Finishing Wood Veneer With Tung Oil. Tung Oil Finish, Varnish, Hi Tech Finishes on Wood Veneers. Will Tung Oil Finish Loosen The Glue Bond Of My Veneered Surface?

Q. I’m planning to finish my veneer with Tung Oil, but I have heard good/bad comments about Tung Oil finishes.

What is your opinion of Tung oil finishes on veneers, and can I use a Tung Oil finish on the paper backed PSA veneer without worrying if the Tung Oil will loosen the PSA adhesive?

Would it be better to use a 2 ply wood backed PSA veneer with a Tung Oil finish?

A. The tung oil finish will be ok if you keep re doing it.Oil finishes tend to dull down pretty fast, especially at first.  Plus, they don't protect the wood very well.  If you use contact cement they will sometimes seep through the surface and attack contact cement.  This is especially true if you glue down a paper backed veneer with contact cement.

The old rule of thumb for using oil finishes is:  Once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, then as needed.

If you need a durable finish, I recommend that you use varnish.Water based varnish or solvent based varnish.  I like the solvent based varnish because it has an amber patina, whereas the water based varnish finishes are kind of “plain Jane”. – Also, a high tech finish would be a good choice.

If you use the peel and stick veneer you shouldn't have a problem when using the Tung Oil finish, as Tung Oil finish won’t attack the PSA adhesive.  Just to be sure, you can run a trial on a scrap piece of the paper backed PSA veneer.

2 ply wood backed veneer vs paper backed veneer? – Pros and cons for each, especially if you are using contact cement and a finish such as lacquer.  In such case, the 2 ply wood backed veneer would be your best choice, as the lacquer finish cannot penetrate through the wood backed veneer.

Once again, however, I like varnish or hi tech finish over a lacquer finish all day long.  Reason: lacquer is easy to apply and it looks real good, but it doesn’t give your veneer a whole lot of protection.

Regards.

Bob Morgan, pres.

www.Veneer-Factory-Outlet.com

www.Wood-Veneer-Factory-Outlet.com