So many people who use Tung Oil for the first time wonder how long it will take for the oil to dry. This article will tell you important things you need to know about Tung Oil.
Tung Oil It is one of the most used oil finishes for furniture. The oil also offers a transparent and wet finish that will improve the color of the wood.
To achieve maximum benefits from the Tung oil, you need to wait a while for the oil to cure after applying the liquid to the wood surface.
However, the cure time has to do with oxidization, and only when the Tung oil cures do it become water-resistant. But you can make the Tung oil dry faster by doing the things listed below.
How Long Does It Take For Tung Oil To Dry?
Typically, Tung oil takes around three to four days to cure (set) well on the wood surface. The finish, however, only takes 24 hours to dry between coats of paint.
For this reason, checking how many coats you wish to apply and the time interval before resuming to coat the surface is recommended.
You can apply up to five Tung oil as coating paint on your wooden surface. It will allow adequate time to dry if you want to achieve a good-looking finish.
And for your information, the Tung oil does not dry quickly. Read more on this article to learn useful tips for applying the paint to your surface or furniture.
How can you tell when tung oil has dried out?
It will require 24 and 72 hours to dry sufficiently between applications if you use pure Tung oil.
On the other hand, it takes roughly 30 minutes for a modified Tung oil product to feel dry to the touch.
When tung oil is sufficiently dried, the following symptoms will appear:
When the Tung oil can be sanded – It cannot be sanded if it has not dried. This is due to how quickly oils may clog the sandpaper. The sandpaper will travel easily over the Tung oil without becoming clogged; however, once the Tung oil has dried sufficiently.
When the Tung oil stops smelling – Because the oils haven’t yet evaporated, it will smell when wet but won’t smell as strongly when it’s dry.
When the tung oil is resistant to moisture, moisture won’t be able to penetrate the oil until the tung oil has completely dried.
When tung oil becomes glossy, it no longer looks wet and becomes glossy after drying.
The Method To Apply Tung Oil
Before you can apply the oil, the first step to do is to prepare the wood surface that you want to paint. Remove wax finishes, if any. You can use Polish and Wax Remover products to make removal easier.
Then after you’re done preparing, it’s time to apply the oil, but keep in mind that you can only dilute the oil with mineral spirits to create a 1:1 mix. To get better results, you can also use a lint-free cotton cloth.
After applying, let the Tung oil sets on your surface for 20 to 30 minutes. Afterward, you can wipe the extra oil using a lint-free and clean cotton cloth. Wait for the final coat to dry for 24 hours, and proceed to wipe the surface to help the drying process.
It is also recommended to add more layers if you have porous surfaces. You can use Ultra Fine Steel Wool between coats. After that, please wait for it to dry for a few days.
Moreover, oil finishes will show the natural colors of the wood. As a result, a wet surface is an indication of the surface’s final color. It is also recommended to test the paint formula on other spare surfaces or plain areas to experiment with color and compatibility.
It would be best to reapply the paint formula once or twice a year because leaving the surface after applying the oil without proper maintenance is a bad idea. The paint application also depends on the usage and surface’s exposure to weather.
And the final thing is to be careful when storing the paint formula. It needs to be stored in a room with a temperature beyond 5 degrees Celsius to keep the quality at its best.
Furthermore, it would help if you also replaced the lid to prevent the paint from deteriorating, preventing the paint from creating the expected finish.
What Are The Differences Between Tung Oil Dry And Cure Time?
Time to dry and time to cure are two different things. Still, mixing them up or using them, in the same way is easy. So let’s start by setting the record straight about these two terms.
Dry time is how long you should wait between coats of a product. This is also called “recoat time.”
Even though the recommended amount of time is “cure time,” a finished project should wait before being used daily and getting traffic.
Most of the time, drying takes a lot less time than curing.
Under ideal conditions, it takes between 30 and 45 days for pure Tung oil to cure. Polymerized Tung oil, on the other hand, should be fully cured in about a week.
Tung Oil Drying Time Influencing Factors
One of the drying oils is tung oil, but the wait for it to dry can be excruciatingly uncomfortable. Some factors influence the rate at which pure Tung oil dries.
Humidity
Tung oil has difficulty drying out and eventually curing in cold or humid climates. Low temperatures and increasing humidity slow down the drying of surfaces covered with Tung oil.
This is due to the amount of moisture in the air. When the humidity is less than 50%, tung oil should be used.
The drying time of the Tung oil will be impacted by how moist and wet the space feels when there is the high moisture content in the air.
The Tung oil’s drying time can be increased by two times if the relative humidity exceeds 70%.
Applying Tung oil during the chilly winter months wouldn’t be a smart option because you should be aware that room humidity tends to be higher during these times. By utilizing a dehumidifier, you may lower the humidity in the room.
Room Temperature
The time needed for the tung oil to dry is affected by the room’s temperature. When applying tung oil, the room’s temperature must be at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit (at least 15 degrees Celsius).
At this temperature, the oil from the tung tree will dry correctly. Because the Tung oil will get sticky at temperatures lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you shouldn’t apply it if the temperature dips below that.
Paint Flow
This refers to the consistency of the paint, whether thick or thin. If the Tung oil is thick, there will be more oils in each coat, resulting in a longer drying period.
