How long does it take for CUTEK® Extreme CD50/Wood Preservative to dry?
Unlike traditional wood coatings, CUTEK® oil needs to penetrate/diffuse deeply into your timber. After coating, CUTEK® oil will slowly migrate into your wood to repel and displace moisture, improve dimensional stability and lengthen the service life of your timber. This penetration/diffusion process varies in time for many reasons including differences in timber type (species, density, porosity, age of timber and residual moisture content) as well as environmental factors (temperature, humidity, weather). Sometimes this drying process can take several days to complete. You will know when your timber is ready for a recoat of CUTEK® oil when it is completely dry and non-greasy. Please note the second coat of CUTEK® oil will take longer to migrate into your timber than the first coat.
What is the average coverage rate (sqm/litre) when using CUTEK® oils?
CUTEK®’s timber oils coverage will be different depending on the density of the timber you are intending to coat. Please see below for a guide on the coverage rate of different timbers:
• New hardwoods dressed: 10-20 sqm/litre
• Old restored timber dressed: 7-9 sqm/litre
• New timber rough sawn: 7-9 sqm/litr
• Old restored timber rough sawn: 4-7 sqm/litre
• Shingles and shakes: 2-5 sqm/litre
How many coats of CUTEK® oil are required on new timber?
We recommend applying two thin coats of CUTEK® timber oil for the initial application. A great solution is to have your timber precoated on all sides with your chosen CUTEK® timber oil by a commercial precoater before it arrives on site – (contact us is you need assistance with this). A further thin coat of CUTEK® oil is then applied after installation. Subsequent maintenance coats should be reapplied when the wood is no longer beading water, or as frequently as necessary to retain the natural beauty and colour of the wood.
Can I apply CUTEK® Extreme CD50 and CUTEK® Wood Preservative without preparing my timber?
CUTEK® timber oils must be applied to clean, dry and non-greasy timber. It is vital that previous coatings are removed prior to applying a coat of CUTEK® timber oil.
CUTEK® timber oil may be applied to new timber without preparation however for the best possible outcomes we recommend using CUTEK® Restore to clean the surface and open up the grain of the timber to assist in the diffusion of CUTEK® timber oil and removal of extractives/tannins.
How do I apply CUTEK® Extreme CD50/Wood Preservative?
STEP 1: Prepare
Before using CUTEK® oil, ensure the wood to be coated is clean, non-greasy and dry (moisture content must be less than 17%). You must appropriately prepare your timber BEFORE applying CUTEK® oil. It is also very important that the surface of the wood is free from chemical residues and is not exposed to environmental contaminants such as dusts while CUTEK® oil is drying.
If you have… NEW TIMBER:
Your timber must be bare, clean and dry before applying CUTEK® oil. If your timber presents with surface contaminants such as stains caused by water, iron or tannins, or chemical residues, we recommend using CUTEK® Restore prior to application of CUTEK® Wood Preservative.
If you have… OLD, GREYED OR WEATHERED UNCOATED WOOD:
Old, dirty, stained or grey weathered timber should be prepared and restored by first applying CUTEK® Restore which will remove the grey and reinstate the original natural colour, grain and beauty of your wood prior to application of CUTEK® oils.
If you have… WOOD PREVIOUSLY COATED WITH A NON-CUTEK® COATING:
CUTEK® oils must be applied to bare, clean and dry wood. This allows the CUTEK® oil to freely penetrate/diffuse into your timber. Wood previously coated with a film forming product such as stains, linseed oil, paint, polyurethane, water-based oils, etc. can inhibit this penetration/diffusion and must be removed first with CUTEK® Wood Stripper and CUTEK® Restore prior to the application of CUTEK® oil. In some circumstances complete removal of previous coatings by machine sanding/abrasion can also be a suitable preparation method.
If you have… WOOD PREVIOUSLY COATED IN CUTEK® EXTREME CD50 OR CUTEK® WOOD PRESERVATIVE:
Prepare for a maintenance recoat of CUTEK oil by using CUTEK® Quickclean to remove grease, grime and other dirt from your timber. If maintenance has been neglected for a long period of time and the timber has either greyed, become heavily stained by tannins or iron, or if there is an excessive build-up of CUTEK® Colourtone, use CUTEK® Restore to refresh your timber prior to recoating.
STEP 2: Protect
BEFORE YOU PROTECT: After preparing your timber, it will need to be completely dry prior to coating with CUTEK® oil. It is very important that your timber is clean, non-greasy and dry with a moisture content of less than 17%. It is also very important that the surface of the wood is free from chemical residues and is not exposed to environmental contaminants such as dusts while CUTEK® oil is drying.
WEATHER: Once applied, CUTEK® oil generally requires 2-3 days of dry conditions after coating to facilitate full penetration/diffusion and an even colour finish; so check your weather forecast before coating.
