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We make it easy to use the CUTEK® wood protection system at each step with our friendly, practical advice and support. Get the best from CUTEK® with our help. Our expert team is on-hand to provide technical support and clear, easy to understand step-by-step instructions. Have a question about the application process, maintenance, or what CUTEK® product is best for you? Explore our resources here or contact us. We’re here to help make using CUTEK® easy.
In order for CUTEK® Extreme to function properly, it is essential that it diffuses deeply into the wood. Anything that might prevent this penetration/diffusion, such as an existing coating (not CUTEK® Extreme), retained moisture, or insufficient time between coats, must be avoided or corrected before applying CUTEK® Extreme.
CUTEK® Extreme must be applied to wood that is clean, non-greasy and dry (moisture content must be less than 17%). You must appropriately prepare your wood BEFORE applying CUTEK® Extreme.
If you have… NEW WOOD:
Your wood must be bare, clean and dry before applying CUTEK® Extreme. If your wood presents with surface contaminants such as stains caused by water, iron or tannins, or chemical residues, or if there is mill glaze, we recommend using CUTEK® Wood Reviver prior to application of CUTEK® Extreme.
If you have… OLD, GRAYED OR WEATHERED UNCOATED WOOD:
Old, dirty, stained or gray weathered wood should be prepared and restored by first applying CUTEK® Wood Reviver which will remove the gray and reinstate the original natural color, grain and beauty of your wood prior to application of CUTEK® Extreme.
If you have… WOOD PREVIOUSLY COATED WITH A NON-CUTEK® COATING:
CUTEK® Extreme must be applied to bare, clean and dry wood. This allows CUTEK® Extreme to freely penetrate/diffuse into your wood. Wood previously coated with a film forming product such as stains, linseed oil, paint, polyurethane, water-based oils, etc. can inhibit this penetration/diffusion and must be removed first with CUTEK® Wood Stripper and CUTEK® Wood Reviver prior to the application of CUTEK® Extreme. In some circumstances complete removal of previous coatings by machine sanding/abrasion can also be a suitable preparation method.
If you have… WOOD PREVIOUSLY COATED IN CUTEK® EXTREME:
Prepare for a maintenance recoat of CUTEK® Extreme by using CUTEK® Quickclean to remove grease, grime and other dirt from your wood. If maintenance has been neglected for a long period of time and the wood has either grayed, become heavily stained by tannins or iron, or if there is an excessive build-up of CUTEK® Colortone, use CUTEK® Wood Reviver to refresh your wood prior to recoating.
Before you protect
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® Extreme generally requires 3-5 days of dry conditions after coating to facilitate full penetration/diffusion (drying) and an even color finish; so check your weather forecast before coating.
Colortone
Clear, un-tinted CUTEK® Extreme will allow your wood to naturally lighten/silver/gray when exposed to sunlight while retaining its protection characteristics. Unless you want a clear finish that will naturally lighten/silver/gray off, it is important to mix in a CUTEK® Colortone to your can of oil before use. Adding a CUTEK® Colortone provides UV color protection and slows the lightening/silvering process.
To choose which Colortone suits your wood and project, visit our Colortone page.
Application
After preparing your wood, it will need to be completely dry prior to coating with CUTEK® Extreme. It is very important that your wood 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 the CUTEK® oil is drying.
Stir the CUTEK® Extreme oil thoroughly (with the added CUTEK® Colortone 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, or paint pad applicator. CUTEK® Extreme 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® Extreme 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 (dried).
If applying post-construction, apply two thin coats to all accessible wood surfaces, ensuring the first coat has completely penetrated/diffused (dried) before applying the second coat.
Drying time
Unlike traditional wood coatings, CUTEK® Extreme needs to penetrate/diffuse deeply into your wood. After coating, CUTEK® Extreme will slowly migrate into your wood to repel moisture, improve dimensional stability and lengthen the service life of your wood. This penetration/diffusion (drying) process varies in time for many reasons including differences in wood type (species, density, porosity, age of wood 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 wood is ready for an additional coat of CUTEK® Extreme when it is completely dry and non-greasy. Please note the second coat of CUTEK® Extreme will take longer to migrate into your wood than the first coat.
Clean-up
Equipment (including brushes)may be cleaned with CUTEK® Quickclean, mineral spirits 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 all oily material outside to dry, flattening them out to their full size in an airy spot at temperatures above 39ºF, 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 of in accordance with local regulations.
| Coverage | |
| New hardwoods (sanded) | 400-800 sq.ft/gallon |
| Old restored wood (sanded) | 250-350 sq.ft/gallon |
| New wood (rough sawn) | 250-300 sq.ft/gallon |
| Old restored wood (rough sawn) | 150-250 sq.ft/gallon |
| Shingles and shakes | 84-212 sq.ft/gallon |
These figures represent typical averages for common decking and cladding wood species and are to be used as a guideline only.
No, CUTEK® Extreme should not be used for interior wood applications.
