Tung oil on Blackbutt boards

[Nokinian]

I am a novice who could do with a little guidance on the use of and/or types of tung oil to use.

I have some lovely 32mm thick blackbutt "rustic" grade boards, 275mm wide. I want to make stair treads out of them and am keen on tung oil. I have bought some Feast Watson Tung Oil. The label also says "traditional timber oil penetrating tung oil".

I was hoping for a satin type finish and I have read here that the finish can be "burnished". When I apply the oil with a cloth the oil soaks right into the timber, forever leaving it dry and "hungry' looking, regardless of many "coats" I apply. Then, I decided to give it a liberal soaking with a brush. The surface glistens, of course (and looks temporarily stunning!) but when I return 24 hours later it is still wet. I then wipe off the excess...and it goes back to looking dry.

Can anyone suggest the best way of applying tung oil to Australian hardwoods? The online resources (and some from this forum) seem to suggest that if you mop 2 coats on it comes up looking more or less like a polished floor.

Many thanks.

[LGS]

Hi Nokinian,

Welcome to the forums.

You can hard burnish Tung Oil to give a resilient, satin finish to most Aussie Hardwoods. (Haven't met one yet that doesn't take) Have a look here and here. If you have any questions feel free to PM or email me.

Regards,

Rob

[rustynail]

Depending how hungry the timber is, it may require more than two coats of oil.
Burnishing is hard work. An easier way to get a good finish is to mop on a coat or two of Gemini floor polish. Dries to a nice luster and gives a good durable finish to the oil.
You just wipe over with another coat of Gemini when required, about every six to twelve months depending on wear.

[Nokinian]

Hi Nokinian,

Welcome to the forums.

You can hard burnish Tung Oil to give a resilient, satin finish to most Aussie Hardwoods. (Haven't met one yet that doesn't take) Have a look here and here. If you have any questions feel free to PM or email me.

Regards,

Rob

Thanks Rob - very helpful. Actually, I had previously found the second reference but the first was handy. Looks like a lot of work to burnish - maybe the oil-then-polish route is the more expedient way to go!

[Nokinian]

Depending how hungry the timber is, it may require more than two coats of oil.
Burnishing is hard work. An easier way to get a good finish is to mop on a coat or two of Gemini floor polish. Dries to a nice luster and gives a good durable finish to the oil.
You just wipe over with another coat of Gemini when required, about every six to twelve months depending on wear.

Thanks Rusty. My little sample would have received about 8 wipes and one saturation by now, and it still looks hungry. This Gemini sounds like it might be an idea. It sounds similar to a mop-on liquid I already apply to a spotted gum floor elsewhere in the house. I did not realise you could apply it to a tung oiled finish - sounds like it will save a lot of heartache!

[rustynail]

Thanks Rusty. My little sample would have received about 8 wipes and one saturation by now, and it still looks hungry. This Gemini sounds like it might be an idea. It sounds similar to a mop-on liquid I already apply to a spotted gum floor elsewhere in the house. I did not realise you could apply it to a tung oiled finish - sounds like it will save a lot of heartache!

Works fine on tung oil. Just mop on and let it dry.