March 2nd, 2004:

Lowe’s didn’t have any Tung Oil or Linseed Oil. Home Depot had one can from one brand of Tung Oil and TONS of Linseed Oil. So, I got Minwax’s Tung Oil Finish for $11 and change. I bought it and went on my way.

I didn’t know what the oil would smell like, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t supposed to be toxic or toxic smelling. However, the can had a billion warning on it about ingestion and proper ventilation and it smelled horrible. So, I asssumed that this product must be Tung Oil with solvents mixed in. The solvents are actually a good thing for the first few coats in many applications. It allows the oil to penetrate deeper into the wood and quickens the drying time.

My father and I applied it liberally according to the instructions I had researched. After the first two coats were done, we went inside and washed our hands. Shortly afterwards, however, we noticed that they were sticky. Sure enough, the table was sticky too. I did some more research on this particular brand of Tung Oil and came to a horrible conclusion. I’m not sure what’s in the can that I bought, but it most likely isn’t Tung Oil at all. More than likely, it is a mixture of various vegetable oils, with various solvents, and some varnish/polyurethane.

Bastards.

At this point, I didn’t know what to do. I wanted that stuff off of my table. But, I didn’t even know how to take it off. So I read the can. The can doesn’t really say what’s in it, but it does say that touch up applications can be applied whenever needed. It also stated that it would form a protective layer on the wood and would also penetrate into the wood. Cleanup, according to the can, could be done with mineral spirits.

I didn’t want to clean the whole table and start over. I was tired, it was late, and I was losing my patience. So I decided to leave it on there. If it looks okay and feels okay in 24 hours, I’ll put on another coat and go with it. If it doesn’t, I’ll deal with cleaning it off, getting some real Tung Oil and starting over again.

I’m sure it’ll be fine. But I am very pissed that Minwax would label a product in such a misleading fashion. I have half a mind to write them a letter bitching and moaning, but what good what it do? Their stuff is already on my table. It’s already done what it’s going to do. They can’t change that.

I was looking forward to the oil finish — the soft feel of it, the maintenance of it. It’s very disappointing. Even more annoying is that I have a pretty good guess of what is in the product. And I could have made my own and known exactly what was in it for less money.

I’ll let you know how it turns out.

PLEASE NOTE: It’s unfortunate that I have to say this, but, due to all of the comments I’ve been getting, I feel it is needed. Please do not ask me questions regarding furniture finishing, or tung oil application. I know nothing about any of this. I am simply one guy who tried to use the product. I can share my one experience, and that’s it. If you’re looking for useful information, you’re better off looking elsewhere. Thanks!

I did a lot of research before deciding to use Tung Oil as the finish for my table. Most of the resources said that the instructions on the container of Tung Oil may or may not be the best way to apply it. And most of them agreed on what the best way was. So, with this information, I decided I would ignore the instructions on the can and follow these instructions instead.

I would apply a liberal coat of Tung Oil to all surfaces. Then, with 400grit sandpaper, I would sand the oil into the wood’s surface. If the wood was thirsty and drank all the oil, I would add more and sand more until the wood was saturated. Then I would allow 15-20 minutes for the oil to soak in. Then, with a clean cloth, I would buff the surface liberally and evenly. I would then apply a second coat with my hands or a rag. No sanding needed. I would let it sit for 15-20 minutes, and then buff it off again. Then I would apply a third coat, this time, allowing the oil to seep in overnight. Then, finally, the next day, I would buff the oil off and be done.

If more coats were desired, they would be applied like the third coat. If a touch up coat was needed in the future, it would be applied like the second and third coats.

I’m no so happy with the finishing process of my table. At first I was going to use an oil-based polyurethane finish. This would offer the most protection and is fairly inexpensive.

You see, polyurethane is basically like a coating of plastic that sits on top of the wood. If it gets scratched, the polyurethane is scratched, not the wood. The same goes for spills and other mishaps. However, even though polyurethane is harder than the pine that I used to build the table, it isn’t scratch proof. When it does get scratched, under a raked light it looks just like a scratch in plastic. If your table is even remotely new, it is most likely covered in polyurethane. If it has received any abuse at all, I’m sure you have scratches on it too. Just look at it with under raked light (strong light from the side). You’ll see them. So, while, if done correctly, it can be made to look almost natural, as soon as a few scratches get on it, it looks like plastic.

I don’t want a thick glossy coating on my table. And I certainly don’t want it to look like scratched plastic after I beat it up over the next however many years I have it. Before polyurethane, and before shellac and varnish and all of those other chemicals, wood was finished with oil. Sometimes the oil was mixed with solvents, other times it was used pure. A very common oil in the west was Linseed Oil. However, in the east, Tung Oil was most commonly used. While quite a bit more expensive than Linseed Oil, it offers better liquids-protection, cures faster, and doesn’t darken the wood. It has recently started gaining popularity among antique refinishers in the western world.

If applied correctly, a Tung Oil finish can be made to be almost as water and stain resistant as polyurethane. However, while it does provide some abrasion protection to the wood, it doesn’t even come close to polyurethane. However, in my case, and most likely in the case of many other amatuer furniture builders, I know the damage is coming. So, instead of trying to create a layer of "plastic" on top of my wood to damage, that will eventually have to be stripped off and replaced, I’d prefer to have an easy method of incorporating new damages into the "distressed" look of my table. And and Oil finish is perfect for this.

An Oil finish does have its disadvangates. The biggest of which is that it requires quite a bit more maintenance than polyurethane does. It needs to be lightly reoiled once a year. Even more often if it is in frequent use like a table top. However, this doesn’t really scare me off. I love working with wood. I find it theraputic and relaxing. I don’t mind breaking out some Tung Oil once a year and giving the table a nice rub down.

Another disadvantage to polyurethane is its application. Your finish will only be as smooth as your wood, so you must sand very well. Additionally, you must have a fairly dust free environment. Any dust that falls on the table while the finish is curing (about 12-24 hours per coat) will be incorporated into it. The more dust you get, the muddier your finish will look. You need to be certain you have a good brush to apply it with. Any loose bristles that come out of the brush during application will be caught in the surface forever. Drips and runs on vertical surfaces also pose a problem. You must be certain that everything goes on perfectly and smoothly. If you mess up, you have very little time to correct your mistake before you work is permanently damaged. An Oil finish, on the other hand, is just rubbed on. If you mess up, you just start over. If you want to make it shinier, just add more coats. The oil isn’t toxic (unless cut with solvents) so you can apply it in place if you’re careful not to drip the oil on the ground. If you want to remove it, just use mineral spirits.

So, with all of those options, I opted to use a Tung Oil Finish. It certainly wasn’t the "easiest" route, nor was it the most protective, but it was the method that would look the best, allow for mistakes in the application, and be flexible enough to allow touch up work whenever I felt like it.