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The CUTEK® system is simple to understand and easy to use:
Step 1 > Prepare – clean and enhance your wood by preparing it for coating
Step 2 > Protect – powerfully protect your wood for the long-term
Need help? Our expert team is on-hand to provide technical support and clear, easy to understand, practical instruction and advice. Simply call 1-833-MY-CUTEK (1-833-69-28835).
Have a question about CUTEK® products, wood, or do you just need some helpful advice on your project? Explore our resources here or contact us.
CUTEK® Extreme can be stored for one year or more and reused for the next coating season, when stored correctly. To store correctly, store in a cool, dry area out of direct sunlight; lid must be airtight. If the lid has been damaged, the remaining contents may be tipped into another compatible container (HDPE or Lined metal containers). Minimizing the air space in the can will also increase the storage life of the product.
If the oil has been tinted with a CUTEK® Colortone, the color may settle out and be difficult to stir in again if some time has passed. Use caution when mixing new and old CUTEK® Extreme that have been colored with a CUTEK® Colortone; there may be some discrepancies in color due to storage.
After use, CUTEK® Colortones generally do not require storing because they are a one-use product. If the Colortone tube contents have solidified, do not use the Colortone. Instead, dispose of the tube and contents according to local regulations.
CUTEK® Wood Reviver, CUTEK® Quickclean and CUTEK® Wood Stripper can be stored for many years after initial use. To store correctly, store in a cool, dry area out of direct sunlight; lid must be airtight. Keep from freezing.
It’s important to understand that CUTEK® is a unique penetrating oil system designed to enhance the natural color and grain of wood. CUTEK® Extreme is sold as a clear oil which can be used to protect the wood from moisture and moisture related movement such as cupping, warping and splitting. Using just the clear oil will protect the wood, providing stability and structural integrity while allowing it to naturally lighten to produce a silver weathered patina over time. The soft natural lightening and silvering of the wood represents a low care option and is becoming an increasingly popular way to leave wood in weather exposed settings.
Wood projects using clear CUTEK® Extreme that have silvered can easily be returned to the wood’s original color using CUTEK® Wood Reviver and high pressure washing, followed by further applications of CUTEK® Extreme clear oil.
However, if you want to maintain the original color of the ‘freshly oiled’ wood then you need to purchase a Colortone to add to clear CUTEK® Extreme. It is important that the Colortone that you choose is suited to your selected wood as it should further enhance the natural color and grain and help to maintain its “natural” color over a longer period of time.
Please 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, method of application and adequacy of preparation.
Most wood care products on the market leave a buildup of material on the surface of the wood. In the short term this provides more color, but in the long term the finish can be prone to peeling and flaking, which requires time and money to repair.
The CUTEK® system is unique because the color is designed to fade, wear or erode slowly over time and with use, rather than peel or flake. New smooth wood that’s exposed fully to the weather will lighten faster as the wood acclimatizes after installation than older, rougher wood over the same time period. A follow up application of CUTEK® Colortoned oil after the initial weathering period will provide much greater color intensity and durability as the wood becomes rougher and more absorbent of pigment over time.
New wood is milled smooth and often has a mill glaze which will greatly restrict the initial color adhesion of any pigment. Better results can be achieved by creating a rougher surface and preparing the wood using CUTEK® Wood Reviver in combination with a high-pressure washer. Sanding the new wood with 80 grit paper will give even better results as it removes mill glaze and creates a much rougher surface which will enable greater color intensity.
Note: The rougher the surface of the wood, the greater the color intensity and durability. Rough sawn or heavy brushed wood profiles will take more oil and color so much bolder color contrast can be achieved. The amount of mill glaze, if any, that is present on any job can vary significantly depending on species density, and the machining method used.
Note: Sanded surfaces should be vacuumed or washed thoroughly to remove all loose wood and dust.
Our CUTEK® Colortone system is designed to enhance the wood color and grain you select. With this in mind, you need to think about your original wood choice and the color it most represents. Is it Light to Golden, Brown, Red or a combination? Here are a few common examples to help you understand:
For a good idea of what a Colortone will look like on your wood type, use our Colortone Visualizer.
