About us
Sutherland Welles Ltd.®
At Sutherland Welles Ltd.®, we invite you into a realm of woodcraft passion and dedication that we proudly infuse into every product we offer. As you explore, you’ll discover more than just wood finishing solutions – you’ll find a commitment to excellence that runs deep within our formulations and craftsmanship.
Our products are meticulously crafted to elevate the innate beauty of wood while providing robust protection against the challenges of time, wear, and moisture. Embracing Sutherland Welles Ltd.® means embracing a partnership with a brand that shares your passion for woodworking, one that empowers you to bring your creative visions to life with unparalleled finesse and enduring quality.
Join us in celebrating the world of woodworking mastery and experience the difference that our products can make in your projects.
Your Favorite Finishes Now Come With The Assurance Of Third Party Testing For Low Chemical Emissions.
What is Tung Oil?
- Tung Oil is a vegetable oil made from pressing the seeds of the nuts of Tung Trees.
- Tung oil has been used for centuries in China to waterproof and protect boats.
- Tung Trees are native to China, but are now cultivated in China and South America.
- Tung Oil production is currently being revived in the United States.
- Tung was produced in the US in the 1930’s through the 1960’s. Its use for wood finishes declined during World War II when the government declared it a strategic defense item used to coat all ammunition and ships.
- In the 1960’s hurricanes all but destroyed the remaining tung oil production in the US.
Why Tung Oil?
- Sutherland Welles Ltd.® finishes use only the highest quality cold-pressed tung oil from sustainable tung tree farms in the United States and China.
- Tung Oil production is natural and completely renewable.
- Tung Oil tress are inherently insect and disease resistant requiring no pesticides or fungicides to grow and be productive.
- Tung nut byproducts are used to make mulch.
- Our Polymerization process reduces the need for toxic chemical driers.
- We use The highest quality, lowest toxicity and VOC materials in our finishes
- Our Original/Interior and Botanical Polymerized Tung Oil finishes are Greenguard certified for low chemical emissions.
- Our products are packaged in recycled cans
- We use recycled cardboard, bubble wrap and paper for our shipping materials.
- Sutherland Welles Ltd.® participates in Paint Care, paint can-recycling program in available states.
Why choose Sutherland Welles Ltd.® Tung Oil for your wood finishing projects?
Tung oil is a naturally derived oil from the nut of a Tung tree. Native to China, Tung oil has been used to preserve wood, metal, and stone for centuries. Tung oil penetrates the grain of wood, enhances its appearance, and provides a protective, flexible, water-resistant finish.
- Tung oil will not yellow, darken, mold or mildew like linseed oil.
- Tung oil will not crack or peel like polyurethane.
- Tung oil surpasses shellac and linseed oil in hardness, durability, and water resistance.
- Tung oil is 100% food-safe, once cured.
- Tung oil is easy to apply and repair.
Polymerization and Sutherland Welles Ltd.® Tung Oil
Sutherland Welles Ltd, uses only the highest quality Tung Oil, imported from China where the oil is extracted from the tung nut using a cold press method, not the lesser grade petroleum distillates extraction method. Our hand-crafted finishes are made from heat treated, or polymerized, tung oil.
Polymerization is a heating process that changes the tung oil to:
- Cure much faster
- Cure much harder
- Polymerization reduces the need for chemical driers or additives that give finishes strong chemical odors.
- The Polymerization processes increases the viscosity, or body, of the oil, so we add low VOC and/or non-toxic solvents to improve the workability, consistency, and performance of our wood finish formulations.
- Many other Tung oil finishes contain little to no tung oil in their base, using a mixture chemical additives, resins, and thinners instead to match the performance of our finishes.
- Sutherland Welles Ltd Tung Oil finishes contain 100% real polymerized tung oil and are formulated to produce beautiful, durable, and lasting finishes for all types of projects.
About Sutherland Welles Ltd.
We are a small, family-run business and pride ourselves on providing exceptional environmentally friendly products and customer service! Our environmental impact is very important to us as parents and owners of Sutherland Welles.
In 1965, before it was trendy to be “green”, Frank Sutherland Welles dedicated himself to creating an 100% pure Tung oil product. Frank’s commitment to providing a natural, nourishing, renewable wood treatment while creating an exceptional bond and protection was visionary.
Frank’s vision is the foundation of our business that has grown into a variety of products to make wood beautiful in homes, boats, businesses, and public spaces since 1965.
The legacy of sustainable products formulated with as low toxicity as possible has been at the core of the company’s values and vision, and will remain so into the distant future.
What is everyone is saying about Sutherland Welles, Ltd?
Explore Our Product Lines
Interior Polymerized Tung Oil
Sutherland Welles Ltd.® Original Formula/Interior Polymerized Tung Oil is a beautiful, durable, and easy to use finish appropriate for a variety of interior finishing projects.
Exterior Polymerized Tung Oil
Our Exterior Polymerized Tung Oil is an excellent exterior clear finish coating for a variety of outdoor applications.
Murdoch's Polymerized Tung Oil
Our hybrid Polymerized Tung Oil and resin system that combines the benefits and beauty of tung oil with the extra protection of a resin.
Botanical Polymerized Tung Oil
Sutherland Welles Ltd.® Botanical Polymerized Tung Oil line was created to offer an alternative to petroleum solvent finishes.
Wiping Varnish
Our first line of resin fortified Polymerized Tung Oil finishes that are made using our polymerized tung oil and resin.
Old World Concentrated Stains
Sutherland Welles Ltd.® stains can be mixed to form a variety of colors or successive layers of different stains help create an antiqued effect.
Woodcare Accessories
After many years of research, and trial and error, we've come up with several outstanding products to help you along with your project.
Tung Oil Paste Waxes
Sutherland Welles Ltd.® Tung Oil Paste Waxes are an environmentally friendly option for a hand rubbed, tung oil wood finish.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Raw Tung Oil is a VERY SLOW drying oil. It takes upwards of 6 weeks for raw Tung oil to cure and often remains sticky during that 6 weeks.
Yes, it can be used on any porous stone, unglazed tile, and metalworks. It is best to use any relevant Sealer (check products for best usage) and fewer coats will be needed.
Yes, ALL of our finishes are considered inert and food safe after they are full cured for 30 days, except our Millie’s All Purpose Penetrating Tung Oil. Millie’s finish is the quickest to reach food safety usage, as it is formulated with Polymerized Tung Oil, Citrus solvent, and beeswax with no added driers making it usable once DRY, usually after just 3 days. This is great finish for salad bowls, cutting boards, and counters such as a kitchen island to be used as food prep.
Yes, the only difference is the UV and Mildecide additives between the two. They are fine to use indoors.
A natural White China Bristle brush (stainer-style, square tip) is best to use to apply our finishes, especially the film finishes in the Murdoch’s line. This brush is available on our online store. A short-napped, synthetic floor pad can be used for large floors. A Scotts blue shop towel can be used for small tight areas. It can also be sprayed using a HVLP sprayer to a achieve a light thin coating.