Hi there – I’m applying a pure tung oil finish to some skateboard decks I’ve been building. The decks are constructed of Walnut, Maple and Mahogany and sanded to about 150. However, I’m finding that the dry Tung Oil finish is coming up with a chalky white residue that sits in the grain and won’t buff out. It’s really frustrating, any idea how I can avoid this? Any help is appreciated.
–Paul
Replies
Best solution is to not use pure tung oil. I would use stripper to remove what you have and then use a different product. For an in-the-wood finish that will look very, very similar to what you would get with tung oil, if you managed to hold your mouth right, etc. is an oil/varnish mix. Apply let penetrate for a few minutes and then wipe dry. That's the same process as for tung oil, though with tung oil you would need to give it 3 days curing time between each coat.
Pure tung oil that has either been applied too thickly and/or not allowed to fully dry between applications will produce the problem you are experiencing.
Follow Steve's instructions. Remove the existing and refinish with an oil/varnish product. Or, you can make your own oil/varnish by mixing equal parts of varnish or poly varnish, boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. Apply, let set for 15-20 minutes and wipe dry. Let dry overnight and do it again. Let dry 2-4 days before subjecting the boards to use.
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