STEP 2 PROTECT
Before you protect:
Before you begin, note the hazards and precautions on this website and the can labelling, and ensure that you use the correct safety equipment as detailed in the Safety Data Sheet.
Weather:
Once applied, CUTEK® Wood Preservative 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® Wood Preservative 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. Adding a CUTEK® Colourtone provides UV colour protection and slows the lightening/silvering process.
To choose which Colourtone suits your timber and project, visit our Colourtone page.
Note: CUTEK® Wood Preservative diffuses deeply into your timber and will continue to provide moisture protection and improve dimensional stability even if a CUTEK® Colourtone is not added and your wood becomes weathered and greyed.
Application:
After preparing your timber, it will need to be completely dry prior to coating with CUTEK® Wood Preservative. 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 is drying.
Stir the CUTEK® Wood Preservative 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. CUTEK® Wood Preservative 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® Wood Preservative should be applied to all faces of the wood prior to installing, with a SECOND coat applied to the top surface once the first coat has completely penetrated/diffused.
Drying time:
Unlike traditional wood coatings, CUTEK® Wood Preservative needs to penetrate/diffuse deeply into your timber. After coating, CUTEK® Wood Preservative will slowly migrate into your wood to repel 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® Wood Preservative when it is completely dry and non-greasy. Please note the second coat of CUTEK® Wood Preservative 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.