Tung Oil on stained windows

[Disk]

I have read much on this forum about Tung Oil as an exterior window treatment and would like to use it on my Mahogany window frames.

I have tried oil on its own on a test piece and it does not give me the depth of colour so I am thinking of using Hicksons Predec hardwood colour harmoniser as the base coat and then oil. I have used Predec before and it really enhances the wood colour and grain.

Has anyone any experience of oil being applied over such a base coat, which I guess is like a stain, will the wood still absorb the oil to provide sufficient external protection?

 

[breezer]

as you said I have used Predec before and it really enhances the wood colour and grain. why dont you try it?

 

[Disk]

Breezer thankyou,
Yes I’d thought of doing that but I am stripping down previously Sadolin treated windows which have lost their natural wood appearance over 20 years. This in itself is enough of a job and I am trying to minimise the need to have to do it all again after I try the oil.
If I use the oil over the Predec but find that it is not suitable, what surface treatment would be required before I can recover with another material eg Sadolins.

 

[breezer]

could you not try it on a scap piece of timber?

 

[Disk]

Breezer, I can but its the longer term exposure to the elements that is really the test.
As far as the oil is concerned how can you tell that is has been absorbed over the Predec other than months of exposure to the elements when the surface just fails.
As far as subsequent coating over the oil is concerned its only after months of exposure to the elements that you will be able to tell whether the coating has adhered to the previously oiled surface or again the surface fails.
Oilman seems to be the primary advocate of Tung oil on this site, has he not any experience of these issues with Tung Oil?

 

[oilman]

Tung oil, or linseed oil for that matter will coat almost anything as long as it's not something like ptfe. Good on wood, textured plastic, metal, etc. BUT if you want to use it and know what the results are going to be within 1/2 hour, then use Ronseal varnish. If you want to use oil, use it, and don't be in a hurry.

I've never come across Predec so I can't say. I've used Ronseal stains and they've been ok, mind you I put 20 coats of oil on in the first month.

See these doors . Is this what you're after?

 

[Disk]

Oilman, That’s why I made the comments back to Breezer, its only after a period of exposure that you can judge the performance.
My biggest concern was that if, after I had applied the oil, I did not like the finish for some reason, would I be able to recoat with something other than oil ie back to Sadolin. I do not want to try it on the off chance and then find that I was stuck with it.
I have spoken to the guy at Liberon today and he advises that a recoat with any solvent based coating will be OK over the oil.
So its on with the show and the unpleasant job of removing all of the current coating.
Thanks for all the help.

 

[oilman]

Why, oh, why use a solvent based finish over oil treatment? One of the big advantages with linseed oil for example is that you just don't need to think of solvents ever again. Brushes, hands, clothing all clean up with soap and water, same goes for tung oil.

Read Holkhams information about applying oil before you start, it applies to tung oil as well. I can stop using white spirit to thin the oil now.

 

[Disk]

I don't want to use a solvent based finish again, but by the same token I did not want to apply a finish to something as important /expensive as hardwood window frames only to find out afterwards that if I didn't like the finish for some reason, or more correctly if my wife didn't like it then I was stuck with it. One of the big concerns that I have is that the front of the house is South facing and the frames are therefore exposed to some severe sun. This is why the current problem has arisen, the severe exposure has meant a lot of overcoating to maintain the finish resulting in what are now effectively 'brown painted' frames. I am hoping that oil will resolve this problem and allow the grain of the wood to show.
Of course we could have gone for UPVC
Interestingly I have noted a growing mention of linseed oil in your various posts, are you perhaps moving away from tung oil?

 

[oilman]

...........

Interestingly I have noted a growing mention of linseed oil in your various posts, are you perhaps moving away from tung oil?

No I'm not, but you tell me where I can buy tung oil paints. If you are so scared of oil being something you wont like in the end, use UPVC and give it a coat or two of B&Q Cheap-o-Lick, One-Coat-Trowel-On.

I started using oil with some confidence, and I've not looked back, but then I am interested in long term protection, anything else is secondary. I read about it, learnt about it, and I know if I put it on wood it is the best protection going as far as non-immersed timber is concerned. I use varnish for immersed timber, but then paints will also work well (as they do). Have you read Holkham's pages?

If you need more information about oil, read some history books.

 

[masona]

I started using oil with some confidence, and I've not looked back.

Me too, so easy, so quick, no mess & doesn't matter about the weather!

I find the paint pad with a tray is easier to use, another one I've heard is to use rags inside the stocking.

 

[utterlydiy]

Been looking with interest at this topic about wood treatment. I've a topic about replacing wooden windows with UPVC and the replies are basically saying to stay with wood. But as I mentioned I've also have cladding.

Mentioned is Sadolin, I've used this and Ronseal products, but all don't last as long as stated as some of the cladding faces south where the Sun and winter elements give it a beating.

So if its mentioned to use Tung Oil, then what would be the correct procedure/method to remove the old treatment and apply the new Oil treatment to the Cladding and Window frames.

 

[oilman]

Cleaning all the old stuff off is by any convenient method, just get rid of most of it.

Next, oil the wood. Read lots here . I have recently found this source for paints, and they will provide more protection than oil alone (but that doesn't mean I am going to paint everything). OK, it's not tung oil, but it has been used in the UK for hundreds of years, and successfully protected wood, and generally better than modern paints.

 

[utterlydiy]

Do you remove the old waterbased paint with a flame and scrapper or powered wirebrush, or which other would you suggest.

Would I have to get back to the wood or just remove the loose flakey paint.

 

[oilman]

???????? It's a case of silk purses and sow's ears. If you were going to Mongolia, it's better not to start from here. Just do something and see how it goes, though I wouldn't use a flame as they tend to set light to houses, or a powered wire brush as they are rather agressive IMO.