COLOURTONE: Clear, un-tinted CUTEK® oil will allow your wood to naturally lighten/silver/grey when exposed to sunlight while retaining its protection characteristics. Unless you want a clear finish that will naturally lighten/silver/grey off in a few months, it is important to mix in 1 CUTEK® Colourtone to this can of oil before use.
APPLICATION: Stir the CUTEK® Oil oil thoroughly (with the added CUTEK® Colourtone if desired) before and during use. Make sure you stir from the bottom of the can to ensure active ingredients are properly mixed throughout the oil. Apply thin, even coats with a brush, paint pad or lambswool applicator. CUTEK®’s DeckBoss brush is a good option. TIP: CUTEK® oil works best when applied as a THIN COAT – two or three thin coats on finished wood and hardwoods are much better than one or two thick coats. For best results, ONE coat of CUTEK® oil should be applied to all faces of the wood prior to installing, and apply a SECOND coat once the first coat has completely penetrated/diffused.
DRYING TIME: Unlike traditional wood coatings, CUTEK® oil needs to penetrate/diffuse deeply into your timber. After coating, CUTEK® oil will slowly migrate into your wood to repel and displace moisture, improve dimensional stability and lengthen the service life of your timber.
This penetration/diffusion process varies in time for many reasons including differences in timber type (species, density, porosity, age of timber and residual moisture content) as well as environmental factors (temperature, humidity, weather). Sometimes this drying process can take several days to complete. You will know when your timber is ready for a recoat of CUTEK® oil when it is completely dry and non-greasy. Please note the second coat of CUTEK® oil will take longer to migrate into your timber than the first coat.
CLEAN-UP: Equipment (including brushes) may be cleaned with turps or soap and water. If not correctly cleaned or disposed of, oily rags and other oily materials may cause combustion fires. After use you MUST immediately spread out all oily material outside to dry, by flattening them out to their full size in an airy spot at temperatures above 4 degrees Celsius, or wash them thoroughly with water and detergent and rinse. Remove all oil from all clothes, tools, rags and any other materials contacted during use or as a result of an accidental spill. Ensure wash water is disposed in accordance with local regulations.
MAINTENANCE: With CUTEK®, maintenance is simple, fast, and cost effective. CUTEK® oil will not crack, peel or split, and your wood can be easily rejuvenated or restored using our Prepare and Protect system – no need to sand or strip. CUTEK® oil should be reapplied when the wood is no longer beading water, or as frequently as necessary to retain the natural beauty and colour of the wood. Typically, horizontal exterior wood surfaces exposed to full weather such as pool decks and handrails will require re-coating more frequently (initially after 6 months, then annually), while other surfaces such as vertical rough-sawn cladding will need recoating less often.
Why do I have to wait between coats?
CUTEK® timber oil must be allowed to diffuse into the wood and fully cure between coats. If it is not fully dried, and another coat is applied the drying time of the second coat may be extended for much longer than it needs to be.
The speed of the drying process varies according to many different factors such as density, porosity, species, residual moisture content and temperature. Precoated timbers will always dry faster if stacked outside.
I have just applied CUTEK® exterior oil and it is taking a long time to dry. Why is this?
CUTEK® oils work by deeply diffusing into the wood and they won’t dry on the surface until this process has been fully completed. The drying process varies in time according to many different factors such as density, porosity, species, residual moisture content and temperature, humidity, wood species and wood density.
To help ensure your CUTEK® oil dries as quickly as possible, make sure you avoid:
• Wet wood, or wood with a high moisture content. Your wood should contain a maximum moisture content of 17%, as anything higher can significantly delay the drying process. If this happens, CUTEK® oils may sit on the surface and eventually go tacky without penetrating properly.
• Cold weather. In cold weather, CUTEK® oils will become thicker and therefore too much oil is applied. Warm oil by placing in a sunny/warm spot before application to make it thinner and enhance penetration.
• Too many coats too soon. The first application of CUTEK® oil needs to completely diffuse and dry fully before the next coat is applied.
• Existing oil, stain or paint on the surface. Existing film coats act as a barrier to a CUTEK® oil’s penetration. Old coatings must be fully removed by sanding and or chemical stripping prior to applying any CUTEK® exterior timber oil.
For best results, always allow CUTEK® oil to fully diffuse before recoating or use. if you cannot wait, rag off the excess material on the surface and the coating will dry on top at a much faster rate.
Do CUTEK® timber oils ever peel or flake?
No. CUTEK® timber oils (CUTEK® Extreme CD50 and CUTEK® Wood Preservative) will not peel or flake, although over time CUTEK® coated wood will fade where it is exposed to the sun. If this occurs, the timber will require a maintenance coat of Colourtoned CUTEK® oil to maintain your colour choice. The rate of fading will vary depending on species, situation, design, degree of weather exposure and other environmental factors.
What do I use to clean up a CUTEK® oil spill?
