Tung oil vs boiled linseed oil
Both are drying oils: 21 CFR 175.300 lists linseed and "chinawood (tung)" among the drying oils a coating may be made from. The makers below differ mainly in time. Gilly’s gives its pure tung oil 24 hours between coats and up to 4 weeks to cure completely; Finico gives its linseed oil 12 hours after the first coat, 24 after later ones, and 2 days before use.
Both makers suggest thinning: Gilly’s 50/50 with its citrus solvent, Finico with 30 % oil thinner, and Sunnyside up to 2:1 with mineral spirits for its boiled linseed oil.
Side by side
| Property | Pure tung oil | Boiled linseed oil |
|---|---|---|
| Touch-dry | Not printed by the maker we read | Not printed by the makers we read |
| Recoat | Gilly's Pure Tung Oil: 24 h | Finico Linseed Oil: 12–24 h |
| Ready for use | Not printed by the maker we read | Finico Linseed Oil: 48 h (use (first damp cleaning after 14 days)) |
| Full cure | Gilly's Pure Tung Oil: 28 days | Not printed by the makers we read |
| Coverage | Not printed by the maker we read | Finico Linseed Oil: 120–230 sq ft per litre |
| Thinning | Gilly's Pure Tung Oil: 50/50 with Gilly’s Citrus Thin | Finico Linseed Oil: Dilute with 30 % oil thinnerSunnyside Boiled Linseed Oil: Up to 2:1 with mineral spirits |
| Makers say it is for | Not printed by the maker we read | Not printed by the makers we read |
| Makers say not for | Not printed by the maker we read | Not printed by the makers we read |
The products behind it
| Product | Touch-dry | Recoat | Use | Full cure | Coverage | Thinning and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilly's Pure Tung Oil One source: Gilly's, the maker of that product | — | 24 h | — | 28 days | — | Thinning: 50/50 with Gilly’s Citrus Thin.Up to 4 weeks to cure completely; light use is fine before then, per the maker. |
| Finico Linseed Oil One source: Finico (Tembi), the maker of that product | — | 12–24 hwipe off the excess after 15–20 minutes | 48 huse (first damp cleaning after 14 days) | — | 120–230 sq ft per litre | Thinning: Dilute with 30 % oil thinner.First coat 12 hours, later coats 24 hours. Rags can catch fire by themselves: soak them in water or lay them flat to dry. |
| Sunnyside Boiled Linseed Oil One source: Sunnyside Corporation, the maker of that product | — | — | — | — | — | Thinning: Up to 2:1 with mineral spirits.Flax oil with additives to shorten its drying time; the sheet gives no dry times. |
Related
Work it out for your project
Times are the makers' own at the temperature and humidity they name, and several of them say cooler, damper conditions slow their finishes. For how much to buy, the finish coverage calculator uses these same coverage figures. Every finish side by side: the finish dry time chart. What the federal rules say about finishes and food: food-contact finishes.
Elsewhere in finishing: shellac and the shellac cut calculator; for repairs before the finish, wood filler vs wood putty; and for the glue-up, wood glue types.