Hi,
Since Tung Oil is the most waterproof of penetraing oils, it seems like the wood is quite well sealed at this stage. Typically oil finishes will water stain readily, as will just wax. Maybe the briwax (which is a high-solid very hard wax) will work well. If it doesn't it should come off with naphtha or paint thinner and you can try something else, like a sprayed-on conversion varnish. oops, too late for that.
Make sure the oil is fully cured, or waxing will result in a sticky mess. I apply briwax with a cotton cloth, and buff out with a woolen one. The shape of wool fibers is just right for removing all excess wax, and getting the highest luster. (or "lustre" for our Canadian bretheren and sistern)
Casey

I have cherry countertops on either side of my sink cabinet. The sink is undermounted in a small soapstone counter so it is near the cherry, but not undermounted in it. The counters have a tung oil finish on both sides. I make a combination of mineral oil and beeswax which I use on the soapstone as it is food safe. I started using this same mix on the cherry counters on which I kneed dough and do some other food prep. I realize you will not prep food on your cabinet doors so you do not need a food safe finish.

I have no problem with water spots on a counter in close proximity to a sink. I often place just washed dishes on a towel placed on the cherry counter. Water spotting is not a problem and I think my wax blend is much softer than yours. If you do notice any water spots, I think you could apply more wax and buff. I also wax the hardwood floors in my kitchen with a wax comparable to Briwax. I look for a wax containing the greatest proportion of carnauba wax available. I use 0000 steel wool or a green 3M pad to work on any stubborn areas. I apply with a light touch, allow the wax time to "dry" and then buff.

Please email me if you would like pictures of the surface of my cherry kitchen counters in use for almost 4 years. Good luck with you cabinets and in meeting your timeline!

I suspect the warning on the can simply means that briwax won't make the finish water proof.
I would wait at least 2 weeks after the last coat of tung oil before waxing the cupboards,....give it lots of time to cure.
Linda C

Cherry countertops sound absolutely beautiful - would love to see a photo. How do you mix the mineral oil and beeswax? 50/50? Is the wax softened first?

I anticipate waxing the cabinets in stages, starting with the boxes which been oiled & have cured for a couple of weeks already; finishing with the doors and drawer fronts which are easily removed. My 2 week deadline is based on the fact that I need to move back into my house by then & didn't want to load things into the cabinets, only to remove it all to finish the waxing.

Does everyone think 2 weeks is enough cure time for the tung oil? Or is that more of a minimum timeframe? Thank you all.

Sure, I'll send a picture if you email me. (Info on "My page) I also have some other furniture I have oiled and waxed that I could send photos of.

Okay guys, take a deep breath and exhale slowly... I usually apply my tung oil with very fine sandpaper and then wipe it off. This results in a very high gloss surface and the slurry made by the sandpaper and oil fills any small cracks or holes in the surface. Liquids just bead up on the counters.

The beeswax oil mixture is probably a slightly different proportion each time. You can start out with a 50/50 blend. If it's too hard for you to work with, melt it and add more oil. Do the opposite if it's too soft. I buy beeswax from an organic honey farm at my local farmers' market. They also sell unscented candles and I use the nubs left from those. I shave the wax on a kitchen grater, the kind you would use to grate carrots, and then add it to warm mineral oil. You can heat the oil in your microwave or in the top of a double boiler. If you stir with your wooden spoon, it will get a treatment as well! I then pour the mixture into an old sugar bowl and leave it on the counter for easy use. It's nice to add some essential oils in a flavor you love so that you get a little aroma therapy while you work! This is food safe and works great on wooden bowls, utensils and cutting boards.

I'll let the expets give advice on cure time. I think it depends on humidity and temperature. I'm sure I didn't wax for several weeks if not longer.

If you want a more durable wipe on finish I would suggest a wipe on poly. I used Minwax on a Cherry and Curly Yellow Birch bed headboard and footboard with a built on bench that I just finsished making.
If you would like to see the bed with the finish on it heres the web page on my site
http://www.superwoodworks.com/Projects/ArchedBed.htm
Garry

Here is a link that might be useful:

Oh my gosh, Garry, that bed is just stunning! It reminds me of pieces made by Berkeley Mills, my favorite furniture maker that I cannot afford (see link below, especially look at their tansu storage units)

You would put a wipe on poly over Tung Oil? Assuming if it's wiped on, there isn't a problem with drips on the vertical surfaces...

Here is a link that might be useful: Berkeley Mills

Since I wouldn't want to have gone through all the work you have and then be unhappy have you thought of making some test "units" to try out? Do what you have done and then to a tester on one of the wax and the other the poly wipe and try water, fruit juice, milk coffee - all sorts of stuff gets dripped around not just water.

Well, here's the update. Contacted Minwax and they said "no" to the idea of putting the wipe-on poly over tung oil.

(Marys1000, I have been doing test boards all along throughout this project.)

I went with the Briwax over tung oil on cherry cabinets in my laundry room. There is no utility sink, so I will assume no water will splash on the finish. Results: very nice with a soft glow to the finish.

I am two-thirds of the way through the kitchen- which has indeed, turned out to be a fair amount of work. I decided to go with the Waterlox Citrus scent tung oil based satin finish (which I had to mail order from the manufacturer in Ohio; nobody carries the low-scent version here in No. Cal.)

