How to oil a Tasmanian Oak timber panel?

Question

Hi,

I bought a timber panel from bunnings

https://www.bunnings.com.au/1800-x-600-x-19mm-timber-panel-tasmanian-oak-fj-laminated-feature-grade_p0215400

to use as a table top. The instructions say to treat it with oil or wax to seal the sides before use. I bought Tung oil as I want to keep the natural colour - (https://www.bunnings.com.au/gilly-s-250ml-100-pure-tung-oil_p0329965). I Noticed that the timber upon closer inspection had some rough surfaces, not all pieces but some (see attached image). Will the tung oil smooth out those pieces or will I need to sand it?

If I need to sand it, with that level of roughness, will a 180 or 220 grit sandpaper work and is there any trick to sanding by hand? (First timer).

Regards,

Tony

MitchellMc · Answer

Hi @Tony431 ,

The tung oil won’t smooth out those rough sections, so it’s best to give the panel a light sand before applying the oil.

You shouldn’t need a coarse sandpaper to knock off any rough sections that are sitting proud of the surface. I’d suggest starting with 240-grit sandpaper. Anything coarser may scratch the surface, which would then require you to work back up through finer grits to remove those scratches.

Grab yourself a cork sanding block and sand with the grain, not across it. The grain should run down the longer length of the panel, so start at one end and work your way along the length using a gentle forward-and-back motion. Continue this process across the panel, working from one end to the other.

Run your hand over the surface as you go. If you can still feel rough sections, continue sanding lightly with the 240-grit until they’re gone. Once the surface feels smooth, remove the sanding dust before applying the tung oil as directed.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell