How long should I wait to wax a tung oil finish

[John Michaels]

I recently finished my dining room table with Daly's Benmatte (tung oil). It's not pure tung oil, it's the kind with added dryers. I want to use a bee's wax type of wax to give the table some added water protection.

It's been a week, it the tung oil cured enough? Per the instructions, I'll be wiping the wax on, letting it dry for 5 minutes, wiping off.


http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-11/1108263/DSC07425.jpg

[Brad Wood]

does it have any sort of smell when you put your nose up to it? that should be your first indicator.
I would think a week is long enough, that is about how long it takes my tung oil pieces to really dry
being in Seattle, I'll mention that if you put it on any time during our heat we just had, you probably can shorten the regular dry time :)

[Jim Becker]

PM Mark Singer to be sure...he's a big fan and user of Ben Matte...but in general, it takes about a month for tung oil to fully cure, give or take.

Bees wax is easy to use, but is quite soft. Be sure, like with any wax, to use a minimal amount of the wax if you choose to wax at all...you do not want it to build up. I don't bother with wax, for the most part, with the exception of my wife's cherry desk which the finish "is" wax over oil. (T&T) And then it's only every few years.

[Scott Holmes]

No MSDS sheet available but it's an oil varnish blend so I agree with Jim; it needs a month to completely cure.

Does it need to be completely cured to wax?
After a couple of weeks a light wax should be OK.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

John,
Why wax an oil finish. The whole idea of using an oil finish is because it is easy to renew if damaged. I tung oiled a cabinet 25 years ago and have treated it with lemon oil once a year since. It gets better every year and shows no sign of build or discoloration.
butch

[John Michaels]

John,
Why wax an oil finish. The whole idea of using an oil finish is because it is easy to renew if damaged.
butch

My reason for the wax is to provide additional water resistance. The tung oil provides some resistance, but when I've waxed pieces in the past water really tends to bead up when I've sprinkled a little water on the surface to test it. I'm careful not to set anything on the dining table without a coaster, but if a drink gets spilled the wax will help (hopefully) to protect the wood.

The other pieces of furniture I've waxed after a tung oil finish were mostly sofa tables. I let them sit for a couple of months before I waxed them. With the dining room table being used for meals, I was feeling a little more hasty about getting to the wax application.

You're right it is easy to touch up an oil finish, but after the time I spent making and finishing the table I wasn't excited about having to cross that bridge so soon if my two little nieces spill something when they come for dinner this week.

Another reason for the wax is the added depth and luster it provides.

[Jim Becker]

In reality, the wax offers very limited water resistance...fine if you always wipe up quick, but no real appreciable "protection".

[Mark Singer]

You can wax it after a week from my experience. I would test the wax and make sure it rubs out well. I use either a liquid wax like Watco Finishing wax or Briwax which sould be power buffed . I use a Festool rotex to buff it