Use a clean, dry rag to apply the Pure Tung Oil/Citrus Solvent mixture to your butcher block. Once applied, give the mixture ample time to soak into the wood. Once the mixture has soaked into the wood, apply another coat, waiting up to 40 minutes between coats.
On the first coat of oil (while wearing gloves) I like to soak the wood well with the Tung Oil and let it set for about 10-15 min. Most of it will soak in, and then I wipe it all off nearly dry.
You don't need to sand
Tung oil doesn't require it for adhesion, smoothness, clarity, or gloss (tung can be built to a gloss/semi-gloss too). That said, if your sheared surface isn't where you want it to be (or if you just prefer sanding), I recommend bringing the base surface to 600 grit or higher.
Pros & Cons of Tung Oil as a Wood Finish
It's all natural, non-toxic, and eco-friendly, and it doesn't yellow as much over time as common finishes like linseed oil, nitrocellulose lacquer, or varnishes like polyurethane. On the other hand, tung oil is expensive and susceptible to water rings, stains, and scratches.
Once your piece is sanded and throughly cleaned you can proceed with applying tung oil. It can be applied using a lint free rag, old sock or an inexpensive paint brush. Just pour a little onto your rag and start rubbing in. You can even pour it directly onto your piece if you have large flat surface to cover.
Apply the Tung Oil liberally to a Lint Free Cloth or Foam Brush and rub into the wood following the direction of the grain. Some areas of wood will be more absorbent than others; apply more Tung Oil to any areas which look drier than other areas. Continue to do so until the full surface of wood looks wet throughout.
Most surfaces will require 2-3 applications; however, very porous, old, or dried up surface may require 6 or more coats. Pure Tung Oil should not be used over any existing stain or finish. Strip completely to bare wood and follow the 'NEW WOOD APPLICATION' procedures.
However, when it comes to protection, teak oil comes out ahead. It provides a tougher, more scratch-resistant finish, especially on hardwoods. While tung oil also offers solid protection, teak oil dries to a harder finish, making it more suitable for surfaces that experience heavy use.
No additional sealer is needed as the tung oil naturally seals and offers waterproof protection.
If you find any excess oil seeping up through the grain of the wood on a tung oil finish, simply remove it with a rag and continue the use of your finished product.
From here, the oil will need a week to 10 days to start curing, and 15 days to 30 days to fully cure. Do not put the tung oiled object in direct sunlight for an extended period of time. For the first 10 days of curing, check and wipe up any tung oil that may seep to the surface.
You can apply a wax on top of tung oil. You should not need to remove any of the existing tung oil to get an even shine.
When tung oil dries, it dries from the outside in. If there is too much tung oil left on the surface, or if the first coat is not allowed to cure before a subsequent coat is applied, there will be unreacted tung oil under the surface layer.
Product details. Tung Oil is an easy to apply durable coating for wood. Pure Tung Oil is a drying oil, which means it hardens on exposure to air and consequently may be used as a coating for wood. A good coating for exterior oak.
Exposed to oxygen, the finish will gradually skin over, or the whole liquid may start to gel. Kept in tightly sealed containers with minimal head space, raw or boiled linseed oil and tung oil can last five or more years.
Our Experts Weigh In. Woodworking Expert - Michael Dresdner: "Yes, I would put a coat or two of oil-based polyurethane on for more durability, and it is fully compatible over the dried tung oil (or linseed oil, or any other drying oil for that matter.)
A pure tung oil finish has a honey-like color that brings out the natural beauty in your wood grain, while linseed oil starts out with a similar slightly yellow hue that fades to a darker orangey finish over time.
Wear a NIOSH-approved respirator to control lead exposure.
The MinWax product is a mixture of tung oil and varnish and will seal the wood. The whole idea of tung oil is that it penetrates the wood and the microscopic tubes and holes that contain air in dry wood but really soak up water.
Why Can't You Use Boiled Linseed Oil On Oak? Oak contains a high level of natural water-soluble extractives and tannins, and some of these can react with the metal driers in Boiled Linseed Oil, turning black and discolouring the wood. These black spots can appear similar to mould spots.
Your final coat(s) of Tung oil should be applied full strength. Don't sand the final coat. I allow it to cure and then depending on the look I am looking for I might apply a coat of paste wax. Paste wax on wood is just like paste wax on your car.
Cellulose Thinners will soften the Tung Oil (and most finishes) enough to allow a lot of it to be scraped off; it will be a very messy job though, best done outside with rubber gloves on, and with the floor covered to protect it.