When applying thinned Dark Tung Oil, here’s a handy thing to remember: Apply, Absorb, Repeat or Remove
For the best results, you want to saturate the material with the tung oil to the point where a majority of the surface is no longer absorbing the oil. This will look like puddles on the surface even after waiting 40 minutes. Just like a sponge, the wood (or other porous surfaces) will only absorb so much oil before it can’t anymore. This saturation is achieved by doing multiple coats.
You can apply Dark Tung Oil with a brush, rag, roller, or even a pump sprayer depending on your project and needs. We recommend brushes and/or foam rollers for most projects.
- Apply a generous first coat.
- Let the tung oil absorb into the surface, waiting if needed, up to 40 minutes.
- Apply another coat, let it absorb, and repeat the previous steps.
- Continue this process until you reach the desired amount of coats or have fully saturated the wood. You can tell the wood is saturated when the oil puddles on the surface and no longer absorbs oil across a majority of the surface. To be sure, wait 40 minutes. If the oil is still puddling, then you will know the surface is saturated.
- Taking a clean rag or cloth, remove any excess tung oil that is puddling or pooling on the surface.
- Hang those oil-soaked rags outdoors to dry. DO NOT pile the rags or put them in a container.
For the best finish, we recommend letting this application rest and settle overnight. The following day, apply one or two more coats of Tung Oil to the surface of your project, following the same steps outlined above.
