So today I used your product for the first time. I didn't get the same coverage that you did on what looks like to be the same countertop that you have. Not sure what I could have done differently, but I continued anyways, and it looks good for the first UTOS coat. I started on the bottom being this is the first time doing anything like this. I'll come back as I progress.
I'm starting a project with the same species and your step by step instructions along with the recommendations was superb! Thank you for the excellent advice as it is very much appreciated.
This was an extremely helpful video! I used your UTOS yesterday and today to seal all 6 sides of my 72" x 39" hevea butcher block with two coats. I'm going to install this on my island. If I apply 2 coats of the H2OLOX to the top and sides and wait for it to cure for 7 days, would I flip the block over to finish the bottom and wait another 7 days to cure? Or is it ok not to finish the bottom? I'm concerned about possibly marring the finish on top.
Thank you for choosing Waterlox products and for the feedback on the video. For most uses, having just the UTOS on the underside is enough. If you do consider finishing the underside, you may want to save the last coat for the top side, in case you need to fix any damage from flipping/installation. Also, 24 hours before flipping is plenty if you allow most of the surface to breathe (such as using sawhorses) These guides may offer additional help: Finishing the underside of the countertop: waterlox.com/guide-finishing-the-underside-of-a-countertop/ Where, When and in What order to finish countertops: waterlox.com/guide-where-when-and-in-what-order-to-finish-countertops/
I have some birch butcher block I'd like to finish using this method but am planning on staining to get the color i want. Is this process still the same if i use Varathane classic stain? I think i saw letting the stain dry for a longer period of time, roughly 72 hours instead of 24 works best, is that correct?
Scott - Thank you for your interest in our products for your project. We can't control other manufacturers formulations so we tend to err on the side of caution for drying/recoating times. My recommendation is to usually double the recommended time for stains to cure as many stains are now "quick dry". If the can says 4 hours, I'd give it at least 8, but more time won't hurt.
After applying my first coat of Waterlox I have one area that is particularly sticky. Do you have tips to help mitigate that before my second coat? Should it just be more time with airflow to make sure that section seals well?
Thank you for choosing Waterlox products for your project. For troubleshooting purposes, I am going to assume that you've already applied the UTOS and you are saying "Waterlox" for the first coat of H2OLox? On high tannin woods, if spots are not fully sealed buy the UTOS, then the tannins can be "activated" by the water in the H2OLox formulations which, in turn, can "deactivate" the driers. These driers are accelerators, so the finish will dry on its own, but at a slower rate. To solve your problem, give the surface more time and increase air flow with a fan on the sticky area if possible. If you can lightly scuff the sticky area (slow hand passes, with the grain) that can help the oxygen penetrate deeper and speed up the process. Once the film isn't "sticky" but is more just "tacky", you can apply the second coat. The driers from the second coat will help to fully cure the sticky spot as well.
Awesome tutorial! Considering using for birch butcher block countertops. It is stated that the product is food safe once fully cured. What does that mean exactly? I do not intend to cut or prep on the counters, but obviously there will be some incidental contact and typically have rolled out pizza or pie dough directly on countertops. Is that safe to do?
Thank you for the feedback and interest in our products for your project. Food Safe means exactly what you are describing. It is safe for direct food contact after as there are no harmful plasticizers or other chemicals that will leech out of the cured film into/onto any foods that contact the surface. However, as you correctly stated, it should not be used as a cutting surface as that can penetrate the film and allow bacteria or other substances to enter. We recommend at least 7 days for the surface to be considered cured, although full cure may take longer.
Thank you for choosing Waterlox products for your project. The UTOS is a very high solids product (85%) so a little goes a long way. It should not be brushed or rolled on but should be buffed on/off with a rag or buffing pad. Pour a little puddle and spread. Be advised that your specific wood and preparation steps can change how much your wood absorbs (pine will absorb way more than oak for example) If you are using a lot you are likely buffing off a lot of excess.
