# Tung oil taking forever to dry!



## Pabs (Dec 10, 2008)

so after much debate regarding the finish to put on my counter tops (butcher block style) I went with pure Tung oil. 
one, because I can apply indoors without nasty fumes (I have young kids at home) and two because I had a lot of it on hand.

I've applied a good 5 coats. I put a liberal amount on , wait an hour or so and wipe it off .. then wait a day or two before next coat. sanding with 0000 steel wool between coats.

anyway, the last coat I put was over a week ago.. maybe close to 10 days. counter is still damp from oil. if I put my hand on it I still have oil residue! I've used the stuff before and never took that long to dry it seems

looks great but can't really use my counters. getting tired to doing my dishes in the bathtub!

is there something that I can do to speed up the drying process? running fans maybe?

as it is now I can't apply caulk between tile and counter as the caulk won't stick to the oily counter top nor can I install the sink as I can't seal under it…

any help would be appreciated


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## redlee (Apr 11, 2016)

Pure Tung oil can take 30 days or more to dry,you have 5 coats that are probably not dry between coats. try wiping down the surface with some alcohol, or a dry cloth 
I use this method from the web.

Use any clean, lint-free rag to apply tung oil. If you use a rag that has rough-cut edges, be sure to fold the rag so the rough edges are held in your hand and are not on the wood surface, since any loose wood fibres may catch the edge of your cloth and leave troublesome lint behind.

Apply a small amount of oil to your cloth (not the wood surface) and proceed to apply the oil to the work surface. Work from the least accessible areas (interior or underside) first and work towards the easiest sides. This will keep you from putting your elbow or forehead against a freshly oiled surface 

Apply by rubbing along the grain. Do not starve the wood, meaning you should not have to rub hard or often to get the surface wet, and if you are then re-oil your rag more often. Do not over saturate the surface either, meaning the surface should be wet but the surface should not have any standing puddles. If there are any puddles, remove them before continuing on to the next section of your project.

Approximately 1/2 hour after applying the oil, rub the project with a clean rag to remove any excess surface oil. Some people feel that a more vigorous buffing heats the oil and increases its penetration into the wood surface, however this is an optional effort that may produce minimal returns at the expense of your elbow grease.

Let the project stand for at least 24 hours, or until dry. It may take weeks for a full curing/drying, but I am referring to the absorption of the oil by the wood surface. To obtain a super-smooth finished surface, rub the project surface with 0000 steel wool (or equivalent). The dust produced from this sanding should be a white powder, and if you get a gummy resin instead, wait another day before proceeding. Repeat the application of the oil, 1/2 rest period, and removal of the excess.


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

Richard has given you some good advice.. I use Naphtha to clean it down , because it will also pull some of the oil off and allow it to dry more thoroughly, 
slow drying oils take alot of time , like Pure tung, , Blo to mention a few .

Fast drying oils like Arm R Seal or Minwax Wipe on poly , do much better and are faster and more durable in my opinion .


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

> Fast drying oils like Arm R Seal or Minwax Wipe on poly , do much better and are faster and more durable in my opinion .
> 
> - CharlesNeil


Particularly on a surface that is wet a lot, like around a sink. I'll add Waterlox products to Charles' list as a product I've used on countertops around sinks, and the water just beads up. Very durable against scuffing and scratching too.


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

I agree Rich


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

I will add that when i wrote my book , we tested every oil we could get, and if you want a low sheen Formbys Tung oil did the best, its not really tung oil, but in all the test it stood right with the rest mentioned above


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

> I will add that when i wrote my book , we tested every oil we could get, and if you want a low sheen Formbys Tung oil did the best, its not really tung oil, but in all the test it stood right with the rest mentioned above
> 
> - CharlesNeil


Maybe you can tell me. Why the heck do they call that stuff tung oil, since it's not? Also, maybe you can educate me on another one. I understand the concept of Danish oil being oil and hardener, but what's teak oil? Does it have a special use, or is it like tung oil finish and just labeled that way?

