Wood Preparation:
The surfaces to be finished should be free of lint, dirt, grease, wax, oil, old paint or finish. For new wood, the surface should be sanded to a 220 grit finish. Avoid using higher grits as they close the pores, minimizing penetration of the Polymerized Tung Oil Sealer. Vacuum and tack the surface to remove any dust .

Finishing Conditions:
Ideal conditions are a temperature range of 55-75° F with humidity less than 65%. Whenever you finish in conditions out of these recommended ranges you may experience difficulty in applying the finish and you will need to allow for longer curing times. Reapplying finish before the previous coat is adequately cured causes STREAKING and FLASHING of the finish. This is evidenced by dull areas in the finish where moisture is trapped. Avoiding streaking and flashing in the finish is a function of adequate curing time. Curing time is a function of finishing conditions, thickness of coat applied, lustre being used, number of coats previously applied.

Our Polymerized Tung Oil's highest performance is with solid wood, not veneers. Veneers are best finished using a combination Polymerized Tung Oil/ Resin finish. Sutherland Welles Ltd® offers Wiping Varnish and Murdoch’s line as a more successful finish for veneer.

Application of Polymerized Tung Oil Sealer:
After properly preparing the wood surface, apply the first coat of Sealer liberally with a natural bristle brush. It is not uncommon for most of this coat to be absorbed into the wood with a minimal amount left on the surface. After 10-15 minutes, wipe the surface completely using a clean rag or cheesecloth. Allow the first coat to cure approximately 6-8 hours. The sealing process tends to raise the grain of the wood, although less with a wiping finish. If the surface feels rough after the first coat has completely dried, lightly sand the surface using a 220 grit sandpaper. Vacuum and tack the surface prior to applying the second coat of sealer. The second coat is applied using the same technique, but using less Sealer. Completely cover the surface with Polymerized Tung Oil Sealer and allow the sealer to penetrate approximately 10 minutes. Completely wipe the surface dry with a clean soft rag or cheesecloth. Allow the second coat to cure 6-8 hours. If the surface isn’t smooth enough to your preference, sand with 320/400 grit sandpaper or #0000 steel wool prior to applying the finish coats. Remember to vacuum and dust the surface prior to re-coating.

Application of Low, Medium or High Lustre Polymerized Tung Oil
Using a natural bristle brush or a clean rag, apply the finish coats thinly. Allow 10-15 minutes for the Polymerized Tung Oil to penetrate and then using a clean rag or cheesecloth, wipe the remaining Polymerized Tung Oil off using a circular motion. Keep changing the area of the rag to a dry spot to pick up all traces of the Polymerized Tung Oil. Your final wipe should be in the direction of the grain of the wood. Allow 12-24 hours for this coat to both dry and cure. Successive coats are applied using the technique described above.  If the surface should tack-up before you wipe it off, simply apply more Polymerized Tung Oil and wipe off immediately and thoroughly.

Cure Test: To avoid STREAKING AND FLASHING in the finish, perform the cure test prior to applying a coat of finish. Streaking and flashing are the appearance of dull spots in the finish. This occurs when moisture is trapped in the layers of finish due to insufficient curing time. Push your finger tips against the grain of the wood over the various parts of the surface to be re-coated. If they glide easily over the surface - you are ready to apply your next coat. If there is any "grab" or friction felt, you will need to wait longer for this coat to cure. Repeat the cure test every two-four hours until your fingers slip easily across the surface.

Coverage:Sealer- 150-200 sq.ft/quart or 600-800sq.ft./gallon. Low, Medium and High Lustre- 1000sq.ft./gallon (after two coats Sealer). Available in quarts, gallons,pails.

Periodic maintenance - use only Sutherland Welles Ltd.® Dust and Tacking Oil™ according to directions on the label. Formulated with a high quality mineral oil and our low toxic solvent, Di-citrusol™, the product is perfect for removing everyday dust from furniture, cabinet etc. Perfect to prep surfaces prior to using any surface coating such as our Murdoch’s Table Top™ or our Wiping Varnish.

Yearly maintenance - use Sutherland Welles Ltd.® Wood Care™ according to directions on the label. This product is formulated with our Polymerized Tung Oil and our low toxic solvent, Di-citrusol™. Wood Care™ is perfect for any project finished with any of our products. Wood Care™ enhances the patina while protecting the wood.

There are three steps to resurfacing a Polymerized Tung Oil finish; clean, sand, re-coat. Over time, any wood finish will need rejuvenation. Grime, dust, environmental exposure all take their toll on a finish.

The first step is to clean the surface using Sutherland Welles Ltd.â Cleaner according to the directions on the label. If the surface has been waxed, a penetrating finish will dissolve enough of the wax to maintain the integrity of the Loc-Lamin® System. Once the surface is clean, lightly sand the surface with a 400/600 grit sandpaper. The final step is to use Sutherland Welles Ltd.â Polymerized Tung Oil in either Low or Medium Lustre. Apply a thin coat with a clean soft rag or natural bristle brush, allow five minutes for it to penetrate and then wipe the surface completely removing all the Polymerized Tung Oil from the surface. Allow the surface to cure twelve-twenty four hours before using.

© Sutherland Welles Ltd.® -11/01,1/02,1/03, 4/03. All rights reserved.

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Last modified: September 26, 2007