# tung oil seeping up from cracks in wood



## therabidrabbit (Dec 16, 2013)

I am attempting to finish a slab of wood with tung oil for the first time and of course I am having a problem.

I am useing polymerized tung oilk from lee valley and am applying to to a 2" sycamore slab.

The slab itself has a bunch of cracks which i didn't mind asthetically, i just wanted a smooth surface. 

I applied the first coat sealer, no problems. Waited 24 hours til it felt dry and looked good, applied the second coat 50/50 sealer/tung oil.

when I went back a day later to check on it I noticed the oil seeping up from all the cracks. The rest of the surface is dry but the spots you can see seeping up which feel slightly thicker are still a little tacky.

SO my question is what can I do about it? I was thinking maybe just wait a couple more days for even the thick spots to harden then them back down and reapply a few more coats of oil.... but I don't know how to keep this from happening again. 

I guess I probably should have filled in all the cracks but I"m hoping that was not necessary.

Link to wood photos: http://imgur.com/rx9f0QZ


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

It will be alright. Just stop applying tung oil and let what you have applied cure. Tung oil is a very slow drying finish and 24 hours wasn't enough. The best way to tell if a coat of tung oil is dry enough for another coat is to briskly rub the surface with a clean cloth and see if the tung oil smell rubs off. When there is no smell it is ready. Next time just try not to flood the cracks with the finish and I think it will go better for you.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

+1 for SN
I've been using MinWax Tung Oil Finish on wood carvings. I was told to wait until I can't smell it, then apply the next coat. No rush, the coats have been about a week apart. Four coats makes the glossy/wet-look that I wanted. Not like I have no other carvings to work on in the meantime!


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## therabidrabbit (Dec 16, 2013)

My problem now is not that it isn't dry, but that it has dried unevenly because of the cracks. 

I actually can't tell if it's raised or lowered from the non-cracked properly finished part. But I can feel the difference in texture when I run my hand across it, and it definitely looks bad.

Do I need to sand the whole surface until it's all even again and then re-apply the oil?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

therabidrabbit said:


> My problem now is not that it isn't dry, but that it has dried unevenly because of the cracks.
> 
> I actually can't tell if it's raised or lowered from the non-cracked properly finished part. But I can feel the difference in texture when I run my hand across it, and it definitely looks bad.
> 
> Do I need to sand the whole surface until it's all even again and then re-apply the oil?


Yes, when the tung oil is dry it will be like a coat of varnish that the unevenness can be sanded flat. If you are trying to build a film finish with the tung oil it would probably be best to sand a little at a time between coats than to sand it flat in one sanding. Some places you would be sanding more wood than finish.


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