Tung oil finish went sticky

RedDirt Cowgirl · #1 07/01/11, 12:41 PM

I have an antique oak table that was surfaced with tung oil, then a felty-backed oil cloth was left on it until the felt stuck to the surface. Now I have a fuzzy mess. (The extra leaves still look great, no softening or dullness.) Sanding or stripping doesn't seem to be the best first choice for dealing with this.

Anybody work with tung oil? What should I do?

agmantoo · #2 07/01/11, 01:14 PM

Just leave the stickiness alone for a few days. Is should self correct. You application has exceed the rate that the wood could absorb the tung oil. Once the stickiness leaves get some 0000 steel wool and work the area and the fuzziness is removed. Things will be fine.

RedDirt Cowgirl · #3 07/01/11, 01:23 PM

Thanks! The surface was built up with god knows how many layers, I remember it being hard and glossy for years (kitchen table) then this plastic was laid over it, stayed for probably more than a year as tablecloths were used over that. I don't think there were any issues before the plastic went down. Same thing with the 0000 steel wool?

agmantoo · #4 07/01/11, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedDirt Cowgirl

Thanks! The surface was built up with god knows how many layers, I remember it being hard and glossy for years (kitchen table) then this plastic was laid over it, stayed for probably more than a year as tablecloths were used over that. I don't think there were any issues before the plastic went down. Same thing with the 0000 steel wool?

I only apply tung oil over previous applied tung oil or bare wood. Tung oil is a wood penetrating natural oil made from the nut of a tree. If the area being treated was previously coated by a surface only coating such as polyurethane then IMO tung oil should not be used unless the old coating was sanded off. Tung oil will give a patina as well as being water resistant and is food safe. Future applications of tung oilwill preserve the wood indefinitely. Never use anything but a coating of tung oil to renew a tung oil finish. The original coat should last many many years.

Farmerwilly2 · #5 07/01/11, 04:43 PM

I'm gonna take a stab. Maybe try a small section with 000 steel wool and mineral spirits. I use mineral spirits on oil/wax/hand gunk on cabinets and such. I think it will clean the nap off for you and let you give it a good oiling and polishing with the 000 wool after it is clean. As the Agman stated, it is an oil. My guess is the plastic got softened my the oil. Clean it, re-oil it and let it dry.

RedDirt Cowgirl · #6 07/01/11, 05:41 PM

Thank you so much, I think the mineral spirits is the key here. I had already tried a small spot with just steel wool and didn't think that was going to work. The piece was stripped before the tung oil was put on. I tried reseaching how tung was used & didn't come up with anything.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farmerwilly2

I'm gonna take a stab. Maybe try a small section with 000 steel wool and mineral spirits. I use mineral spirits on oil/wax/hand gunk on cabinets and such. I think it will clean the nap off for you and let you give it a good oiling and polishing with the 000 wool after it is clean. As the Agman stated, it is an oil. My guess is the plastic got softened my the oil. Clean it, re-oil it and let it dry.

Harry Chickpea · #7 07/01/11, 05:53 PM

I'm wondering if it really was a tung oil finish. Oil finishes are penetrating and tend not to lie on the surface in a hard glossy sheet. I've seen shellac do what was described.

Farmerwilly2 · #8 07/01/11, 07:56 PM

I think it's the combination of oil, plastic, weight as the table is used, and many layers of oil.

RedDirt Cowgirl · #9 07/01/11, 08:52 PM

It was my mother that stripped the table, then she started with the tung oil, on the top she would coat, let it dry, polish up, & repeat. It just stopped being maintained.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry Chickpea

I'm wondering if it really was a tung oil finish. Oil finishes are penetrating and tend not to lie on the surface in a hard glossy sheet. I've seen shellac do what was described.

Danaus29 · #10 07/01/11, 09:42 PM

You can get a hard glossy finish with tung oil. Just depends on how many layers you apply. I have a desk with a tung oil finish, took several coats but it has a hard glossy finish. Shellac tends to turn milky white if it gets wet and is flaked off easily.

Joshie · #11 07/02/11, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedDirt Cowgirl

Thanks! The surface was built up with god knows how many layers, I remember it being hard and glossy for years (kitchen table) then this plastic was laid over it, stayed for probably more than a year as tablecloths were used over that. I don't think there were any issues before the plastic went down. Same thing with the 0000 steel wool?

What do you mean by 'this plastic?' Tung oil is a hard, wonderful finish. I've got it on my bed and had it on a fir floor we had in a long ago kitchen. It was lovely and tung oil isn't plasticy at all.

Ray · #12 07/02/11, 09:22 PM

tongue oil is put on in coats and let dry then buffed down with a 0000 like pad then another coat and on and on until you have the surface you want. maybe 7 coats maybe 10 or 12?? what ever you want. I've done several refinishing jobs on rifle stocks and tongue oil is the suggested finish. nice finish but alot of work.

TNHermit · #13 07/02/11, 10:11 PM

More than likely it was cleaned with solvent type cleaner or polish then the plastic was placed over it. kept the cleaner from drying and softened the finish. You know the rest

RedDirt Cowgirl · #14 07/04/11, 03:05 AM

No, the tung oil surface wasn't the plastic part, "this plastic" was the felt-backed plastic cover that went over the tung oil surface.

TNHermit, I bet you've pegged it, some well-meaning helper probably sprayed Pledge or some crazy stuff over it and when that went gunky, on went the cover. I've yet to tackle the job (letting sleeping covers lie), but I'll let you know how it works out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshie

What do you mean by 'this plastic?' Tung oil is a hard, wonderful finish. I've got it on my bed and had it on a fir floor we had in a long ago kitchen. It was lovely and tung oil isn't plasticy at all.

TNHermit · #15 07/04/11, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedDirt Cowgirl

TNHermit, I bet you've pegged it, some well-meaning helper probably sprayed Pledge or some crazy stuff over it and when that went gunky, on went the cover. I've yet to tackle the job (letting sleeping covers lie), but I'll let you know how it works out.

If the surface is hard now but fuzzy I would take a cabinet scraper to it (not a regular scraper it will gouge it up) A cabinet scraper would take off the fuzz and bring it down to a smooth surface. You could then take some turpentine on a rag rub it till it softens and essentially re-apply it and even it out. Shouldn't take couple three hours