It is transparent as compared to the oil based version which has a slight color. Ask Question Asked 3 years ago. Tung oil takes up to 48 hours to dry. Water based polyurethane is famous for being low odor and low toxic. Like you I've just started tinkering with TO after using Poly for years (Apply coat. How many coats of tung oil should be used? Come join the discussion about shop safety, wood, carpentry, lumber, finishing, tools, machinery, woodworking related topics, styles, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! It is made by mixing a small amount of varnish into a larger amount of curing or penetrating oil, such as tung oil or linseed oil. Tung oil and polyurethane give a warm, natural finish. Though the differences are small by comparison, tung oil is a little more protective than linseed oil, and polyurethane varnish is a little more protective and durable than varnish. Polyurethane would act just as an improvement on top of tung oil. Technique I am sure. Tung Oil does not fully cure or harden (dry all the way through) for 30-45 days. The oil hardens through a chemical reaction called cross-linking, or polymerization by intaking oxygen. I'm curious to hear what others say. Polyurethane dries faster than tung oil and takes only 12 hours to cure. I am getting close to completing a desk I am building. A Drying Oil is one that will harden to form a solid film after exposure to the air over time. Reducing the ratio of oil to resin creates a hard finish for indoor use. Some examples of drying oils include tung oil, linseed oil, and walnut oil. I’ve used it on a number of projects—including tables—that I built for The New Yankee Workshop and for my own use. Crappy brushes may shed a bristle that ends up in your table’s finish. Neither linseed oil or pure tung oil makes a satisfactory finish, in and of itself. Leaving the wood in its natural state, however, does not mean that you should leave it unprotected. Also according to him, there are companies out there that are adding several different oils, thinners and what have you and giving it an exotic name. On the right, I wiped pure tung oil on, let it sit, wiped off the excess, then wiped on dark tung oil. So I'm thinking of putting 1 coat of Tung oil and then a few coats of polyutherane on top. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO-lpMfPe1A&feature=emb_title, Dura Seal Water Based Polyurethane Floor Finish Application (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO-lpMfPe1A&feature=emb_title), Minwax 63010444 Fast Drying Polyurethane Clear Finish, quart, Satin, Varathane 200061H Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane, Half Pint, Gloss Finish, 8 Fl Oz, Minwax 33055000 Fast-Drying Polyurethane Aerosol, 11.5 ounce, Semi-Gloss, 100% Pure Tung Oil Finish Wood Stain & Natural Sealer for All Types of Wood (32 oz), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqKzUGkiue0&feature=emb_title, Woodworking : How to Apply Tung Oil to Wood (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqKzUGkiue0&feature=emb_title), 23 Inspiring Pallet Beds For The Perfect DIY Project, How To Spray Polyurethane Without Making A Mess, 25 Best Homemade DIY Bird Feeders for All Kinds of Yards and Gardens, The Saw Guy – Saw Reviews and DIY Projects. According to him, anything added to Tung Oil makes it something else. It’s okay to put your project in service once dry but you should refrain from heavy use until hardened. Yarrgh.). most of todays danish oil consist of blo-thinner ( ms ) and a varnish. Last update on 2020-12-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API. It brings about the richness of wood but adds a slight yellowish tint. Oil based polyurethane is comparatively more durable than water based especially when it comes to handling extreme heat. Polyurethane may look great at first, but in very heavily used areas, like a restaurant, it can scratch off over time and must be sanded and repaired by someone who won’t screw it up. This article compares the two in terms of pros and cons, application and equipment, and maintenance and clean-up. Perhaps the best part is that tung oil is non-toxic. In fact, you can apply it in much the same way as you did the oil -- scrub it on with fine Scotchbrite, then … Haven’t been tortured enough? Feast Watson Tung Oil is a natural floor oil that is the low maintenance, high-end look you have dreamed of. The whole purpose of Tung Oil is to soak into the wood, not just be a surface layer finish. Tung oil creates a more natural finish and showcases details in and the grain of the wood much better. I have used Poly but my pieces have bubbles. Just a couple of our favorite picks, click the link to see current price. Tung Oil vs. BLO – To compare the two finishes, Vaughn MacMillan applied boiled linseed oil to the left half and tung oil to the right half of this platter. I used tung oil on both and I love the results! A coat dries within 12 hours of application and only 2 coating of polyurethane are required to make wood water tight. I learned that lesson long ago when I built and finished walnut gun stocks for hunters back in Iowa. Go to popularwoodworking.com and read what Bob Flexner has to say about Tung Oil. However, straight tung oil is neither as hard nor as solvent-resistant as polyurethane. Tung oil does not "expire," but it can thicken somwhat over a long period of time. Also on this topic can someone tell me if tung oil can "expire" I found a old can of it - would like to try it. 246 Posts . It is difficult to use by itself as a finish because you have to sand tung oil after every coat, not just after the initial coat. Repeat. The answer is they are not. – My … For such intricate surfaces, Tung oil is considered ideal because of its characteristic of soaking in the wood. Kitchen table for example is a good candidate for oil based polyurethane. Oil, on the other hand, can be worked into a regular cleaning cycle by staff and touch-ups of scuffs are easy. Your message made me curious so I did a little researching and came up with the following: in high school i made a bar, and did a coat of tong oil, this was followed by 10? What