Hi. I'm currently applying tung oil to pine flooring. I started by looking for advice on the internet and found a lot of conflicting advice. I bought some Liberon Pure Tung Oil and read the instructions on the tin. I guess with all oils, the wood will absorb it to a certain degree, then i think you will reach a point of 'saturation'. I started by thinning the oil with 50% white spirit and made up 1 Litre of this solution. (500ml Tung with 500ml White Spirit). I brushed on the oil and wiped off any excess after about an hour. Be careful and don't be too generous with the oil! It helps if you can look across the floor into a light (window) as this will highlight any missed areas. Leave it 24 hours and apply another coat. I've just finished applying my second coat today. I'm going to leave it a further 24 hours before i apply the 'neat' Tung oil. I've tested this process on a small table, so i'll check the look of this before I commit myself! A long drawn out process, but satisfying once done. It feels nice under foot, and thinking about is a lot more forgiving than varnishing or waxing(!). Tung oil is apparently very resistant to water, alcohol and food acids. Hope this helps. Warren. Here is a link that might be useful: Power Tool Warehouse.

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

I was actually reading an article the other day saying that no wood finish has actually been officially FDA approved as food safe. However they're all generally considered safe lacking evidence to the contrary. Anyway, here's what Flexner says about the food-safety of driers (and presumably this applies to mineral spirits as well). "Salad-bowl finish is simply a wiping varnish. The implication in the name is that it is safe for contact with food and for small children who might chew on the finished wood. It is safe of course, once it has cured, but so are all the other available varnishes and wiping varnishes. The safety concern is the metallic driers used to speed the drying of the finish. Lead was once used and it isnÂt safe. But lead isnÂt used anymore. It takes several driers to replace the lead, and there are only a few driers available. So all varnishes use essentially the same driers. There is no difference in the safety factor of any of these driers. All are safe. ItÂs amazing to me how the food-safe myth continues to be repeated in woodworking circles. (And more amazing still that salad-bowl finish is considered safe while the other wiping varnishes arenÂt!) Food safety is a non-issue. All finishes currently available to woodworkers are safe to eat off of or chew on once the finish has fully cured. Curing occurs faster the thinner the film and the warmer the surrounding air. Press your nose up against the hardened finish and take a whiff. If you can smell anything, the finish isnÂt cured. Give it some more time." Here is a link that might be useful: Flexner article on varnishes

Two other cautions. First, make sure the product you used has not exceeded the shelf(useful) life. Second, did you follow the manuf. directions? Part here. Preparing your surfaces : Apply only to bare or newly stained woods. Remove any old finishes, wax, grease before using tung oil. Wood should be sanded smooth following the wood grain direction ending with fine 120 grit sandpaper, for floors end with 150 grit sandpaper. This step is essential to obtain good results. Remove all sand dust. Allow to dry wood that has been stained at least 4 hours before applying the tung oil. Application : Shake thoroughly to evenly mix the color pigments in the oil. The finish will have a slight amber color, and should be tested in an inconspicuous area to determine the desire color and final effect. Simply wipe it on with a soft cloth or cotton blend. Allow to penetrate 5-10 minutes. Wipe off any excess. IMPORTANT : Never let a coat dry without removing the excess.