For horizontal walk on surfaces such as decking, we recommend you select a CUTEK® Colortone that is the closest match to the wood you have selected, rather than attempt to change the color. You can talk to any of our retailers for advice.
For cladding and screening, a much higher intensity of color can be achieved which can completely change the original tone of the wood. Even very light wood colored species can become an almost solid Black, Gray, Red, Brown or Gold if the wood surface is suitably rough, and more coats or a higher pigment loading has been added.
In some circumstances you can double your CUTEK® Colortone to achieve bolder effects on rough or brushed wood. We advise that you contact us to discuss this option in more detail as we want to ensure you have the best information possible.
Stir and mix the CUTEK® Colortone well before adding into the clear CUTEK® Extreme. Continue to stir and mix well with a flat stirrer, lifting from the bottom, for about 2 minutes before use and give a quick stir about every 15 minutes during use to ensure even results.
For best results, one coat of clear CUTEK® Extreme should be applied to all faces of the wood prior to installing, with a second and third coat of colortoned CUTEK® Extreme applied to the top surface once the previous coat is completely dry.
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.
Two or three thin coats on finished wood and hardwoods are better than one or two thick coats. CUTEK® Extreme will take longer to diffuse/penetrate into dense hardwoods, so thin coats are best to avoid delayed drying of the oil.
Colortoned CUTEK® Extreme will lighten/fade faster in full weather exposed areas, whereas wood in protected areas will retain color with minimal maintenance over time.
CUTEK® Extreme is designed to gradually fade, wear or erode, over time and with use, rather than peel, split or crack. Rejuvenation of faded or worn, wood coated with CUTEK® Extreme is a simple, fast and cost-effective process.
Clear or Colortoned CUTEK® Extreme should be reapplied as frequently as necessary to retain the natural beauty and color of your wood. Assessment of this is subjective and it is important to realize that color durability varies widely according to many factors including the age and porosity of the wood, species, situation, exposure to the weather and how rough the wood surface is.
Typically, horizontal exterior wood surfaces exposed to full weather, such as pool decks and handrails, will require recoating more frequently (initially after 6-12 months), while other surfaces, such as vertical rough-sawn cladding, will need recoating less often.
Exterior wood surfaces that have any previous coating products on it must be stripped bare, before protecting with CUTEK® Extreme. It is very important that there is NO barrier to the penetration, diffusion or migration of CUTEK® Extreme into the wood. All previous coatings must be COMPLETELY removed.
CUTEK® Wood Stripper is the perfect choice to remove existing coatings in an easy and safe manner.
Because of the wide variation in coatings to be stripped it is vital to test CUTEK® Wood Stripper before starting your project. This will help you determine how long you will need to leave CUTEK® Wood Stripper on the wood and how much product you will need for the job.
As a substitute for hardwood floors or decking, bamboo can be an attractive choice. It looks great and, as a renewable resource, is an environmentally friendly option. Engineered bamboo offers stability and good looks too.
However, bamboo isn’t wood and behaves very differently. It needs a much higher level of care and a different approach to make sure it’s protected and stays looking its best for as long as possible.
We recommend using CUTEK® Extreme on bamboo used for exterior applications.
Bamboo is a grass and doesn’t contain the extractives that give durability to many woods. It’s also very hygroscopic, meaning it takes up moisture rapidly and can also dry out very quickly, especially in direct sun. This makes engineered bamboo very susceptible to unsightly black staining molds and significant surface erosion when exposed to rain and sun, meaning that it will split/check and go gray/black rapidly if not properly protected.
Additionally, because engineered bamboo absorbs and releases moisture very quickly, most traditional wood coatings, deck stains and oils don’t last very long on fully weather exposed material.
We have observed that what may work reasonably well on wood for 6 to 12 months can often fail on bamboo material inside 12 weeks from time of application.
In our many years of testing, observation and user feedback, we have found that some engineered bamboo products are just not suitable for full weather exposed applications, despite manufacturer’s claims.
