# More tung oil issues



## Newbie99 (Jul 1, 2017)

I've tried to read everything on this (and other) forums to determine what is happening to my second attempt at using tung oil (Hopes Pure tung oil). But I'm nervous. I used tung oil on a piece (about 20 year ago!) that turned out beautiful! It was an old mahogany dresser. SO, I'm trying again on a mid-century piece. Also mahogany, but veneer. I fully stripped it(using Solvent 17), stained it (with Old Masters wiping stain), and am now trying to finish. 

I've applied 3 coats of Pure Tung Oil so far -- following instructions, except waited about a week between coats. It is getting worse...NOT better!? First coat looked gorgeous when wet, but dried very blotchy. Ok, I know it takes many coats. The top actually didn't look too bad after one coat, but the drawers and sides were awful. Lightly sanded (320 grit).Second coat applied & rubbed & wiped off excess after about an hour. Looks worse! The top of the dresser actually looked better after only the first coat. Third coat applied, etc. . Still looks equally blotchy. Nothing is changing.

I know it takes patience. I'm willing to continue. But I don't want to waste my time either. Am I doing something wrong? And if it continues to look blotchy, can I apply a Watco Danish (or Teak) oil finish over the Tung Oil to get that soft rubbed look I was hoping for? How long would I need to wait before doing so over the Tung oil layers? 1 month ok?

Thanks to all you experts!!!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

If you mean blotchy meaning there are spots which look like they have very little or no tung oil on them then what is happening is the wood is just absorbing the tung oil on those spots. If that is it start applying tung oil to just the spots until it catches up. Then do the whole thing. 

You shouldn't try to put watco over the tung oil. It wouldn't do any better anyway.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

What you're describing sounds pretty typical of oil finishes; lay a wet coat over a piece, walk away for a second, come back and certain spots look dry, other still have oil sitting there. What's happening is certain areas of the wood are absorbing more oil into the wood fibers, so there isn't any left on the surface to make it look shiny when compared to the surrounding areas. 

Mahogany's pretty thirsty stuff, least the stuff I've worked with has been. Just keep at it with the application of the oil, it'll even out, just takes some time to get there


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*It could be several things...*

Unfortunately, there was not a test sample to try out your finish stripper, the stain and then see how the tung oil would would react. :|

I suspect that the stripper was not completely washed out and some residual finish remains, causing the blotches. Then there is the stain, if not completely dry and wiped off, another possibility. The last thing is the tung oil, which is probably just fine if used on bare wood, as you did previously.

Another remote possibility is the glue under the thin veneer has penetrated through to the top, causing blotches in those areas.....


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## Newbie99 (Jul 1, 2017)

Thanks so far. I tried adding pictures this time. I don't think it is due to the stain timing. It was about 2 months after I stripped before I applied stain, and another 2 months after I stained before I began the finish (Yeah, I know... VERY amateur!). It should have been long dried by then. Maybe the glue... 

But what would cause the second and third coats to look more 'thirsty' than the first? It is also so random, it would be nearly impossible to only oil the dry spots. The second photo is what it looks like "wet". (Hard to tell due to flash... lighting is bad on the top). This photo was taken about 3 days after I applied the 3rd coat. Takes at least 4-5 days before it fully dries and looks like the first photo.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The reason the subsequent coats could have looked worse than the first is the wood was more equally thirsty on the first coat. After that the wood in some places was more sealed. One thing that woodenthings pointed out about cleaning the remover off after you stripped it. When you used the tung oil the first coat did some spots seem to take especially longer to dry than what you are used to? Removers contain wax to prevent evaporation. If you don't get all this wax cleaned off it can really screw with the new finish. It's also possible you didn't get the old finish completely stripped off and the spots which are building tung oil well the wood was still sealed with the old finish. In any case if what is on there now is good you should be safe to proceed with the tung oil. I would try to do just the dull spots until it catches up. Otherwise the rest of it will end up with too much finish.


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## Newbie99 (Jul 1, 2017)

Back again. Waited a month, spot applied Pure Tung Oil coats 6,7, & in some cases a full cover 8th coat. Little to no change. Still thirsty??? Does it sometimes never seal? I brought it to a woodworking friend who said he had never seen that happen before & suggested I remove the Tung Oil with several passes of lacquer thinner, then start over. I tried that on one drawer, but it also partially lifted the stain! So I had to totally strip the door with a full solvent (Solvent 17) as if for the first time. Back to square one (at least on one drawer...there are 15 total!). He also suggested I bring a Tung Oiled drawer to my local wood supplier for their input. They suggested I could apply General Finishes Oil/Urethane Topcoat -- Satin Finish -- over the cured Tung Oil. We tried a few spots & waited a week. it's SHINEY! Not at all the look I wanted of a very low sheen, rubbed finish.

AARRGGHH... Ok, I'm willing to start over and totally strip it all again if necessary, but sure would like to know what to use the second time around to get that soft, oiled finish with little to no gloss. Really don't like the plastic look of PolyUrethanes. OR if anyone knows a product to use OVER the cured Tung Oil, that would be an incredible time saver.

I'm also concerned that a second round of full stripping will start to destroy the veneer.


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## Newbie99 (Jul 1, 2017)

Addendum... Wax over the blotchy Tung Oil to even the sheen?

I recently saw a Stickley table that had an incredible soft, satin finish. OK, It is Stickley afterall, but what do they use?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

You have to keep in mind that mahogany is a soft open grain wood and tung oil is a lot thinner than varnish. Those spots are just going to take a lot more steps to achieve the finish you want. It will eventually seal and build a finish. How many more coats is hard to say. All you can do is keep spot finishing those areas until it catches up.