Oh man I'm in a situation! I had 2 coats of utos and 1 coat of finish on top. Plans changed from a drop in sink to an under mount. I made the hole for sink bigger can I just finish the edge or do I have to sand the whole counter before I put my final coat on ?
John - Thank you for choosing Waterlox Products for your project. You'll want to protect that end grain well, but the UTOS will be great for that. Wipe on 2-3 liberal coats of the UTOS (buff off excess after 5-10 minutes) on the newly exposed wood. You can apply coats 6-8 hours apart. The UTOS will only penetrate where there is fresh wood and everything else should buff off. Then apply your final finish coat over the whole surface.
I did two coats of UTOS and 4 coats of the h2olox matte finish on unfinished hevea butcher block. The finish turned out a very vibrant orange/yellow which was much more drastic a color change than I was anticipating. Will the color subdued as it cures? Did I put too many coats of the matte finish?
James - Thank you for choosing Waterlox products for your project. Likely, the color will actually deepen a little more as the hevea ages (some wood bleaches out where other woods oxidize and darken). The UTOS and H2Olox products use Tung oil as the main ingredient which is relatively amber in color, thus generating the warm tones. Every layer that you apply will add another layer of this amber film, so the 4 coats are going to be more amber than the recommended 2 coats.
I am having the same issue with the color. I used the Truetone Tung Oil in white as my first coat and loved the color but after 2 coats of H2olox, it looks completely different. Is there anything I can do to lighten it back up so it’s not so orange?
I've always been told to stain/seal all sides of a wood project, especially if it'll live in a humid environment such as a bathroom. Is just the sealer on the bottom enough, or do I need to do the H20Lox on the underside as well? Waiting 1 day after first coat, then 7 more after 2nd coat... before I flip it and start again on the underside will add quite a bit of time to finishing my countertop.
That is an excellent question. For most instances, just one coat of the UTOS on all sides is plenty of protection. The only caveat would be if you have a particularly wet area, such as any exposed countertop with an undermount sink. There is more information in our Finishing the Underside of a Countertop guide: www.waterlox.com/project-help/guide?id=0fc25320-d9fd-4562-8317-fcfb2b70e4b4&q=
Thanks for the thorough demonstration. Everything went well until my second coat of the H2OLOX. I applied too much finish in an area of the counter near the sink where I expect to get a lot of water splash. When the pools of finish dried they left noticeable orange streaks in the countertop. Is there any way I can sand those spots back down and reapply the finish? Or do I have to live with it at this point?
Thank you for choosing Waterlox products for your project. If you can live with it, it is best to leave it alone. Normal wear and tear will likely help to blend that in over a short period of time. If you can't live with it, you can lightly sand those areas with 220 paper, working your way back up to 320 grit, 0000 steel wool or a maroon scotch brite to remove the scratches from the 220. You'll then want to reapply a fresh coat. If you are using the gloss, you can spot repair, but if you are using any of the lower glosses (matte, satin, semi-gloss), it will usually not blend as well so you should recoat the entire surface.
Hey, I’m in a similar spot I think! Can you let me know what you chose to do and how it went?? I love this product but I have no idea what I’m doing lol
@@savannahlewis6156 My wife was pretty much done with the kitchen reno after almost four weeks. So my suggestion of sanding and refinishing the discoloured ripples of finish was not met with enthusiasm. So we’re just gonna live with it.
For countertops, it was clear to use UTOS to seal the top and bottom but do you recommend a coat of the waterlox h2olox on top and bottom too? Or is the sealer enough for the bottom?
It ultimately depends on your specific situation. For instance, if you have an undermount sink, you'll have water exposure on the underside so you'll need more protection. This guide will provide additional information: www.waterlox.com/guide-finishing-the-underside-of-a-countertop/
I would still recommend it. I cover that topic at about the 6 minute mark in our sanding video (waterlox.com/video-removing-old-waterlox-finish/). Waterlox tends to highlight the wood, which unfortunately means it can highlight defects too. There may be marks from how it was stacked, shipped or how it was sanded before they packaged it. It’s not critical but it’s a good idea, I would just do a healthy hand sand with 100 or 120 grit. That way you know you’re starting from a good point.