If you are using CUTEK ® Extreme on bamboo we recommend following this process for best results:
Strand woven bamboo can contain glue which varies in quality. CUTEK® Extreme will not penetrate the glue in strand woven bamboo as it forms a physical barrier. Some products are very prone to surface expansion and can become very rough. If this occurs, sanding back to a flat surface using 80 grit paper is the best preparation prior to the application of CUTEK® Extreme.
Clear CUTEK® Extreme can be used without a CUTEK® Colortone, and will fade to a very light natural matt color over a couple of months, and will resist graying for some time before needing to be recoated. To maintain a ‘freshly oiled’ look, more frequent oiling is required.
NOTE: There are many engineered bamboo products on the market, of widely varying quality. CUTEK® Extreme may or may not work on your chosen engineered bamboo product despite following our recommendations.
While the procedures detailed above have proven in some cases to produce a satisfactory result in the decorative coating of engineered bamboo in many countries and are detailed in good faith to assist people, we do not, and are unable to, offer any warranty or performance guarantee of any type (including but not limited to any warranty or performance guarantee in respect of coating longevity, mold/fungi degradation, and splitting/delamination) for the use of any CUTEK® products on any bamboo substrate.
This is due to the wide variation in the quality of products in the engineered bamboo market including variations in manufacturing processes, varying quality control, varying efficacy of preservative/treatment processes, origin of the raw bamboo, time of bamboo harvest, quality of the glues, place of manufacture etc.
Some manufacturers choose to specify CUTEK® oils as suitable for their engineered bamboo product, but this does not mean that we are included or involved in any independent warranties issued or implied by a specific manufacturer or distributor in relation to their product.
Based on their causal factors and nature, wood discolorations can be put into two major groups, microbial and non-microbial discolorations. In our experience, non-microbial discolorations are not as well understood as microbial ones despite their common occurrence.
Microbial discolorations are caused by micro-organisms. Many wood discoloring fungi/bacteria such as blue stain fungi, mold fungi, and bacteria, may produce dark or colored stains when exposed to the right conditions of nutrient, moisture and light.
Non-microbial discolorations can be mechanical (e.g., burn marks, dirt), chemical, biochemical or photochemical but may also have both chemical and microbial involvement. Analysis of these stains can be complex as many factors may be involved such as exposure to light and oxygen, substrate/coating pH, species, external contaminants, presence of metal ions and moisture content.
All wood contains “extractives” which are chemicals that are solvent and/or water-soluble compounds that can be highly reactive. Extractives are non-structural chemical components that are mostly produced during heartwood formation. Extractives are extremely varied in their chemical nature and embrace many different classes of organic compounds, including tannins and other phenolic compounds, resins, essential oils, fats, terpenes, flavanoids, quinones, carbohydrates, glycosides and alkaloids. These extractives can be a major contributor to wood discolorations. For example, some common polyphenol extractives exposed to oxygen and light oxidize to form quinones and other complex polymers. Generally speaking, dark wood tends to lighten, and light-colored wood tends to go yellow. Specific changes are very dependent on specific environmental conditions and species of wood.
Exposure of raw wood to water can mobilize and cause leaching of water-soluble extractives presenting as unsightly water stain rings when the wood is dry. Water stain can be quickly and easily removed with CUTEK® Wood Reviver.
Uncoated exterior wood that is exposed to UV rays breaks down the lignin in the cellulose causing photochemical degradation. This is what causes wood that is bare or coated in clear CUTEK® Extreme to lighten/silver over time. The specific shade of gray and rate of change is dependent on species, exposure aspect and coating format used. If you wish to slow the rate of “silvering off” of your exterior CUTEK® Extreme coated wood, then it is vital to add a CUTEK® Colortone to your CUTEK® Extreme prior to application in all coats. Exterior wood that has “grayed off” may be quickly and easily restored to fresh looking wood by using CUTEK® Wood Reviver.
Alkaline substances and chemicals such as bleach and alkaline adhesives etc., can react with woods high in polyphenolic tannins to produce stains. These resulting stains can often be distinguished from iron stain as they are usually brown in color whereas iron stain typically has a black/blue appearance.