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

The mistake was in the initial preparation. The sand down was not complete, enough of the original finish was left behind to leave moisture resistant area's behind. Now with so many coats of Tung Oil applied you would have to sand it so deeply it's just not viable. 


If it was my problem......I would sand it with 240 grit to score it. Wipe it down with Mineral Spirits. And apply to two coats of "Satin Poly" to it. Maybe a third if needed.


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## Newbie99 (Jul 1, 2017)

Thanks @cowboy. Rockler suggested something similar: General Finishes Arm-R-Seal Oil & Urethane topcoat - Satin Finish. We tried that by applying areas over the splotchy Tung oil, as a test. It did even out the appearance, but was not at all Satin. VERY shiny! Plus there were still areas that continued to soak into the wood (just not as many). I waited a week, then tried to soften the shine with very fine steel wool and also with a 'white pad', but neither helped. Can anyone suggest another topcoat product that would better give me the smooth, satin, 'oil-rubbed' finish I'm seeking?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Newbie99 said:


> Thanks @*cowboy*. Rockler suggested something similar: General Finishes Arm-R-Seal Oil & Urethane topcoat - Satin Finish. We tried that by applying areas over the splotchy Tung oil, as a test. It did even out the appearance, but was not at all Satin. VERY shiny! Plus there were still areas that continued to soak into the wood (just not as many). I waited a week, then tried to soften the shine with very fine steel wool and also with a 'white pad', but neither helped. Can anyone suggest another topcoat product that would better give me the smooth, satin, 'oil-rubbed' finish I'm seeking?


It's a bad practice to change finishes in the middle of the game. Finishes sometimes don't bond well to other finishes and sometimes one finish is more flexible than others and when you put a harder finish over a softer one the harder one will crack. If it were me and you want to change finishes I would strip everything off with a chemical paint and varnish remover and start over. It sounds like a lot of additional work but the problems solved by taking the tung oil off with pay off in the long run. 

When finishing mahogany I would start with filling the grain with a pastewood grain filler. This will seal off the grain on the softer areas of the wood so when you apply a finish it should cover a lot more uniform than what you have done. You can have a grain filler tinted so you can stain and fill the grain in one step. 

As far as the type of finish unless you have to have one that is waterproof I would use lacquer. It's quick and easy and very forgiving. It's one of those finishes that has to be sprayed though.


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

Steve Neul said:


> It's a bad practice to change finishes in the middle of the game. Finishes sometimes don't bond well to other finishes and sometimes one finish is more flexible than others and when you put a harder finish over a softer one the harder one will crack. If it were me and you want to change finishes I would strip everything off with a chemical paint and varnish remover and start over. It sounds like a lot of additional work but the problems solved by taking the tung oil off with pay off in the long run.
> 
> When finishing mahogany I would start with filling the grain with a pastewood grain filler. This will seal off the grain on the softer areas of the wood so when you apply a finish it should cover a lot more uniform than what you have done. You can have a grain filler tinted so you can stain and fill the grain in one step.
> 
> As far as the type of finish unless you have to have one that is waterproof I would use lacquer. It's quick and easy and very forgiving. It's one of those finishes that has to be sprayed though.



This is a good solution, and he is right the oil may prevent a good bond.


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## Newbie99 (Jul 1, 2017)

OK, hopefully the last question on this thread. What is the best way to remove dried (and fully cured) pure Tung Oil? 

I decided to start over as several above suggested. The finish just wasn't working for me. I tried several passes of lacquer thinner, but that didn't do the full job. So, I then stripped again with paint/varnish remover. It seemed to take off the remaining Tung oil (and unfortunately some of the stain). Now it looks 'blotchy' but not due to stain differences. Rather, it as if there is a milky substance still in the pores). See photo.

Concerned that it may be lifting the veneer glue through the veneer? Is there a better way to lift the Tung oil? I can only lightly sand since it is mahogany veneer.
Or time to quit and paint....(hopefully not).

Also curious. If part of the problem with the Tung oil was that I never completely took off the original finish, would not the stain have also been a problem? It went on smoothly and evenly, so I assumed all the previous finish was removed.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I can't see white stuff in the grain in the picture. You might put some finish on a small spot to see what it would look like. Sometimes spots will disappear when you put a finish on it. If it doesn't work you could always wash it off with lacquer thinner. It may be necessary to sand the wood again and re-stain it again. 

About stripping the finish off veneer if it is plywood you could use just about any means including paint and varnish remover to get the old finish off without harming the veneer. If it's a paperback veneer sometimes lacquer thinner is enough to ruin it. The paper backing is applied with hot melt glue so easily damaged.


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## Rush05 (Feb 13, 2021)

Newbie99 said:


> I've tried to read everything on this (and other) forums to determine what is happening to my second attempt at using tung oil (Hopes Pure tung oil). But I'm nervous. I used tung oil on a piece (about 20 year ago!) that turned out beautiful! It was an old mahogany dresser. SO, I'm trying again on a mid-century piece. Also mahogany, but veneer. I fully stripped it(using Solvent 17), stained it (with Old Masters wiping stain), and am now trying to finish.
> 
> I've applied 3 coats of Pure Tung Oil so far -- following instructions, except waited about a week between coats. It is getting worse...NOT better!? First coat looked gorgeous when wet, but dried very blotchy. Ok, I know it takes many coats. The top actually didn't look too bad after one coat, but the drawers and sides were awful. Lightly sanded (320 grit).Second coat applied & rubbed & wiped off excess after about an hour. Looks worse! The top of the dresser actually looked better after only the first coat. Third coat applied, etc. . Still looks equally blotchy. Nothing is changing.
> 
> ...


Did you ever find a solution to this problem? I have the exact same issue going on and have basically tried everything that you had done. Thanks.


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