CUTEK® Extreme applied to new wood can initially change the color of the wood considerably, usually darkening the wood. This is due to CUTEK® Extreme filling all the voids/pores in the wood and “wetting it out”. Typically, CUTEK® Extreme coated wood will have a higher refractive value than air, hence the darker appearance upon initial coating. A quick and easy way to check what the color of your freshly CUTEK® oiled wood will look like is to splash some water on the wood and observe the color. Additionally, you can use a Pre-Mixed Sample to help you determine the suitability of color for your own project.
Wood protected with clear CUTEK® Extreme will naturally lighten/silver/gray with exposure to sunlight. Unless you want a clear finish that will lighten/silver/gray off, it is important to mix in a CUTEK® Colortone to your CUTEK® Extreme oil before use. Adding CUTEK® Colortones will provide UV color protection and slows the lightening/silvering process.
NOTE: CUTEK® Extreme diffuses deeply into your wood and will continue to provide moisture protection and improve dimensional stability even if a CUTEK® Colortone is not added, and your wood becomes weathered and grayed. To maintain your wood’s natural color for longer, choose a CUTEK® Colortone similar to the natural color of your wood. Suggested CUTEK® Colortones that match the natural hue of your wood can be found on our Colortone product page. Colortones can also help alter your wood’s color if required (e.g. make your wood look lighter or darker than its natural state).
Always use a PRE-MIXED SAMPLE to test if your chosen Colortone is right for your project.
NOTE: CUTEK® is unable to offer any specific performance warranties in relation to color retention for CUTEK® products because of many variables related to the weathering process including but not limited to: the age and porosity of the wood, species, situation, design and structure, aspect, differing exposure to the weather and adequacy of preparation.
CUTEK® Extreme’s coverage will be different depending on the density and condition of the wood you are intending to coat. Please see below for a guide on the coverage rate of different woods:
| Coverage | |
| New hardwoods (sanded) | 400-800 sq.ft/gallon |
| Old restored wood (sanded) | 250-350 sq.ft/gallon |
| New wood (rough sawn) | 250-300 sq.ft/gallon |
| Old restored wood (rough sawn) | 150-250 sq.ft/gallon |
| Shingles and shakes | 84-212 sq.ft/gallon |
NOTE: These figures represent typical averages for common decking and cladding wood species and are to be used as a guideline only.
We recommend applying two thin coats of CUTEK® Extreme for the initial application.
For best results, ONE coat of CUTEK® Extreme 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 (dried).
If applying post-construction, apply two thin coats to all accessible wood surfaces, ensuring the first coat has completely penetrated/diffused (dried) before applying the second coat.
Subsequent maintenance coats should be applied when the wood is no longer beading water, or as frequently as necessary to retain the natural beauty and color of the wood.
CUTEK® Extreme does not behave like traditional film forming coatings, meaning there is no need to sand between coats, unless there is a need to fix some defect in the wood substrate.
Yes. Unlike many wood coatings, CUTEK® Extreme performs well in dry, hot conditions. In fact, heat and ventilation greatly assist the deep diffusion of CUTEK® Extreme into the wood.
Yes. CUTEK® products are simple and easy to use, and beginners can achieve professional results. Unlike traditional film-based coatings that dry very quickly or cannot be applied on days that are too hot or too cold, CUTEK® Extreme gives you time to correct and/or clean any areas where too much oil may have been applied, no matter what the ambient temperature is. Further, CUTEK® Extreme provides a “matte-low sheen” finish which tends to hide surface imperfections in the wood.
CUTEK® Extreme must be allowed to diffuse into the wood and fully cure between coats. If it is not fully dried and another coat is applied, the drying time of the second coat may be extended for much longer than it needs to be.
The speed of the drying process varies according to many different factors such as wood species, density, porosity, residual moisture content and temperature. Pre-coated wood will always dry faster if stacked outside.
Unlike traditional wood coatings, CUTEK® Extreme needs to penetrate/diffuse deeply into your wood. After coating, CUTEK® Extreme will slowly migrate into your wood to repel and displace moisture, improve dimensional stability and lengthen the service life of your wood. This penetration/diffusion process varies in time for many reasons including differences in wood type (species, density, porosity, age of wood 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 wood is ready for an additional coat of CUTEK® Extreme when it is completely dry and non-greasy. Please note the second coat of CUTEK® Extreme will take longer to migrate into your wood than the first coat.
CUTEK® Extreme works by deeply diffusing into the wood and it won’t dry on the surface until this process has been fully completed. The drying process varies in time according to many different factors such as wood species, density, porosity, residual moisture content and temperature, humidity etc.
To help ensure your CUTEK® Extreme dries as quickly as possible, make sure you avoid:
For best results, always allow CUTEK® Extreme to completely diffuse before adding an additional coat or using. If you cannot wait, rag off the excess material on the surface and the coating will dry on top at a much faster rate.
Time is of the essence. For best results, clean up the excess oil with rags and then work the stain with a CUTEK® Quickclean and water mixture to remove as much of the spill as possible. If CUTEK® Quickclean is not available, then mix dishwashing liquid into warm water with some mineral spirits or turpentine, if possible, and work the stain with this mixture.