Iron stain is an unsightly blue–black or gray discoloration that is often incorrectly described as “mold” because of its frequently spotty appearance. Iron stain can occur on nearly all woods; however, some wood types are particularly prone to iron stain because they contain large amounts of tannin-like extractives. The discoloration is usually caused by a chemical reaction between extractives and iron content in steel products such as nails, screws, and other fasteners. Steel used in contact with wood must be protected from corrosion by using stainless steel or processes such as hot dip galvanizing. Problems with iron contamination can come from traces of iron left on wood from cutting, grinding or slicing; cleaning the surface with steel wool, wire brushes, or iron tools; using finishes stored in rusty containers; and using previous iron-containing or iron-contaminated finishes. Iron dust from metalworking and even plant fertilizers can be sources of iron along with removal of old rusted gutters, handrail construction and contact by steel capped boots. Merely striking wood with a hammer can cause iron stain on some wood. Urine on wood floors will also hasten the reaction with iron and wood extractives, producing the typical iron stain discoloration. Unprotected wood that gets wet on or off site prior to installation is particularly vulnerable as the water-soluble extractives are more readily mobilized to react with any iron contamination. Iron stain can be quickly and easily removed with CUTEK® Wood Reviver.
Some wood types can contain high levels of naturally occurring tannins called leucoanthocyanins which normally appear colorless. In rare circumstances, the application of a higher acid value glue or coating (such as CUTEK® Extreme) can cause the leucoanthocyanin tannin to chemically change into anthocyanins and other derivative compounds. These compounds can then appear in the visible region of the light spectrum, showing more commonly as an attractive red note enhancement of the underlying substrate, however more rarely purple, blue, bluish green through black hues may be visible in some areas. The actual color of the stain is a function of overall pH and environmental factors such as heat, light levels, enzymes, and oxygen. Not all woods are susceptible.
Natural features of wood types like this show why it is important to choose a suitable wood variety for the intended environment, coating format and end use application. If you suspect that this may be a problem for your project, please use a Pre-Mixed Sample to help determine the suitability of our products for your project.
If you are unsure if CUTEK® Extreme is the right option for your project, please contact our friendly staff for further advice.
CUTEK® staff are experts in remedial treatment products and processes for many types of wood discolorations and stains. If you have a specific issue that you would like advice on, please contact us for further information.
Wood is a natural material that contains a wide variety of compounds that are termed “extractives”. While they are not part of the essential wood structure, they contribute to natural color, odor, durability and moisture absorbency of a particular species, and may comprise of polyphenols, terpenes, oils, fats, gums, resins and waxes.
Extractives can leach to the surface of the wood and stain the wood.
If the protective bark on a tree is ruptured the tree will respond by forming protective compounds. Any ruptures potentially expose the tree to invasion by a variety of organisms. If these compounds and organisms are exposed to oxygen and weather, it may cause an unsightly stain on processed wood.
As trees grow, streaks or blotches of different shades in the wood can occur. It’s these variations that add character to the wood and enhance its decorative value. Wood placed in the environment and exposed to oxygen and light can cause these natural color variations to significantly change. Often blonde woods acquire a yellowish tint, and red woods become browner.
If processed wood is exposed to moisture (e.g. rain, or high humidity) in the environment some of the extractive may leach to the surface, and dissolve, creating watermarks. If the extractives run off the surface of the wood, they can actually stain surrounding surfaces like concrete, tiles and pavers.
Tannins (polyphenols) in particular are likely to react with alkaline surfaces such as concrete to form an unsightly red/brown stain. If left alone to weather, the level of extractive runoff will reduce and result in a significant reduction in ongoing staining over time. Chemical cleaning and removal of these stains is a simple and easy process with CUTEK® Wood Reviver.
Many wood species have a high tannin content. If the wood gets wet the tannins can react with iron to form black and insoluble iron stain.
This can cause dark discolorations that can appear suddenly. These stains are often caused as a result of contact with a steel blade or tool during processing or fixing. The stains are limited to the surface and can be cleaned and removed easily.
