# Forum Home Renovation Flooring  Tung Oil Floor problem

## timdavis@activ8

I recently sanded over 100sq. metres of old baltic pine, no problems. I then reluctantly used an owner supplied product called Bio Floor Varnish, start of big problems. Their system requires sealing with a linseed oil type sealer. Fine, but I didn't wipe off the excess oil after applying very thinly. How can you without walking all over a coated and wet floor?  After drying I scrubbed the excess tacky mess off with a Canterbury rotary sander fitted with a scourer pad and lubricated with terps. No worries, left it for several days, dry and sealed surface, no tackiness. Then applied first coat of floor varnish, a Tung Oil based product, but not oil based polyurethane(oil modified), this product is basically all Tung Oil with a few additives. This coat dried and looked reasonably good. Waited 3 days then applied 2'nd coat of varnish. Disaster !!!!! The finish dried and looks as though light rain has fallen on it,the surface has a spotted or dimpled look throughout the entire job (this is indoors). I contacted the product manufacturer who denied any responsibility and claims high humidity and no ventilation are to blame. The day I coated was not particularly humid, but I did close all windows and doors as I normally would to avoid dust contamination. Has anybody else experienced similar problems and can it be remedied with a light sand and recoat and what is to say the same won't happen again? I dread the prospect of a full resand, please help.

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## Gaza

bugger

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## timdavis@activ8

Exactly what I thought, only more profane-F@@@ !!! What the hell do I do before it ends up in court.

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## Dusty

Geeze, Tim. First bit of advice is ring Brett from Loba first thing in the morning (Pity I didn't see this earlier as he was here dropping off some supplies and my new re-co'ed machine) he will have some ideas as to how to fix it and avoid the drama of a total re-sand. 
From your description it sounds like the dots and speckles are a rejection problem leeching through to the final coat. Could the floor over the years been subject to any silicon based products, such as Mr Sheen or Fabulon, that sort of thing? 
But, more than likely, it's a rejection between the Tung Oil product and the Varnish product. Don't like how the mob were very quick to distance themselves of any help or responsibility. Even if you did perhaps make a blue somewhere in the process, surely someone could at least offer some sort of help and/or advice.  
I just had a look at their product info.....and from my way of thinking floor sanding and polishing is, or at least, should be, a pretty simple affair and any product that requires as much mucking around as what they recommend on their site (HERE) is only going to end in tears. 
As you have used the Loba WB coatings before, and you seemed to like it, so I'm pretty certain you will be able to go over the top of this disaster with one of their finishes, thus saving the day.
Good luck. 
Keep us all posted as it progresses. 
Clint.

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## Honorary Bloke

As the product is touted as All Natural, tell the client that the finish is Organic and they must expect some imperfections if they are Going Green.    :Wink:

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## timdavis@activ8

Yair, the floor looks life a piece of organically grown fruit; covered in spots.

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## Larry McCully

Hi Tim, I remember doing the same thing a few years ago. The product claimed to be a bio friendly product. And as the same as you.TOTAL DISASTER. I placed the responsability back on the owner and made him pay. He was the one that instructed me to use it. Just as long as you followed the instructions then you are covered.The problem is that the product needed perfect climate for it to dry properly, and even at that it took about 2 weeks. Firstly , as well , linseed oil should never be put on timber floors. It stays tacky and will never eccept other finishes. I have had some builders think that they did the right thing by coating the floor in linseed oil to help protect it during construction.Big Mistake. All of those so called bio friendly products are either citrus or liver oils and are more strife than good. They are mixed in the kitchen just after the guy has had a shot of jo jo juice. If your problem still persists after a while. Then it will require sanding of and using a product that you are familur and confident with. Let me know your outcome....Larry

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## Larry McCully

I just read the specs on that product, It is the same stuff i used in townsville about 13 years ago as i mentioned it the other reply. even the name is the same. I remember the client was all excited at the begining about using it , claiming that it was the bees knees and thought his home would turn into a quaint little cottage. NAH, sticky, patchy, mess. is all he got. I recon that the guy who makes it has a lot of trouble with it on timber floors. On small furniture it may be fine, as you can wipe of easly in small areas, but in large areas, not the same.  I would say that you would have to do small areas about 2m2 at a time and then do another section after buffing of the other one first. I recon it is not possible to coat the whole floor and then come back over it with a polyvac and try and buff of the excess. The instructions are not cleaer enough to discribe correct application proceedure. Even then, i would be nervious using it again, or i would make sure that the owner takes all responsability.

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## timdavis@activ8

G'day Larry. Sorry I haven't got back to you sooner regarding staining. The job went very well. Good products (Feast Watson Prooftint), good product/manufacturer support, easy to use, happy owner, paid up, happy floorsander. No worries.
Bio Floor Varnish-difficult to use, temperamental drying, poor manufacterer back-up, unhappy owner, unhappy floorsander (who has been paid however. I didn't see the dried final coat, nor did the owner before paying)
I'm going to attempt one more very thin top coat after Xmas. Hopefully the previouse coats will have fully dried and with a cut-back, good dry weather and a thinned (as suggested by the manufacturer) coating I might be ok. Not very confident though.
The owner of Bio Products doesn't seem to know much. This saga has dragged on for 2 months now. I was wary of this stuff before I began and spoke to him about application well ahead of putting on the first coat. I asked him if I could add terebene to speed drying and his responce was "what's that ?". This from a bloke who makes paints and timber coatings. I didn't add terebene and followed his instructions to the letter, things still f@@@@@-up.
If this doesn't work then I'll put the whole lot back on the owner and product maker and let them sort it out. I've done everything I can. As far as I'm concerned this is a product failure and I'm not wasting any more time, money and sleep over the situation.

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## Marc

I wonder how this ended. When I read your fist post describing your initial linseed coat, I thought to myself o-oh. Unless you use boiled linseed oil 50% turps diluted with addition of  1% Terebene and wipe all excess immediately after, you will be in trouble, meaning wait a month for the next coat.

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