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Tung oil finish turned out cloudy

123 views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  Steve Neul  
#1 ·
Acacia wood, kiln dried. About four coats of tung oil, cut with turpentine.

I used a bit of sandpaper, steel wool a couple times, and mineral spirits to try to remove what I thought was just some sort of surface film. But the more I tried, the worse it got!

What did I do wrong?
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#2 ·
Wipe the surface with turpentine or mineral spirits and see if the cloudiness goes away while wet. If it does just keep adding tung oil, everything is alright. There isn't enough finish on it yet.

When you finish with tung oil keep in mind the finish dries real slow. It might take a week for a coat to dry. The best way to tell if tung oil is dry is to briskly rub the surface with a clean dry cloth and see if the tung oil smell rubs off onto the rag. When there is no smell it's ready.
 
#3 ·
Thanks, Steve. I guess I applied the previous coats, about four, far too quickly, without waiting long enough between. Does this mean it can't be saved, or should I still just follow your advice above? Also, should I continue to dilute the tung oil with turpentine/mineral spirits?