More information on iron stain is available in the section labelled Iron Stain.
If you’re using wood with a high level of extractives and fixing it in a wet environment, we recommend a pre-clean using CUTEK® Wood Reviver prior to coating with CUTEK® Extreme.
While we can’t offer a 100% guarantee due to the varied nature of wood, in our experience a pre-clean help reduces the chance of stains and helps minimize any stains that do occur.
Easily remove iron tannates on wood and leachates on adjacent surfaces with CUTEK® Wood Reviver. Follow the procedures in the CUTEK® Wood Reviver factsheet for the best result.
Iron stain is an unsightly blue–black or gray discoloration that is often incorrectly described as “mold” because of its frequently “spotty” appearance. Iron stain can occur on nearly all woods; however some wood species are particularly prone to iron stain because they contain large amounts of tannin-like extractives. The discoloration is usually caused by a chemical reaction between extractives and iron content in steel products, such as nails, screws, and other fasteners. Steel used in contact with wood must be protected from corrosion by using stainless steel or processes such as hot dip galvanizing. Problems with iron contamination can come from traces of iron left on wood from cutting, grinding or slicing; cleaning the surface with steel wool, wire brushes, or iron tools; using finishes stored in rusty containers; and using previous iron-containing or iron-contaminated finishes. Iron dust from metalworking and even plant fertilizers can be sources of iron, along with removal of old rusted gutters, handrail construction and contact by steel capped boots. Merely striking wood with a hammer can cause iron stain on some wood types. Urine on wood floors will also hasten the reaction with iron and wood extractives, producing the typical iron stain discoloration. Unprotected wood that gets wet on or off site prior to installation is particularly vulnerable as the water-soluble extractives are more readily mobilized to react with any iron contamination.
A simple test can be used to determine whether wood discoloration is caused by iron. Apply undiluted CUTEK® Wood Reviver, scrubbing into the stained wood surface. If the solution removes the stain after approximately one hour, then iron is present on the wood. If the solution does not remove the stain, contact your CUTEK® representative to troubleshoot your issue. If the iron stain is spotty, try to view the stained wood under a 10x magnifying glass. “Chunky” discoloration is usually a result of molten metal and looks like clinkers from a grinding operation. Stain that resembles slivers or flakes could be from steel wool. An even discoloration throughout the stain indicates that the iron was in a solution when it contaminated the wood, probably in a contaminated finish or iron contaminated water.
It is easy for iron to contaminate wood, as there are so many possible sources of iron contamination on a building site that are often not initially recognized. To remove iron discoloration, scrub-stained wood with undiluted CUTEK® Wood Reviver and leave to soak for one hour. After one hour, thoroughly rinse the surface with a pressure washer to remove the CUTEK® Wood Reviver. It is very important to rinse the CUTEK® Wood Reviver off thoroughly because if all sources of iron are not removed or protected from corrosion, staining will occur again. In other words, treatment with CUTEK® Wood Reviver is only a temporary solution if iron remains on or in the wood. CUTEK® Wood Reviver reacts with iron tannates to form a colorless complex. In time, the residual unrinsed CUTEK® Wood Reviver/iron complex will break down, permitting the iron to react with the extractives to form a dark-colored stain again, which is why it is important to rinse thoroughly.
Wood is divided, according to its botanical origin, into two kinds: softwoods from coniferous trees and hardwoods from broadleaved trees. Softwoods are generally simple in structure and lighter, whereas hardwoods are generally complex in structure and heavier. Softwood (like pine) is much lighter and easier to process than heavy hardwood (like oak). The density of softwoods generally ranges between 22-44 lbs./ft³, while hardwoods are 28-78lbs./ft³. Both consist of approximately 12% moisture. Due to the more dense and complex structure of hardwood, the permeability is very low in comparison to softwood, thus making it more difficult to dry. The lumber of living trees and freshly felled logs contains a large amount of water, which often constitutes more weight than the actual wood. Water has a significant influence on wood. Wood continually exchanges liquid and gas phase moisture (water) with its surroundings, although the rate of exchange is strongly affected by the degree wood is sealed. Dried wood that is coated with deeply penetrating hydrophobic (water resisting) CUTEK® Extreme demonstrates a dramatically slowed rate of moisture exchange.