@@Waterlox One other question: my countertop is already installed, do I need to tape off my sink etc. to prevent the UTOS or H20Lox from getting on it, or can I just wipe that off? Anything else different I should being doing since I can't access all sides quite as easily as you did when it was on the sawhorses?
I’d recommend finishing what you can. I wouldn’t worry about the underside or back edges. Tape off what you can as that’s always easier than clean up in my opinion. If some gets where it’s not intended - a clean rag for UTOS and a little soap and water for H2OLox while they are still wet. If you miss it and it’s allowed to dry check out this guide: waterlox.com/guide-removing-waterlox-original-tung-oil-finishes-from-unintended-surfaces/
Dana - Thank you for your interest in our products. We would recommend our Waterlox Wood Surface Cleaner for daily cleaning. Other cleaning tips can be found in our care and maintenance guides: www.waterlox.com/guide-cleaning-and-maintenance-of-a-waterlox-finished-countertop/
Can I apply the coat of UTOS and one coat of H2OLOX to my counters, install them and then continue with the sanding and second coat of H2LOX 2 or 3 weeks after?
Otto - Thank you for considering our products for your countertop project. Absolutely. There is no maximum recoat time for any of our products so you can apply the second finish coat any time after 24 hours, whether that be 1 day, 1 month, or 1 year. This guide on where, when, and what order to finish countertops may provide further assistance: www.waterlox.com/project-help/guide?id=75e58eb4-f779-4c17-847b-53570d03362e&q= If you have any other questions please reach out to us at info@waterlox.com or (800) 321-0377
I used Minwax oil stain, let it dry 4 days, 2 coats of UTOS with a day between each coat, and 2 coats of H2OLox with a day between each and a fan blowing pretty much the entire time. It's been 7 days and the pieces still have a kind of rubberized feel to them. Is this normal? Will they eventually harden and I'm just being impatient or did i do something wrong?
Thank you for choosing Waterlox products for your project. I would not say it’s normal, but it is also not unheard of. Time will fix your issue, likely within a week or two and even then it will likely continue to cure. Sometimes having a fan blowing on the surface constantly will cause the surface to cure too quickly which makes it harder for the oxygen to penetrate deep into the film. The fan is often only necessary to help ventilate fumes which is even less critical for the UTOS and H2OLOX formulations due to the low VOCs. If you wanted to expedite the process you could follow this guide: www.waterlox.com/guide-how-do-i-get-rid-of-lingering-odors-and-tacky-finishes/
I am using the h2olox matte finish and 24 hours later, it looks more like satin to semi-gloss. Does it need to cure to achieve the matte finish I am looking for? I am using ash wood, Minwax oil satin (Jacobean), UTOS, and your H2Olox finish.
Roel - Thank you for choosing waterlox products for your project. Mixing before use is very important with the lower gloss finishes (Matte and Satin). The components that lower the sheen tend to "settle" over time so a good mixing 10-15 minutes before use is essential to make sure the flattening agents are evenly distributed. A light buff of the surface and another coat should get you a matte sheen if properly mixed before application.
Ok got the second coat on! I got one bad spot where it looks like it puddled and dried that way. Can I sand that spot and just reapply to that bad aera or do I need to redo the whole counter ? Everything else looks amazing stuff is awesome
John - Thank you for choosing H2Olox for your project. You can lightly sand and reapply, but its best to do the whole section, especially if you are using anything other than the Gloss. You'll most likely see a spot repair in the Satin, Matte and Semi-Gloss as they just won't match up the exact same.
