re: Lets Talk "oil finishes"

Hi Kelly
Sorry for the late response, I have been away.

I don’t think there are errors on the site as what has been placed there comes from many sources, professionals in the field, our 25 plus years of working with timbers and various coatings in Australia and Europe and research into many published articles.

Please do not get me wrong, I am not nor do I pretend to be a furniture maker or wood turner however I have definitely worked with tools and get my hands dirty.

“Modified” Tung oil products contain urethane. Depending on the manufacture, this will dictate how much oil to urethane is in the mix. The molecular structure of the two do not necessarily mix well as the typically hard urethane coating is weakened by the oil molecules.

Tung oil is a good drying agent too so it is used in many external oils as well….however it is also a sensitiser to many that have sensitivities and in Europe this has to be shown on the label. Volatile Organic Compounds need to be considered as well.

There are many reasons of why timber moves and yes, I still suggest an oil finish is better than a Polyurethane finish for many reasons, but, it is not everyone cup of tea. Timber will move depending of how it was dried, room atmosphere, heating, type of timber, traffic, direct sunlight plus many more. If not allowed to move, timber will move at its weakest spot. In some soft timbers the boards themselves can crack.

Another huge benefit of an oiled floor is evident in the fact that more and more domestic and commercial sites are treating their timber floors in this way because one can spot repair or rejuvenate a floor without the continuous sanding back, which with time and multiple sands, the timber thickness is reduced.

Happy to go into more detail if you like Kelly but in the end, we all have our opinions and I respect yours…I don’t necessarily agree with it but that is fine and trust you don’t take offence. It is an open discussion and one can choose and investigate more what one reads.
Cheers.