Furniture Care with Gilly's - Tung Oil with CitrusThin

Gilly's Pure Tung Oil with CitrusThin

Since introducing our Pure Tung Oil to the market, the interest has been incredibly strong. Customers see the value in a time-tested timber finish that is food safe, easy to use and safe for the environment.

For those who are not familiar with tung oil and its wonderful properties, here's an overview:

Extracted from the seed of the tung tree (Vernicia fordii), this fully sustainable oil has a venerable history. Tung oil has been in use for centuries, with references dating as far back as the writings of Confucius around 500BC. The Chinese have used it for wood finishing, wood waterproofing, caulking, inks and paints for the last 2,500 years. They even used it to waterproof their traditional boats known as junks.

Taking it Slowly

When used correctly, tung oil is a wonderful way to seal and protect many finishes. It requires patience and care to apply correctly in the first place. Some may find it beneficial to sand between coats, however this isn’t always necessary. Patience is paramount, so that the polymerisation (hardening) process occurs as it should. 

Our Pure Tung Oil is 100% natural and rich, which makes it quite viscous. It can be used as is but cutting it with a solvent is the best and quickest way to get the nourishing oils deep into the fibres of the wood, where the water repellent skin can form.

As a general rule of thumb - you can recoat after 24 hours. Tung oil can take around 4 weeks to completely ‘cure’, after which regular use can commence. It is best to leave your application area unused for the first week or so to ensure the finish isn’t affected. Light use is acceptable for the following 3 weeks. If you were planning on waxing over the top, it is also best to wait until after the full 4 weeks.

Many customers are telling us that they want to use citrus solvents for this purpose. So, to save extra packaging and time, we have blended the two products to make an oil that's even easier to apply. Just brush on and wipe away the excess. Monitor the surface over the next week, wiping away any oil that rises to the surface (if it does). The finish should be dry to the touch before applying subsequent coats. On average, three coats will do the job.

Why We Love It - Pure Tung Oil (not blended with synthetic chemicals)

Tung oil has some amazing properties, which make it a superb product in so many ways. Let’s look at some of these:

1. 100% natural
   We can have our cake and eat it! A fantastic finish that doesn’t hurt our environment.
   
   
2. It is food safe and seals timber
   We use it in our Kitchen Bench Oil, which when cured creates a beautiful, natural waterproof barrier on timber or bamboo food preparation areas (and bathrooms of course).
   
   
3. Low allergen
   Tung oil is actually derived from a seed rather than a nut (as it sometimes incorrectly claimed).
   
   
4. Not just for timber
   It is so versatile it can be used to seal concrete, slate and stone surfaces.
   
   
5. No yellowing over time
   Tung oil remains clear, so it’s perfect for retaining the original colour of pale timbers. You will find a tendency for other products such as linseed oil and varnishes to yellow over time.
   
   
6. Rancidity? None
   This amazing oil remains as fresh and new as the day it was applied!
   
   
7. Drying time
   The drying time for tung oil is actually faster than pure linseed oil (the ‘boiled’ variety in the stores is laced with toxic, synthetic chemicals to speed up the drying process).
   
   
8. Flexibility even when cured
   Your timber surface can expand and contract naturally with environmental conditions without cracking or ever losing its beauty.
   
   
9. Maintenance is easy
   To maintain a tung oil finish is no hassle at all! If it scratches or scuffs, you can simply touch up the area affected. There is no need to sand back the whole finish like you would have to with varnishes and polyurethanes.

The blend smells lovely and natural, because it is. Suitable for an enormous variety of applications including chopping boards, food service boards, bamboo utensils, concrete surfaces, raw timber furniture, raw timber blind, bee hives and children's furniture.

'Icing the Cake'

The Tung Oil with CitrusThin is a standalone product. The effect will be slightly darkening the timber as if it were wet, whilst enhancing all of the grain detail with a matte finish. For those who would like to add a sheen and a little extra scratch protection, we recommend finishing with any one of our creamy polishes (Cream Polish or Carnauba Polish). 

For any areas that have direct contact with food or for toys and furniture that the little ones may chew on, use the Food Safe Wax instead.

They are all soft and easy to apply but dry to an excellent hard and protective sheen. Waxes should only be applied following the full 30 day curing period of the oil.

How Much to Use?

On average, our estimated coverage is: First coat: up to 20m²  Subsequent coats: up to 20m²

Our Tung Oil with CitrusThin comes in 250mL, 1L and 4L bottles. The shelf life is officially 24 months from opening but if you are able to keep the contents air tight and in a cool, dark place, it will be useable for much longer.