Advice for using tung oil on kitchen work surface

[pchowla]

I was hoping for some advice on using tung oil on a kitchen work surface. Specifically I want to fix up the surface - as it is dirty, discoloured and in some places the finish has been gouged.

The wood has had a tung oil finish from the beginning (yes a real 100% tung oil coating not a varnish labelled tung oil). I have been every 6 months or so recoating it. But the surface has a few issues now I and I want some advice before I go forward with just slapping another coat of oil on. So here goes:

The surface has some "spots". It is a kitchen work surface and consequently sitting on it are a few appliances (microwave, blender etc). However the little rubber feet of the blender seems to have somehow marked the surface. I don't know if this is just in the oil finish or somehow marked the surface. And I am not sure how to get rid of these marks. (see the below photo)

The surface also has a few marks - like gouges - from moving appliances around. The last time I reapplied the tung oil I thought they would disappear. They didn't. Anything special I need to do to take care of these?(see the below photo)

Finally, parts of the surface have been covered - yet again thanks to appliances - while the front portion has seen more active use. As a result different parts of the surface are now different colours. Some of the more natural tone of the wood while others have the deeper orange tone of the tung oil. What should I do to resolve this problem? Two photos here:

<p>Thanks in advance for any advice and help! </p>

 

[oilman]

Light sanding may reduce the marks.

The variations in shading is because the wood is photographic. Leave the covered bits exposed, and cover the exposed bits.

 

[Hooo]

Sanding worked for me.
A light sand with 120 grit should get rid of the marks from rubber feet. If you want to shift scratches you will need to go a bit deeper with an 80 grit and then 120 afterwards. Deep gouges can filled with two pack filler, and in theory you can stain this but it always looks like filler whatever you do.
Sanding will also reduce the colour differences, but you won't get rid of them completely. They are caused by light on the worktop, so even if you do shift them they'll come back.