One glitch in the process was that it needs to be dry and about 70 degrees for best results, and we've had nonstop rain since New Year's Day up until last week. I've had a 4 day break, with rain again predicted for tomorrow. But in those four days, I've managed 2 coats, with 24 hours drying time between coats. The results are looking very good. I'm going for 3 coats since that's what is suggested for oak.

The earlier applications of tung oil meant I didn't have to do the Waterlox sealer/finish as a primer. But I did sand again (sigh) before applying the Waterlox because all the damp weather made for a grainy feel on the cabinets. The tung oil, however was well-cured.

I'll post photos when I finally finish this thing!

Hi Kathrine. It seems like you are well on your way to a solution already, but I would like to clear some of the fog. First, I would like to address oil and wax finishes. Although they do produce a decent finish, they take forever to cure, they will need to be renewed eventually, and they offer little to no protection (when compared to a film finish). In a kitchen, durability is usually the big concern and pure tung oil simply doesnt have a place there. Now if you have a nice antique hall table that you dont mind babying, tung oil and wax could be a good choice. But with the amazing array of beautiful finish options available today, its hard to believe tung oil (and boiled linseed oil), still find their way into our homes.
That being said, I am glad you went with the Waterlox. Despite the incorrect information Minwax gave you, Waterlox is not all that different from a wiping polyurethane. Waterlox actually contains little to no tung oil at all. It does, however, contain a resin that is derived from oil and is a close relative to polyurethane. Many woodworkers like this particular resin better because it is less "plastic-looking" than standard polyurethane. So what you have actually done is exactly what I would have recommended: you top-coated your tung oiled surface with a wiping varnish. This varnish will give your cabinets the protection they need from oil, grease, heat, water, and cleaning agents. A level of protection that tung oil cannot provide.

And one note to the folks who were discussing "food-safe" finishes. Nearly all film finishes are food safe once cured. If you are a bit skeptical, there are FDA-approved varnishes available (usually labelled salad bowl finish), that will offer much more protection and durability than oil and wax.

I apologize for the blitz of information. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask away.

Marc

Marc, I respecfully disagree with your blanket statements about tung oil use in a kitchen. I'd be happy to send pictures of my well used cherry counters if you would like to see them. Katherine has seen them.

I would not say that poly finishes should never be used. I would certainly suggest that a person test any method they think will work for them. Oil finishes can be more labor intensive in application. I enjoy this process and have great success with it and its durability over a number of years on pieces with different uses.

My neighbor has poly finished wood counters which have water stains from moisture becoming trapped under cuts in the film finish. He will now need to remove the finish to bare wood and apply a new finish. My counters have no water stains with the oil/wax finish while his have very apparent cuts resulting in stains under his poly finish. I prefer to renew rather than refinish.

garrysmith, that is one beautiful bed!

I'd be happy to share my methods and pictures with anyone interested in knowing more about oil finishes.

Debbie

Hey Debbie. I certainly cant argue with your personal experience. It sounds like you are very happy with your cherry countertops. Keep in mind though, I was addressing Katherine's questions about cabinets, not countertops. In fact, cutting boards (much like countertops), are one of the few places where an oil application is a good option for the average homeowner. When it comes to cabinets, the simple fact is that oil and wax finishes just simply cannot provide the same protection that a film finish offers. Why then would you use oil on a cutting board or countertop? The same reason I use oil on my workbench in my shop. Its such a high abuse area that the surface needs to be repairable. Most common polys are not easily repairable. So although it only offers a bit of moisture resistance, oil is a viable option for a countertop.

But I have to stand by my statements when it comes to cabinets and other furniture. If the home-owner wants maintenance-free cabinets that resist moisture, heat, grease, and abrasion, an oil finish is a poor choice. Again, I am speaking for "most" homeowners. There are many folks who enjoy classic oil finishes and enjoy the process of maintaining them.

HELP!!
My husband acquired an old Remington rifle that had a badly scratched up stock and forend.He sanded it down to the bare wood, stained it with TRU OIL walnut stain and has carefully applied Formsby's Tung Oil finish to it. (About seven coats)
Now he wants to wax it for added protection. The finish right now is breathtaking! Deep luster and very nice grain has been brought out. What, specifically should he use? I really can't see him mixing beeswax with anything as he would agonize over whether the mixture was just right, etc. It's his first attempt at anything like this and I would like to see him be successful as he's put so much effort into it.
What commercially available product could he use? This is a firearm and not a floor or cabinet but does that really matter? It's still wood, right?
I would deeply appreciate any advice on this.
Thanks!
Tina

Please realize that "Formby's Tung Oil Finish" is an alkyd varnish thinned to wiping consistency. Not that it's a bad finish, it's just the only Tung Oil in it is the print on the label. If you are happy with it, there's no reason to add anything more. Wax in itself if not waterproof in the types of thicknesses you want to apply it in. It makes it a little more slippery that could be good if brushing up against some twigs, but bad if you're trying to hold it. I am not an expert in firearms, but I would leave it and next time it gets scratchy, buff it out with Scotch brite pads and apply another coat of finish.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tung Oil and other lies.

In case anyone reads up this thread, Briwax (original formula) uses toluene as its solvent. This is pretty strong stuff, by design, as it's meant as a restorative wax and might remove or melt a bit of the finish. On new work, you can use Briwax II that is mineral spirits based and less aggressive on the host finish.

I'm really excited to learn that Briwax comes in a toluene-free formula now. That is great info Bobsmyuncle!
Casey