@@Waterloxon the plus side I am using the gloss. I had an extra peice that was finished and I tested it out looks like it's gonna work ..thanks again for all your help on this one !!!
Thanks for the helpful video. I'm finishing an oak dining table with the UTOS and H2Olox. I was planning to use 2 coats of each on the top, but should I do the same for the legs?
Thank you for choosing Waterlox product for your project. Yes I would recommend the same process for the legs. Because they are vertical surfaces you’ll need to apply thin coats of the H2OLox to prevent runs or drips, but as legs they don’t need the same final film thickness since they won’t have standing water.
Ideally, you should sand to a lower grit (150) to allow for better penetration of the UTOS. We are putting a film on the surface so you aren’t really interacting with the wood surface which is why we don’t need to sand to such a fine grit. If everything looks and feels really good, you could leave it at 400. It will not severely impact your final outcome.
The H2Olox system is much lower in VOCs and it also has more sheen options. If you use the Original Sealer/Semi-Gloss finish, you can get a nice semi-gloss finish, however if you’d like a different sheen, you’d need a second product. The H2Olox is really is the same great Tung oil and resin formula in a different package. Low VOC, almost zero odor, easy cleanup, available in every zip code. Just another tool for the toolbox to make your wood beautiful and protected.
It’s been just over 48 after applying the first coat of the H2Olox and there are some spots that still have some grip to it. Am I ok to sand it for the second coat? I have acacia wood countertops
You have a few options. You could use wood fillers, or caulk. We have guides for both at waterlox.com. Just type in wood filler or caulk in the search bar. If you're seam is close, you can sometimes use a mix of wood glue and sawdust to create your own filler that will accept color like the rest of the wood.
I want to use this on butcher block that has been stained with an espresso color. Will I follow all of the same steps on block that has been stained?? Will the sanding or mineral spirits take off the stain??
Thank you for watching our videos and for your interest in our products for your project. The sanding and mineral spirits wipe would be preparation steps BEFORE staining in our opinion. You do NOT want to sand after staining as that would remove color. You can also skip wiping with mineral spirts as well. Now that the piece is stained, you'll just continue starting with the application of the UTOS.
I'm trying to seal my butcher block countertops with the tung oil finish first coat let it dry for 24 hours next day it felt very rough I applied it literally like the directions said I watched another video it said apply with a small tiny cloth and then wipe it off so I mixed with what I should do with this product versus your H2O which is better to use and why should I not just use that since it's a less amount used I've already used half a gallon on two projects give me some tips
Dennis - Thank you for choosing Waterlox products for your countertop project. I'm not sure exactly what products you are using when you mention "tung oil finish" as almost all of our products are based on tung oil. I'm guessing that you may be referring to the UTOS and that you may have applied it like the Original Sealer/Finish? These are two different products and are applied differently. The UTOS should be applied as shown in this video by rubbing in a coat and wiping all excess off after 10-15 minutes. If you apply too much and let it dry on the surface it will dry into a rough film. The UTOS is a key component of the H2Olox system as it seals off the wood from the onslaught of water from the H2OLox finish. This minimizes/eliminates grain raise and helps the coating dry. The UTOS, however, does not leave a fully waterproof coating on its own. So first you seal the wood with the UTOS with a buff on/buff off procedure, then apply two coats of H2Olox to make a fully watertight film. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to info@waterlox.com or call our technical department at (800) 321-0377 option 4.
Hi! We just applied the first coat of UTOS and plan to do another today. We were wondering if it is necessary to use the H20lox to protect the wood? We want to keep a natural wood look so we chose matte. It will be used for a butcher block island so we want it to be durable! TIA
Elise - Thank you for choosing Waterlox products for your project. The UTOS is NOT waterproof enough on its own so you'll need to apply the H2OLox Matte to get the full protection. It will look a little more finished, but still very low sheen.
@@Waterlox thank you! Can we do our second coat of UTOS whenever now? And then wait overnight for h20lox? Also, do you recommend sanding after UTOS and before h20lox?
