Dark Raw Tung Oil, All Natural Wood Finish

♡ Description
Tung oil with natural resin to add depth to your grain and instantly have an aged look.

The same as our Pure Tung Oil (see our other listings) except that we have added a non-toxic naturally occurring resinous hydrocarbon for color. The resin is non-carcinogenic and does not contain any PCB’s. Dark Raw Tung Oil by The Real Milk Paint Company is water and alkali resistant. It resists marring, penetrates well, elastic and unlikely to check. Dark Raw Tung Oil builds quickly, consolidates the wood surface and builds a dark matte wood finish. It should be kept in an airtight container with minimum airspace.

Continue below for more information on Dark Tung Oil’s features, coverage, and in-depth directions for use. If you have any further questions, feel free to message us directly!

♡ Features
▫ Naturally polymerizing wood finish
▫ Cures by oxidation, not evaporation
▫ Does not form a glossy finish no matter the number of coats
▫ Form a flexible waterproof finish
▫ Resists abrasion and acids
▫ Does not blister and peel (properly applied)
▫ Does not mold like linseed oil
▫ Long shelf life
▫ Does not darken with time like linseed oil
▫ Concentrated (thin one to one, doubles the coverage)
▫ Combined with “Citrus Solvent” makes an all-natural wood finish
▫ FDA approved for food contact
▫ Does not go rancid
▫ 7 to 10 days partial cure, 15 to 30 days full cure

♡ Coverage
Sample oz. covers 1 sq. foot
8 oz. covers 25 sq. feet
16 oz. covers 50 sq. feet
32 oz. covers 100 sq. feet
Gallon covers 400 sq. feet
Example: One Gallon would cover 400 sq. feet one time without any thinner added.

♡ Directions
There are four phases when it comes to using Dark Half for your projects.
1) Preparation
2) Application
3) Curing
4) Maintenance


♡ Preparation
▫ Be sure the surface of your project is free of dust, debris, or grime.

▫ Check to see if the surface is porous. (Dark Tung Oil works by absorbing into the material and filling the open pores. Therefore, if your material is not porous, it will not accept Dark Tung Oil. To test if your surface is porous or not, place a small amount of water on the surface. If the water absorbs, it is porous. If it does not and beads on the surface, you may need to sand and/or strip the surface.)

▫ If you need to sand your surface, we recommend not going above 220 grit sandpaper. Too high of a sandpaper grit will “polish” the surface, hindering proper absorption of Dark Half.

▫ If stripping your surface is needed, we recommend using Soy Gel: Paint and Urethane Stripper.

▫ If you are looking for a lighter color finish, take a look at our Half & Half (Pure Tung Oil mixed with Citrus Solvent)

▫ Determine if you will need to thin the Dark Tung Oil. The Dark Tung Oil is a naturally thick liquid and usually requires thinning to help it absorb into the wood. You can thin Dark Tung Oil with a variety of thinners. If you are doing a project where you want to use natural, food contact safe products, try our Citrus Solvent. If you’re looking to be a bit more economical, you can try Odorless Mineral Spirits. Any solvent you use needs to be oil-based, not a water-based solvent (usually branded as “green” or “eco-friendly).

▫ Quick Tip: DO NOT use a wood conditioner. This will seal the wood and prevent the tung oil from absorbing.

▫ NOTE: Only very old, dry wood or concrete tend to use unthinned Dark Tung Oil.
Extremely dense woods such as teak, ipe, etc may require thinning Dark Half with more solvent (up to 2 parts solvent to 1 part tung oil. Dark Half is already at a 1 to 1 ratio of solvent to tung oil) You can use Citrus Solvent as a natural, food contact safe thinner!


♡ Application
When applying thinned Dark Tung Oil, here’s a handy thing to remember: Apply, Absorb, Repeat or Remove
- Apply – Apply the Dark Half to the surface.
- Absorb – Let the oil absorb into the material.
- Repeat – Do what you just did, apply the oil and let it absorb.
- Remove – When the oil isn’t absorbing and pooling on the surface, remove it with a rag.
- Cure – Let the tung oil go through its natural curing process.

▫ For the best results, you want to saturate the material with the tung oil to the point where a majority of the surface is no longer absorbing the oil. This will look like puddles on the surface even after waiting 40 minutes. Just like a sponge, the wood (or other porous surfaces) will only absorb so much oil before it can’t anymore. This saturation is achieved by doing multiple coats.

▫ You can apply Dark Tung Oil with a brush, rag, roller, or even a pump sprayer depending on your project and needs. We recommend brushes and/or foam rollers for most projects.

▫ Apply a generous first coat.

▫ Let the tung oil absorb into the surface, waiting if needed, up to 40 minutes.

▫ Apply another coat, let it absorb, and repeat the previous steps.

▫ Continue this process until you reach the desired amount of coats or have fully saturated the wood. You can tell the wood is saturated when the oil puddles on the surface and no longer absorbs oil across a majority of the surface. To be sure, wait 40 minutes. If the oil is still puddling, then you will know the surface is saturated.

▫ Taking a clean rag or cloth, remove any excess tung oil that is puddling or pooling on the surface.

▫ Hang those oil-soaked rags outdoors to dry. DO NOT pile the rags or put them in a container.

▫ For the best finish, we recommend letting this application rest and settle overnight. The following day, apply one or two more coats of Dark Half to the surface of your project, following the same steps outlined above.


♡ Curing
▫ Dark Tung Oil does not contain any additives to speed the drying process, such as heavy metallic dryers. Because of this, it can take up to 30 days to completely/thoroughly cure by its natural polymerization process. Provided below are some guidelines to follow during the curing phase.

▫ Dark Tung Oil cures best in warm, well-ventilated places. The warmer and more ventilated the area, the faster it will cure.

▫ Placing objects on the surface will “suffocate” and prevent the tung oil from curing properly. If there is no airflow between the surface and the object, it should be removed until the curing is complete (30 days).

▫ During the first 7-15 days of curing, you can use the surface. However, you will want to avoid getting it dirty or allowing liquids to puddle on the surface.

▫ As the Dark Tung Oil cures, its durability and resistance to liquids and dirt will also increase. The first 7-15 days is when the oil is at its freshest and weakest state. After that point, increased regular use of the surface can take place.

▫ As the Dark Tung Oil cures, it slightly expands and may push fresh oil back to the surface. Check for oil that may be seeping to the surface and remove it, if found, with a rag.


♡ Maintenance
▫ The beautiful thing about a Dark Tun Oil finish is that the maintenance of it is easy. We recommend cleaning the floor with mild soap and hot water. Avoid using harsh chemicals, acids, or strong solvents to clean the surface.

▫ Maintenance coats are on an as-need basis. Outdoor projects may require more maintenance than indoor. Heavily used areas can be expected to require more maintenance than lightly used areas. Typically, surfaces that need maintenance have a very dry, or lackluster appearance compared to when the finish was originally applied.

▫ When doing a maintenance coat you do not need to sand the surface again. Here is what we recommend;

▫ Make sure the surface is clean and free of dust or debris.

▫ Make a 2 to 1 ratio of solvent to Tung Oil (2 parts solvent, 1 part tung oil). This thinned mixture can easily find any open pores and fill them.

▫ Thinly apply this mixture using a clean cloth. Simply wipe it onto the surface, no need to lather it on.

▫ Wipe up any excess that may be on the surface with a clean, lint-free rag or cloth.

▫ Allow this thin coat to cure for 24 hours.

▫ Hang oil-soaked rags outdoors to dry.

▫ Go back to enjoying the surface like normal!