are your thoughts on using Tung oil vs. Poly? While there are many advantages to using it, pure tung oil takes two to three days to harden, and needs … Penetrating oil lends the wood a more natural appearance than polyurethane. But, on top of the initial cost, you also need to consider that you will need to redo the whole job sooner…you will probably redo them almost twice as often. http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=1269, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Tung oil soaks into the surface of the wood and can take up to 48 hours to dry. Pure tung oil vs linseed oil . What are your thoughts on using Tung oil vs. Poly? Here are a look at some of our favorite tung oils and polyurethanes available:​, http://www.woodworkdetails.com/knowledge/finishing/tung-oil, http://www.realmilkpaint.com/tips-techniques/how-to-finish-a-floor-pure-tung-oil/, http://www.silive.com/homegarden/homeimprovement/index.ssf/2009/07/the_pros_and_cons_of_lacquers.html, http://www.doityourself.com/stry/pros-and-cons-of-polyurethane-finish, http://www.familyhandyman.com/floor/water-based-vs-oil-based-polyurethane-floor-finish/view-all, http://itech.dickinson.edu/chemistry/?p=920​. What are your thoughts on using Tung oil vs. Poly? Tung oil can be applied on the wood surface using a normal piece of cloth whereas polyurethane has to be applied using a sponge or paint brush. r/DIY: A place where people can come to learn and share their experiences of doing, building and fixing things on their own. The Formby's Tung Oil Finish and the Minwax Wipe on Poly are both varnishes with somewhat different resin that can both be allowed to build a film on … Water Vs. Oil Based Polyurethane for Countertops. Just like a polyurethane. A varnish basically protects the wood from destruction. Often we are asked about "Oiled" finished hardwood floors, and if they are superior to a Polyurethane. This means less time waiting for the floors to dry and it smells less. It dries much quicker than the oil-based; 1 coat of water-based poly can dry in as little as two hours compared to 10-12 hours of each coat for oil-based poly. You would not have "Danish Oil", as Danish Oil is usually a mix of BLO (boiled Linseed oil), varnish, and mineral spirits. Moreover surfaces on which Tung oil is applied require touch-ups yearly to maintain their sleek finish. Let’s talk about the real difference between the two. The water-based material is more expensive, so often you will pay around 10-25% more. The biggest disadvantage of polyurethane as compared to Tung oil is its tricky application. Tung oil on the contrary is just rubbed on the surface. Another downside of oil-based polyurethane is that if you decide to use brushes, you will have to take time to clean them with a thinner. Linseed oil and tung oil add more amber color to wood than varnish or polyurethane. Lightly sand. For me, I prefer Formby's Tung Oil finish...but I have tried Watco danish oil, teak oil finish and several other oil finishes. On the other hand, oil-based polyurethane lasts longer and is also more durable than water-based ones. Is there anything wrong with doing this? Polyurethane on the contrary sits on the surface of the wood. Then realize that , Minwax Tung Oil Protective Finish is not tung oil. Wood will retain its moisture and stay looking soft and beautiful only when coated with a protective layer of finish product. Tung oil is more on the expensive side, doesn’t darken wooden surfaces and therefore is very popular amongst antique re-furnishers. A protective layering is vital to protect your project surface against water and environmental damage. First shot is tung oil on Southern Yellow Pine, but with dark & pure tung oil combinations. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Typically a Danish oil consists of a mixture of tung oil and varnish. You can thin it with thinner but then you will have "Danish Oil," which is nothing more than thinned Tung Oil. It’s also food-safe, once cured. On a couple of picture frames for the garage I just used 1 coat of TO and it … TheSawGuy.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. most danish oils also does not have real tung oil in it. When considering tung oil versus polyurethane for wood floors, polyurethane wins the debate every time. » COMPARE: The Best Water Based Polyurethane. It does not coat the wood in a way that polyurethane does. Achieve your Tung Oil finish quickly and easily, with the option to burnish or wax your floor if desired, and regular maintenance coats can be applied easily without sanding. Among natural finishes, tung oil surpasses shellac and linseed oil in hardness, durability, and water resistance. So in actuality they “cure” rather than dry. Tung oil dries in a few days and can be put in moderate service. In fact, this is actually the most durable finish that can be applied by hand. Active 3 years ago. I alway enjoy the next challenge to build to keep sharpening my working skills. Given its many advantages, it is safe to say that Tung oil is a better choice in refinishing than linseed or Danish oil and polyurethane. Full affiliate disclaimer here, [contact-form][contact-field label=”Name” type=”name” required=”1″][contact-field label=”Email” type=”email” required=”1″][contact-field label=”Website” type=”url”][contact-field label=”Message” type=”textarea”][/contact-form]. However, tung oil penetrates wood slowly as it is 100% oil, so it has to be thinned down with thinner or mineral spirits. That’s why, for the non-pro, I’d recommend an oil-based wipe-on polyurethane. I have recently started using TO and love how easy it is to apply. Water based polyurethane is good for things that are not exposed to extreme or rigid temperatures such as picture frames, side tables, bookcases and desks etc. Tung Oil – Dry vs Hardening. For surfaces that are going to be used fairly roughly, a tougher top coat is highly recommended. One coat to bring out wood color and grain, or as an ingredient in varnishs are both fine applications. I just refinished a round oak table and an old oak chest of drawers. 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