# Tung oil and protective cover



## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

Hi, I'm new to the forum, I've been a carpenter for over 30 yrs, and began making some furniture over the last 10 yrs. I know nothing about painting, or finish, what can go over what and what can't go on at all. 
I've always used water based polys in particular Zipguard , ( I hated keeping solvents and mineral spirits around). I liked the water proofing of it and the hard surface

Anyway a couple yrs ago I tried Tung oil on an Oak water bed frame I made and really liked the effect it produced. I'm currently building a combo jewelry box, (Maple Walnut and Purple heart) and want to use Tung oil on it.

My question is this, is there a protective coat that can be applied over the tung oil and and provide a hard protective surface or must it stay exposed and touched up over the yrs?
Thanks for any and all help you can give me.


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

No help? Nobody know? Oh well.


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Guitar makers use nitrocellulose over tung oil quite often. I've had good effect with another water based finish over tung oil, KTM-9 (also a common guitar finish) though I don't have long term data to support the "hardness" and protective capability of it.


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## wletson (Jan 11, 2010)

For the amount of "traffic" a jewellery box is going to get, why not just go with the straight tung oil? I'm definitely a tung or teak oil fan as well. I'm currently working on a large project and doing it with a Danish Tung & Teak oil that has a protection mixed in (sorry can't remember what it is). It gives the same nice subtle finish as tung oil. IMHO


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

I've used polyurethane over danish oil many times without an issue. I believe danish oil and tung oil are very similar with the exception of some modifiers which speed the cure time.


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## RDR (Feb 8, 2010)

Ghidrah said:


> My question is this, is there a protective coat that can be applied over the tung oil and and provide a hard protective surface or must it stay exposed and touched up over the yrs?
> Thanks for any and all help you can give me.


Waterlox is a tung oil based finish and protective coat in one. Sounds like just the thing you might be looking for. I'm planning on using it on the cherry butcher block counter tops I'm currently installing in my kitchen. Check it out.

www.waterlox.com

-Rich


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

Thanks for the replies everyone, good thing I checked one more time before giving up.

Regarding Tung oil, I've used it on a few things in the past, in particular I lurve the kind of orange tone and depth it adds to the stripes in tiger Maple. It darkens the Walnut more than I would have liked but the grain patterns still look great and it almost deepens the PH too much. Thankfully the Walnut and PH are so hard that they absorbed very little of the oil compared to the Maple.

wletson,
My hang up is the Tung oil provides a matte finish and my vision was of a gloss lacquered type finish. Plus wifey is in and out of her base JB daily, primping for work, ( the JB is a combo set, base and top box, base is already done and in use Mahogany, Maple and Oak). 

bb71,
As I may have mentioned in my original post I know little to nothing about most of the products and their applications. I'm a carpenter by trade, (framer), and had no idea I could put a poly over an oil. I know there are some types of paints that can be applied one-way over another but not the other way around.

QUESTION, is there a preferred brand/product of poly?

RDR,
I've been searching the web and read a little about waterlox, but can't recall reading what type of finish, (matte satin or gloss) it provided. 

QUESTION, if you already have Tung in the wood could you still waterlox over it without adverse effects?

I've made a few oak cutting boards in the distant past and recall reading an article way back that leaving the oak bare is beneficial, equal to and or better than UHMW plastics.
Apparently in combination with regular soap and water cleaning the OAK exudes a gas or chemical that has the ability to kill off the bad bacteria and molds that inhabit the kitchen. Apparently antibacterial soaps kill off good bacteria along with some of the bad.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Once your oiled finish (or oil base stain has dried) cured, you can coat with a waterbase polyurethane. It dries fast and hard. Use thin applications, and spray if you are so equipped.


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## RDR (Feb 8, 2010)

Ghidrah said:


> RDR,
> I've been searching the web and read a little about waterlox, but can't recall reading what type of finish, (matte satin or gloss) it provided.
> 
> QUESTION, if you already have Tung in the wood could you still waterlox over it without adverse effects?


I haven't actually used the product yet myself, but I'm planning to when I finish my counter tops. Another member, Darel, used the product on his counter tops and suggested Waterlox to me. You can see his work here:

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f13/jatoba-kitchen-countertops-14549/

From the Waterlox website, there is a standard finish, which I believe is somewhat glossy, a satin finish and a high gloss finish. It also states that it is not designed as a top coat and works best over unfinished wood. So, I guess beware if you try it over a previously finished surface.

I'm hoping to get my counter tops done in a week or so, and will post pics when I'm through.

-Rich


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

As far as the brand of poly - really its a personal preference. I use Minwax and Flecto Varathane. Many on this board will also suggest using General Finish products. I haven't used it personally. Just make sure to apply according to the directions on the can. You can also thin it with mineral spirits and linseed oil and making a wiping varnish with it. Very easy to apply and get good results.


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## Dejure (Sep 2, 2009)

*Most anything goes*

Since tung oil is a hardening oil, once it's cured, you can put pretty much whatever you want over it, including shellac, lacquer and polyurethane


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## Wood4Fun (Aug 29, 2008)

re: the comments regarding tung oil and being able to put anything over it once it cures... including waterbased finishes? And, what amount of time are you talking for the curing process? My understanding is that tung oil takes a long time to really cure... like more than a week?

Curiosity for me at this point, but I think it is pertinent to the conversation as this could be a direction the OP goes.

OP - without some input from anyone else, I personally would be weary of putting a waterbased anything over an oil anything, without first putting a seal coat of dewaxed shellac. That said, these guys seem to be speaking from experience, and I've never seen Cabinetman steer anyone wrong, I'd give the curing process at least a couple weeks before applying a topcoat... and I'd probably do a test piece first.


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

interesting advise. i would never put a poly over a tung oil. poly's also chip and ware at he edges. an oil lasts for ever and alows the wood to breath.one diference is i would use a danish oil watco works fine. 3 coats of that and a nice buff gives you a natural beauty that lasts.
danish oils are water resistant and never needs to be refinished, just wipe it down every few yrs and it lasts forever


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## Dejure (Sep 2, 2009)

*Altered oils*

Once hardened, a hardening oil finish shouldn't leave a residue on your hand, if you wipe it across the finish. 

Many of the ultimate varnishes, or finishes, are [hardening] oil based products. Add more oil and the finish softens and remains more flexible, so will deal better with exterior weather conditions. If you want your existing oil based finish to flex more, just add a little more oil.

I like using a thinned hardening oil finish, then doing a final with a poly. The oil won't build on the surface, but will soak in and provide penetrating protection, and bring out the wood grain. The poly will build on the surface, as would shellac. 

You can buy boiled linseed oil, or polymerized tung oil. All this means is the cure time is speeded up. Tree Labs sells polymerized tung oil at really reasonable prices. For about four dollars more a gallon, they'll also sell you the minerals to further speed drying. Usually, twenty-four hours is ample for cure time.

Danish oil is just a thinned varnish, usually based on linseed oil, with some color to it. You could make your own at a fraction of the price. Just thin some polymerized tung or linseed oil and add a little stain (or not). If you don't have tung oil, fine, just thin your favorite varnish.

On the other hand, Jack is right, danish is easy to maintain (though not as durable).


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