like a eurethane that forms a "top coat" or skin. It absorbs into the wood, bonding and creating a solid barrier that is "interwoven" with the wood.

I have used your method, though mostly by accident, being busy and forgetting about the project. You will also need more of your lighter applications to create a suitable finish. These will be used in a very wet environment, so it's best to add a few more coats, rather than a few less.

If the piece is saturated and it is allowed to sit to dry, without being wiped clear of excess, you MAY have a problem with uneven drying. I have had a single drip, like a drip of water running down a glass, solidify on the side of a bowl. This means sand it all down and start the finish from scratch.

Hope this helps,