And, back on the subject of pure tung oil, all I've used is Milkpaint brand. I was having a heck of a time getting it rubbed in and it getting kind of gummy due to being too thick. I picked up a jug of their citrus solvent and cut the oil by 50%, and it made a huge difference. Smells good too


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

Rich , not sure on the teak oil, basically Danish oil is BLO, I tried the Teak oil, walnut oil and some others, theytook for ever to dry , and even then many of them were gummy , I tested them on glass, it was an interesting experiment .
As to truth in advertising , they call it Tung oil because its a name people recognize , like Milk paint,many products labeled that way are not milk paint at all, but basically latex paint, 
Then we have water base finishes labeled "LACQUER", there is no way to make a water base lacquer, 
I questioned one manufacture as to why, they told me it was so the old timers like me, would buy it because they were familiar with lacquer …go figure


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## Pabs (Dec 10, 2008)

> Pure Tung oil can take 30 days or more to dry,you have 5 coats that are probably not dry between coats. try wiping down the surface with some alcohol, or a dry cloth
> I use this method from the web.
> 
> - Richard Lee


rubbing with alcohol would remove the oil sitting on the surface? would that damage the finish? 
and what kind of alcohol? rubbing alcohol?


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

No, rubbing alcohol is isopropyl alcohol and water. When someone mentions alcohol in relation to finishing, it's always denatured alcohol, which is just grain alcohol that's been made unfit for drinking so they can sell it without a liquor license.


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## Pabs (Dec 10, 2008)

> No, rubbing alcohol is isopropyl alcohol and water. When someone mentions alcohol in relation to finishing, it s always denatured alcohol, which is just grain alcohol that s been made unfit for drinking so they can sell it without a liquor license.
> 
> - RichTaylor


gotcha…
so you are saying I could apply a bit to a rag and rub on the oily finish on my counters, what should I expect to happen? for it to just dry up a bit? after I apply the alcohol do I need to sand again with fine wool as I have between coats and that's it? 
and does that stuff stink badly? counters are installed in the house and locked in…the idea of taking them outside is almost impossible…can I apply the stuff indoors without fear of fumes getting to me or my kids?

thanks for the advice!


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

I'm afraid I can't solve your problem. You're in a situation now where the only fixes involve highly volatile solvents. For instance, the naphtha that Charles recommended would cut through the oil best, but it requires thorough ventilation. Even denatured alcohol will put out fumes that you don't want to be breathing.

Maybe it's best not to try to fix it. The oil will dry eventually. I think if you rub it daily with a clean, dry cloth it will help some. If you can find something like the Milkpaint brand citrus solvent I mentioned above, that would help speed things up too. Perhaps there are other similar products available to you, but I don't know what they sell in your area.

Edit: Basically, try to find a non-petroleum based solvent. Also, if you can find such a product, be sure to test it on an area that won't show before you go rubbing it all over the whole countertop. You sure don't want to risk making things worse.


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## Pabs (Dec 10, 2008)

waiting it is then 

I guess I can put sink back and use foam gasket until oil has cured. and try not to get water on the wood as much as possible.. once dry I can then seal it with silicone..

thanks for the advice


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

The curing process is a reaction with oxygen, so a gentle breeze (small fan on low speed) might speed it up a bit.


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## Pabs (Dec 10, 2008)

> The curing process is a reaction with oxygen, so a gentle breeze (small fan on low speed) might speed it up a bit.
> 
> - Fred Hargis


I will put fans on for sure.. .but why low speed? what would be the harm in the wind speed being high?


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## redlee (Apr 11, 2016)

Why not try a bit of alcohol in a spot a see !
I would at least be wiping it down frequently with a clean cloth.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

> The curing process is a reaction with oxygen, so a gentle breeze (small fan on low speed) might speed it up a bit.
> 
> - Fred Hargis
> 
> ...


No harm to the finish, but it will distribute the odor in a much more efficient fashion throughout the house. My reco for the low speed really comes from using it on oil based varnish, the higher fan speed will put more dust nibs into the finish. That won't be a problem with tung oil.


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## Pabs (Dec 10, 2008)

fans on as we speak and wiping down whenever I`m around them….I`ll get these puppies dry eventually!


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## cathode (May 18, 2014)

I bought a quart of Hope's 100% pure tung oil, and honestly I kind of like the "nutty" odor it has. It does take forever to cure but I wait a minimum of 24 hours between coats. I also have several computer servers in my basement that blow lots of hot air out the back so I place things in that airstream to dry/cure. The most coats I've done was 3, I'm not sure what's the actual advantage of more coats beyond that when using Tung oil…


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## ArtMann (Mar 1, 2016)

Tung oil will not provide any level of protection from water or moisture. That is just an unfortunate fact if you are using it on a counter top.


