The Forestry Forum

I'm looking for a good exterior tung oil finish.  Behr used to make a really good exterior tung oil that was also a good value.  It was polymerized with good uv blockers.  About 25 or 30 bucks a gallon (10 years ago).  They no longer make this product and I haven't found anything similar.  Anybody got any suggestions?

Right now I'm making some windows for my cabin out of mahogany that would benefit from a good oil finish. (What kind of fool would make their own windows?).  The mohag was some stuff I had laying around - a few boards left from a larger project back when it was easier to get real mohag.  Not enough to make anything substantial, but certainly good for these windows.

I've tried a few exterior oils since the Behr became unavailable, but nothing stacks up.  There must be something out there that works.  If anyone has any ideas, I'd really appreciate it.  Trial and error is a slow process.

we love helmsman/ minwax teak oil. it doesn't have a stain in it. we get it from Walmart. we buy them out at every one we go to. I think $11 a quart. last trip they were out so we are experimenting with thompsons sealer, clear with uv blocker. it has held red color very well on the cedar we have used it on so far

I used to be up on varnishes, but have lost touch over the past fifteen years. What with all the mandatory changes in VOC, it's difficult any more to know what's what. That said, look at Waterlox for a tung-based finish. Bristol Finishes has a marine application, that I suspect is a catalyzed urethane, but have no first-hand knowledge, nor use of it.

Two suggestions- Messmers and Superdeck.  Rob