@@eliseantony4850 Yes, you can apply the UTOS now and then wait overnight before applying the H2Olox. DO NOT sand after the UTOS! The UTOS is meant to seal the wood from the water in the H2OLox, sanding would defeat that purpose.
@@Waterlox thanks! After second coat of UTOS it looks a little white in some spots, I think it’s from the rag we used to take the excess off. And almost kinda tacky/sticky? Should we wait for it to dry then use mineral spirits to clean it tomorrow?
@@eliseantony4850 If its white, then you may have applied too much or not wiped off the excess in time. I'd recommend a good buffing with some mineral spirits now and try and get it smooth. Nothing should be tacky/sticky after about an hour.
Robert - We supply ones from DuraTool on our website that seem to work well. I have not run into issues unless I wash and reuse the applicators quite a few times (may be due to the soap degrading the glue??). They are listed under the paint and stain trim pad on our accessories page: waterlox.com/accessories/
Thank you for your interest in our products. In general, no for both questions. If you use the Satin finish it will always be satin regardless of the number of coats assuming everything was mixed and applied correctly. If you'd like a higher gloss, you'd use the Gloss finish instead of the Satin finish. Also, once the surface is sealed, additional coats won't add additional protection or waterproofing. If you apply too many coats, you'll actually start to create a softer finish.
Jeremy - I see that you've posted on many of our videos so thank you for your interest in our products. We have a helpful guide about the lifespan and recoating frequency of our products on our website (www.waterlox.com/project-help/guide?id=0a4398de-7a05-4868-9984-dfef9f5bcc88&q=). To summarize, the finishes are "permanent" so they don't need to be regularly reapplied like butcher block conditioners, waxes, mineral oil, etc. I put "permanent" in quotes, because if the surface is rarely used, then it should never need to be refinished, however, for a heavily used surface like a kitchen countertop, occasional maintenance is needed. For heavy traffic areas, refinishing is still on the scale of 7-10 years. For refreshing, we have a detailed guide on our website (www.waterlox.com/project-help/guide?id=98bf39c6-7eec-4433-b735-8ddd5c7dcbb5&q=), but you can use just the top coat (H2OLox Satin Finish in this question) when desired. For more heavily worn areas, you can spot treat with the UTOS to treat those first before refreshing with the H2OLox Satin Finish. If you have any other questions feel free to reach out to us at info@waterlox.com or (800) 321-0377.
Sam - Thank you for watching our videos and for your interest in our products. Actually, I wouldn't recommend the H2OLox system for that type of project. The H2OLox can't really be wiped on and its water thin, so it can get a bit runny when it isn't used on flat surfaces (like floors, counters, tables, etc.). Personally, I would use the Original Sealer/Finish (TB 5284) for pretty much all fine wood working projects. You can wipe on thin coats and it is very forgiving. It has no additives or fillers so it strictly enhances the natural beauty of the wood. For a wood working project like a guitar neck, I would wipe on thin coats until I achieved the desired sheen/look. You can apply thin coats 8-10 hours apart with a clean, lint free cloth. Stop applying coats when you get the desired sheen. Keep applying coats to build your film and increase your gloss.
Back with another question... lol. I followed all the steps for the UTOS and everything went smoothly. It's one day later and I applied mineral spirits and waited around 30 minutes before putting on the H20LOX. However, when I poured a puddle on the counter and tried to apply the H20LOX, it won't spread evenly and instead almost has a spiderweb like effect, where it's pulling away from the countertop rather than evenly dispersing. I tried two different synthetic pads and a foam brush and the same thing happened, as well as the same thing on the other countertop I hadn't put any odorless mineral spirits on yet. Do you have any ideas as to what might be causing this and how to resolve?