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## Pabs (Dec 10, 2008)

> Tung oil will not provide any level of protection from water or moisture. That is just an unfortunate fact if you are using it on a counter top.
> 
> - ArtMann


well, I know it's not like poly but if the wood is saturated with oil how can it not provide protection? where can the water go? I'm also playing with the idea to put a coat of beeswax/oil mixture that I have, that would make it even more water resistant. only concern is if I ever need to peel off the wax…not a fun job


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## ArtMann (Mar 1, 2016)

If you do a cross section of the wood that you "saturate" with tung oil, you may find it only penetrates several thousandths of an inch deep. Water will soak through that fairly quickly. I'm not saying it won't help, but even counter tops that are finished with polyurethane will not be attractive for long under wet conditions without meticulous care.

I suggest you perform some realistic water testing with scraps before deciding that tung oil is good enough.


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## Pabs (Dec 10, 2008)

> I suggest you perform some realistic water testing with scraps before deciding that tung oil is good enough.
> 
> - ArtMann


well, that's kind of why I'm leaning towards putting the wax on, for extra protection


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## jdh122 (Sep 8, 2010)

Tung oil does protect from water better than linseed oil does, as I understand it. Not as well as most of the film-forming finishes, of course. The real advantage is the ease of repair - you can simply add another coat overtop once it starts to lose its luster. A film finish, while more waterproof, would so quickly get damaged and look terrible on a countertop that I wouldn't consider it, personally. There's little doubt that wooden countertops need more maintenance than just about any other material. On the other hand, people have been using wood surfaces in kitchens for centuries, long before modern finishes were around, but probably without the same expectations for pristine surfaces that we have today.

I find that polymerized tung oil dries a lot faster than pure oil, plus it has a bit more of a sheen.


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## Pabs (Dec 10, 2008)

> Tung oil does protect from water better than linseed oil does, as I understand it. Not as well as most of the film-forming finishes, of course. The real advantage is the ease of repair - you can simply add another coat overtop once it starts to lose its luster. A film finish, while more waterproof, would so quickly get damaged and look terrible on a countertop that I wouldn t consider it, personally. There s little doubt that wooden countertops need more maintenance than just about any other material. On the other hand, people have been using wood surfaces in kitchens for centuries, long before modern finishes were around, but probably without the same expectations for pristine surfaces that we have today.
> 
> I find that polymerized tung oil dries a lot faster than pure oil, plus it has a bit more of a sheen.
> 
> - jdh122


a beeswax/oil finish would not be chip as a poly would right? the only thing it would do is eventually wear out and then you apply some more…at least that's what I think.

and yes, I should of gone with polymerized tung…the drying time is killing me


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

Pure tung oil is polymerized to speed its drying. Tung oil finish has resins (and no real tung oil as has been mentioned before) that dry harder and faster, but you'd have been dealing with the volatile compounds requiring ventilation that you were trying to avoid.

If you want to wax it, go with a good one, like Liberon Black Bison wax. Briwax is supposed to be good too. Avoid products with silicone because, should you later decide to apply a more durable topcoat, it could affect its application.

Edit: I'm going to back off my first sentence. It's difficult to find reliable information on product pages, but I was under the impression that tung oil was heated to polymerize it and speed its drying time. It also thickens it which is why it's often cut with mineral spirits or other solvents before application.


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## Pabs (Dec 10, 2008)

well, I have a batch I had made with natural mineral oil and pure beeswax. I've used in other projects and gives a nice finish. I was planning on using that once the tung cured


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## Justin123 (1 mo ago)

redlee said:


> Pure Tung oil can take 30 days or more to dry


Do you think it'd take that long for mineral oil to dry? Johnson's Baby Oil Gel with Aloe Vera & Vitamin E has a lot of mineral oil and I accidentally spilled it on my cabinet, hardwood floor, etc. I used distilled white vinegar to clear most of it off, but I'm sure I didn't get it all out 100% and therefore just hope that it'll soon dry out or evaporate.


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## Justin123 (1 mo ago)

This is the exact product I used: https://www.amazon.com/Johnsons-Bab...t=&hvlocphy=9005868&hvtargid=pla-869035219136.


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## smallpatch1935 (1 mo ago)

If it is the 100% tung oil it will help keep water from ruining the wood. I make fancy towel racks and toilet paper holders and things for the bathroom and the wet wash rags hanging on the 1/4" ash wood dowels I use look better today than they did 20 years ago when I first started using 100% tung oil.
I use a regular paint thinner in with the tung oil so it will dry in a few days before I go the second coating. I think its the best thing for a great natural look and protection I have ever used and have been woodworking since 1954 or 5? Not wanting to argue about it but just how I feel about the product..
It does have a shelf life for my extra plastic bottle set in the cabinet for a few years and wasted away!


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