Time is of the essence. For best results clean up the excess with rags and then work the stain with CUTEK® Quickclean in water to remove as much of the spill as possible. If CUTEK® Quickclean is not available, then mix dishwashing liquid into warm water with some mineral turpentine if possible and work the stain with this mixture.
Are CUTEK® exterior wood protection oils interchangeable?
Yes. All exterior CUTEK® oils are interchangeable. For example, if a customer has originally used CUTEK® Extreme CD50 on their timber and for future maintenance the customer now wants to use CUTEK® Wood Preservative, or vice versa then that is perfectly OK.
Do not worry if your previous CUTEK® oil has now been discontinued. CUTEK® Extreme CD50 and CUTEK® Wood Preservative are able to be used over the top of CUTEK® CD50 and CUTEK® Low VOC.
NOTE: We do not recommend that different types of CUTEK® exterior oils are mixed together in the can.
Do CUTEK® timber oils have an accumulative effect?
Yes. CUTEK® timber oils deeply diffuse into timber, protecting it from the inside out. CUTEK® timber oils stay permanently mobile inside the timber to repel and displace moisture. With each additional coat of CUTEK® timber oil, this protection increases. This means that the more CUTEK® oil you let soak deep into your timber, the better protected against water that timber will be.
How many coats of CUTEK® oil are required for maintenance and how frequently should timber be maintained with CUTEK®?
One THIN coat is all that is required for maintenance of an existing exterior CUTEK® job. Maintenance intervals vary widely and are dependent on many factors such as age and porosity of the wood, species, situation, design, aspect, and degree of exposure to the weather.
Maintain as frequently as deemed necessary to retain the natural beauty and colour of the timber, or if your wood is no longer beading water.
Can I apply CUTEK® without sanding between coats?
CUTEK® Extreme CD50 and CUTEK® Wood Preservative do not behave like traditional film forming coatings, meaning there is no need to sand between coats, unless there is a need to rectify some defect in the timber substrate.
CUTEK® Interior does not need to sanded between coats if the recoat time is less than 16 hours unless there is a requirement to remove a surface defect such as environmental dust. If the recoat time is greater than 16 hours, always lightly sand in the direction of grain using 180 grit sand paper. After sanding, wipe the surface clean before recoating.
Can I apply CUTEK® exterior oils on hot sunny days?
Yes. Unlike many timber coatings, CUTEK® oils perform well in dry, hot conditions. In fact, heat and ventilation greatly assist the deep diffusion of CUTEK® Extreme CD50 and CUTEK® Wood Preservative into the timber.
Can I apply CUTEK® oils to timber cladding, soffits, panelling, battens and screens?
Yes. CUTEK® oils can be applied to all exterior timber features. A benefit of using CUTEK® timber oils on cladding, soffits, panelling, battens and screens is the ease of maintenance. No need to sand or strip your timber – simply clean and recoat.
What should be avoided when planning to coat timber with CUTEK® Extreme CD50 or CUTEK® Wood Preservative?
• Wet wood, or wood with a high moisture content. Your wood should contain a maximum moisture content of 17%, as anything higher can significantly delay the drying process. If this happens, CUTEK® oils may sit on the surface and eventually go tacky without penetrating properly.
• Too many coats too soon. The first application of CUTEK® oil needs to completely diffuse and dry before the next coat is applied.
• Existing oil, stain or paint on the surface. Existing film coatings act as a barrier to CUTEK® oil’s penetration. Old coatings must be fully removed by sanding and/or chemical stripping prior to applying CUTEK®.
• Cold weather. In cold weather, CUTEK® oils will become thicker and may result in too much oil being applied when coating in cooler climates. It helps to warm oil by placing in a sunny/warm spot before application to make is thinner and enhance penetration.
• Contamination. It is very important to ensure that timber surfaces to be coated with CUTEK® oils are free from chemical residues and are not exposed to environmental contaminants such as dusts while the applied CUTEK is drying. It is possible that contact with highly alkaline contaminants such as cement/fertiliser/other dusts or poorly rinsed cleaners may lead to chemical staining.
When should a colourtone be added to CUTEK® wood oils?
Un-tinted CUTEK® Extreme CD50 will quickly lighten/silver/grey with exposure to sunlight. Unless you want a clear finish that will naturally lighten/silver/grey off in a few months, it is important to mix in a CUTEK® Colourtones to CUTEK® oil before use. Adding CUTEK® Colourtones will provide UV colour protection and slows the lightening/silvering process.
NOTE: CUTEK® oils diffuse deeply into your timber and will continue to provide moisture protection and improve dimensional stability even if CUTEK® Colourtones are not added and your wood becomes weathered and greyed. To maintain your timber’s natural colour for longer, choose a CUTEK® Colourtone similar to the natural colour of your timber. Colourtones can also help alter your timber colour if required (e.g. make your timber look lighter or darker than its natural state).