This is a classic case of dewetting. Water molecules notoriously like themselves so if the surface energy isn't right, the water will group together instead of spreading evenly over your surface. This is more common in the cold months. Did you wipe off the "spider webs" or let them dry? Hopefully you wiped them off, in which case you actually applied a very thin coat of the H2OLox which should help with the next attempt. I would recommend using a little bit of the H2OLox to wipe your surface 5-10 minutes before coating (instead of mineral spirits). Just put a little bit on a clean cloth and use it to wipe any dust off your surface. This will help to "pre-wet" the surface and should help the H2OLox flow out better. If you do see a little bit of dewetting continue to brush the area and it should improve.
Maroon scotch brite pads can likely be found in any hardware or even automotive stores. If you cannot find them, they are labeled as “very fine” which would be equivalent to 0000 steel wool. This is also similar to 320-400 grit paper. Paper, steel wool, and the scotch Brite pads all “cut” a little differently which is why we recommend the pads but the other two can be used in a pinch. Make sure to thoroughly vacuum after steel wool to ensure no metal bits are left (which can rust from the water in H2Olox). DO NOT sand aggressively or use too much pressure when using paper as it will leave a more aggressive scratch that you may see through your finish coat.
I didn't wipe the bottom of my edge when I was doin my second coat of utos. All along the bottom edge the excess dried how do I fix that before my first coat of h2olox? Thank you! I'm a goof. Lol
You can scrape off the bulk of it with a metal or plastic scraper, then lightly sand with 320 grit paper to clean up the rest. Vacuum and wipe with a little bit of mineral spirits to remove any stubborn dust. I'd recommend wiping on a really thin coat of UTOS to make sure you reseal any re-opened areas. Let that dry at least 6 hours before applying the H2OLox.
Thank you for your interest in Waterlox products for your project. You can get them directly from our Buy Accessories page: www.waterlox.com/accessories
No, you do not have to use the UTOS first, but you should use some form of sealer as you don't want to put that amount of water directly on raw wood. It will cause severe grain raise and may not dry properly (or at all) on high tannin woods. You could use our Original Sealer/Finish, UTOS, or our TrueTone colors before the H2Olox. Check out our different Waterlox Sealers video at waterlox.com/videos
Thomas - Thank you for your interest in our products for your project. The H2OLox should work over the Real Milk Paint tung oil products once they are fully cured. It takes about 2 weeks for pure tung oil to cure on a non-porous surface so we recommend at least 30 days of cure time for pure tung oil type products to ensure a thorough through cure.
@@foxmxracr that specifically is a Padco NanoFlock pad. That will work as well as the Wooster pads (www.waterlox.com/buy-brushes-pads) or Shur-Line. I believe Wooster and Shur-Line can be found at Home Depot or Lowe’s.
@@Waterlox thanks! Got all coats on. Letting them cure. 3 days so far. Looking really good. Hoping for good durability. I’ve got a good feeling about it. Cleaning recommendation? Murphy’s?
@@nelsonious999 Check out our cleaning and maintenance guide (www.waterlox.com/project-help/guide?id=33a6bb91-ad85-475c-b4e0-6ae4f854afd1&q=). You can find that help and other guides in our How-To area as well.
Robert - Thank you for your interest in our products for your project. Mahogany is a term that actually covers a variety of wood so it's hard to pin down the specific species. Many versions can have high tannin content, so it is advisable to apply 2 coats of UTOS and 2 coats of H2OLox to be on the safe side.
@@rmiller183 Sapele, while often called Sapele Mahogany, is not truly a mahogany, but that isn't that important. Sapele is very dense and naturally oily. One coat of UTOS should be plenty, but be sure to wipe with mineral spirits at least an hour before applying the H2OLox to remove any oils that were forced to the surface.
@@johncalvey96 NO!! You should not sand after the UTOS at all. The UTOS is trying to seal the wood off from the water in the H2OLox. If you sand, you can reopen that surface which may cause drying issues and grain raise. A light sanding between the H2OLox is all that is necessary.