If the tung oil is watery, it will dry and heal faster than it would otherwise. Painters would typically recommend watering down Tung oil before application so that the wood oil can cure more quickly.
Mineral spirits can be used to dilute tung oil if desired.
The Number of Coats
In most cases, you will require four to five applications of tung oil to achieve the desired level of coverage. The number of coatings you apply will determine how long it takes for the Tung oil to dry.
If you use too much Tung oil or apply thick coatings, the drying time for your project could be significantly prolonged.
There’s also the possibility that the oil was applied, but nobody wiped away the excess oil left on the surface afterward.
Air Circulation
The amount of time it takes for the wood oil to dry is also impacted by the airflow around the Tung oil coating.
You should be aware, however, that this has a greater impact on the length of time the Tung oil takes to cure than it does on the amount of time it takes to dry.
If there is insufficient air movement and ventilation in the region where the tung oil has been applied, the drying process of the tung oil can get stalled.
Use Mineral Spirit To Dilute Tung Oil
The Tung Oil can be diluted with mineral spirits using a one-to-one ratio. After that, pour the oil and mineral spirit into a container. Stir the solution until you achieve a good mixture.
Always remember to rub the wood’s surface with a clean rag. By doing this, you’ll remove grime and dust that may mess with the result. Moreover, dilute the oil properly and apply it to the surface evenly.
Apply the oil gently and slowly until it covers the whole surface. Always wipe off the extra oil and use a thin coat. If you do it correctly, it will take around 20 minutes for the finish to dry, hence saving you waiting time.
Use fine steel wool in a ball to polish and smoothen the surface. Use the technique of circular movements to give a glow effect to the finish. Wait an hour to increase the surface’s shine and repeat the last procedure.
Can I Speed Up The Tung Oil’s Drying Process?
Yes. Tung oil is a good protection layer against water and moisture. However, the oil may turn sticky after leaving it for a few days. For this reason, you need to fasten the drying time.
Knowing what elements influence Tung oil dry time allows you to optimize drying conditions and accomplish your project faster.
- Tung oil dries faster than any paint or stain in warm, dry weather. Your best bet is to work when it’s hot and with low humidity.
- But if it’s not going to be warm, you might want to use a space heater, an air conditioner, or turn up the thermostat to warm up the room. When working in a very humid place, a dehumidifier is also helpful.
- Applying thin layers of Tung oil at a time will also help it dry faster. It is also suggested that you always wipe off any extra oil after a few minutes.
- Make sure that the Tung oil project has enough ventilation. Ventilation ensures fresh air flows in and out, speeding up the drying process. Ventilation can be done by opening windows and turning on both ceiling and hand fans.
- Thin the oil with the recommended thinner, like turpentine, is another thing you can try, especially with pure Tung oil. For the first few coats, use the oil that has been diluted.
How Can Sticky Tung Oil Be Fixed?
Suppose you are experiencing the problem of tung oil becoming sticky and not drying.
In that case, you can fix it by cleaning the tung oil using the appropriate cleaning solutions and reapplying it again.
Below are some methods to fix a sticky tung oil:
To Remove The Tung Oil, Use A Paint Thinner Product
Using paint thinner is a good option for woods with uneven surfaces with gummy and solid dry areas. It will transform a bad-looking finish into a beautiful surface. You can use xylene or turpentine thinner.
The thinner allows the Tung oil to weaken, and eventually, it will remove the Tung oil’s ability to stick on the surface. Use fine steel wool to prune off the oil. After that, you can reapply a new coat on the surface and admire your new finish.
Remove The Tung Oil Using Mineral Spirits
This choice works best when the Tung oil is still sticky, and none of the finish parts are dry.
You only need a clean cotton cloth wet with a good mineral spirit.
Run the wet cloth over the surface, ensuring mineral spirit solution is on every part of the wood.
Mineral spirit will make the Tung oil thinner, making it easier to wipe off the oil from the workpiece.
Use Mineral Spirits To Strip Off The Tung Oil
When the wood surface is tacky, and you can’t tell when it will dry, You can use Mineral spirit solution on a clean cotton cloth and rub it gently to fix inconsistencies.
Also, keep working on the whole wood surface and make sure that the mineral spirit softens the Tung oil.
After that, use a clean cotton cloth to clean the formula’s residue on the wood’s surface.
To Bring Back The Tung Oil’s Finish To Life, Use A Wood Restorer
This method is suitable for dried finishes or unevenly curd. All you need to do is to use the restorer to the surfaces with inconsistent wood finish.
It is recommended to use fine steel wool to apply wood restoration to your oily surface.
This wood restorer will soak through the Tung oil and fix the tacky and uneven appearance.
As a consequence, it will enhance the glow. Also, the steel wool aids in the cleaning of tacky wood, and it will make the surface finish to dry well.
Final Thought
Tung oil is known as one of the best products for finishing wood.
It is a natural oil that has been used to protect furniture and other wood surfaces for hundreds of years.
It is often used together with other finishes, like lacquer or varnish. In general, it takes three to four days for Tung oil to dry. However, it is best to wait at least a week to ensure the finish looks good.
If you don’t wait, the oil won’t dry enough, and you’ll have to put on more coats to get the look you want.
Let the oil dry well for the best results before applying the next coat.