Drying, if carried out promptly after the felling of trees, protects wood against primary decay, fungal stain and attack by certain kinds of insects. Organisms, which cause decay and stain, generally cannot thrive in wood with a moisture content below 20%. Several, though not all, insect pests can live only in green wood. Dried wood is less susceptible to decay than green wood (above 20% moisture content). Apart from the above important advantages of drying wood, the following points are also significant:
Fiber saturation point is a term used in wood mechanics and especially wood drying, to denote the point in the drying process at which only water bound in the cell walls remains – all other water, called free water, having been removed from the cell cavities. Further drying of the wood results in strengthening of the wood fibers and is usually accompanied by shrinkage. Wood is normally dried to a point where it is in equilibrium with the atmospheric moisture content or relative humidity, and since this varies so does the equilibrium moisture content.
Wood is a hygroscopic substance. It has the ability to take in or give off moisture in the form of vapor. The water contained in wood exerts a vapor pressure of its own, which is determined by the maximum size of the capillaries filled with water at any time. If the water vapor pressure in the ambient space is lower than the vapor pressure within wood, desorption takes place. The largest sized capillaries, which are full of water at the time, empty first. The vapor pressure within the wood falls as water is successively contained in smaller and smaller sized capillaries. A stage is eventually reached when the vapor pressure within the wood equals the vapor pressure in the ambient space above the wood, and further desorption ceases. The amount of moisture that remains in the wood at this stage is in equilibrium with the water vapor pressure in the ambient space and is termed the equilibrium moisture content or EMC. Because of its hygroscopicity, wood tends to reach a moisture content that is in equilibrium with the relative humidity and temperature of the surrounding air. The EMC of wood varies with the ambient relative humidity to a lesser degree with the temperature. EMC also varies very slightly with species, mechanical stress, drying history of wood, density, extractives content and the direction of sorption in which the moisture change takes place (i.e. adsorption or desorption).
Wood retains its hygroscopic characteristics after it is put into use. It is then subjected to fluctuating humidity, the dominant factor in determining its EMC. These fluctuations may be more or less cyclical, such as diurnal changes or annual seasonal changes. In order to minimize the changes in wood moisture content or the movement of wooden objects in service, wood is usually dried to a moisture content that is close to the average EMC conditions to which it will be exposed. These conditions vary for interior uses compared with exterior uses in a given geographic location. The primary reason for drying wood to a moisture content equivalent to its mean EMC under use conditions is to minimize the dimensional changes (or movement) in the final product. Dried wood that is coated with CUTEK® Extreme is less susceptible to dimensional changes because the deeply penetrating hydrophobic (water resisting) nature of CUTEK® Extreme minimizes the free absorption and desorption of liquid and gas phase moisture.
Shrinkage and swelling may occur in wood when the moisture content of wood changes. Shrinkage occurs as moisture content decreases, while swelling takes place when it increases. Volume change is not equal in all directions. The greatest dimensional change occurs in a direction tangential to the growth rings. Shrinkage from the pith outwards, or radially, is usually considerably less than tangential shrinkage, while longitudinal (along the grain) shrinkage is so slight as to be usually inconsequential.
The longitudinal shrinkage is 0.1-0.3%, in contrast to tangential shrinkages, which is 2-10%. Tangential shrinkage is often about twice as great as in the radial direction, although in some species it may be as much as five times as great. The shrinkage is species dependent and can be typically 5-10% in the tangential direction and 2-6% in the radial direction.
Dried wood that is coated with CUTEK® Extreme is less susceptible to dimensional changes because the deeply penetrating hydrophobic (water resisting) nature of CUTEK® Extreme minimizes the free absorption and desorption of liquid and gas phase moisture therefore assisting with maintaining the dimensional integrity of moisture stabilized wood.
Factors that significantly affect the drying, appearance and dimensional integrity of dried wood are:
