Browse Forums Flooring & Floor Covering 1 Dec 18, 2006 5:24 pm Hi all,
I'm looking at floorboards in a new construction - I like the natural appearance of timber, so someone has suggested we go for a tung oil finish. I've heard (not seen yet) that it looks great, and has a matte finish which is what I'm looking for anyway. Just wondering what other people's experiences have been? I've read that tung oil is a "drying" oil, whereas all the poly finishes are essentially dry from the start. I'd expect to reapply every few years, and that's ok. Are there any other wear / tear issues I should be aware of? Is a "drying" oil just a good way to collect dust? Cheers, Matt Re: Tung Oil - have you had it? Would you have it again? 2Dec 19, 2006 7:39 am Tung oil is probably the best thing you can use on floors. It has its pros and cons like anything though. I sell timber flooring at work and find people are going back to tung oil these days. The other main finish is polyurethane with both water and oil based varieties - water based being the most popular these days for its low odour and quick drying time as well as a completely 'clear' finish as opposed to the oil based yellowing the floor.
The main problems with polyurethane are edge bonding ( breaking of the finish with movement - common with direct sunlight on floors) and the need to re-sand for re-coating. Tung-oil can be re-applied with a quick clean - no sanding required. It soaks into the timber rather than sitting on top like the polyurethane, which is better for the timber itself though does not provide any protection from scratchs and knocks etc. - something to consider if you have kids or dogs. An alternative is to coat the tung-oil with wax to provide a bit more protection. The tung oil will give a matt to low-sheen finish depending on the number of coats and brings out the colour and grain in the timber beautifully. If you are after a matt finish, polyurethanes are available in matt and low-sheen finishs. Re: Tung Oil - have you had it? Would you have it again? 3Jan 09, 2007 12:39 am There are many different brands of polyurethane finish used by different floor sanding tradesmen. And they are all claimed to be best. Does anyone know what's the best in terms of price, durability, fast drying and being less smell? Re: Tung Oil - have you had it? Would you have it again? 5Jan 14, 2007 6:53 pm tounge oil gives a nice natural finish, but what most floor sanders don't tell you is that it is also high maintance, tounge oil needs to have 2 to 3 coats of acrylic sealer mopped over the finished tounge oil floor 7 to 10 days after it is finished, ( gemini) being the most popular and depending on traffic over the floor will need to re-applyed at least 1 coat once a year, if the accrylic sealer is not applyed you can expect your floors finish to last only approx two years if your lucky. I have done many tounge oil finishes over the years and when the floors are maintained correctley they will last for many years, (Gemini acrylic sealer comes in gloss or satin) it is a mop on system that anyone can do, it is quick drying ie: by the time you get from one end of the house to the other it will be dry enougth to apply another coat) it goes on as easy as mopping a floor. it is a milky white color that drys clear.
barnsey Re: Tung Oil - have you had it? Would you have it again? 6Jan 14, 2007 9:24 pm Putting an acrylic polymer sealer over TUNG oil is a messy business and not neccessary. It requires stripping before recoating which involves a lot of water on the floor which is not goos for the timber. . I used to be a sales rep for a chemical company specialising in sealers like Gemini ( which is a fairly poor quality product) The beauty of tung oil is that it can be re-applied after only a good clean. The most common product to overcoat tung oil if a bit more protection or shine is required is wax.
Having worked in both the chemical and timber industries, it is generally not recommended to use acrylic polymer sealers in a domestic application. If you have ever seen a shopping centre being 'stripped and sealed' it would turn you off anyway. I'm about to put down some Merbau. Is it necessary to oil underneath the boards before laying? 0 760 Hi, as per the subject. Does anyone have any recommendations for the best value decking oil (Bunning is close to where I live) for a treated pine deck? Thanks 0 1290 Thanks mate. Yeah good points! Leaning towards Option 3 to get a bit extra space in the cabinets but not going too crazy high (and expensive). Would require a mini… 13 30545 |