Cutek

Cutek

Cutek is a unique penetrating oil system designed to enhance the natural colour and grain of timber.

Cutek 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.

Cutek as a clear oil allows the wood to age gracefully into a beautiful silver patina on exposure to sunlight. However, if you would like to retain the natural freshly oiled colour of the timber you are working with you need to add a colourtone to the clear oil.

BRITTON Factory Coat – Cutek Clear Oil

It is recommend that for the best timber protection possible that you

• coat all four sides and the end grains before timber is laid or erected
• factory coating is available and applied to 4 sides, onsite coating should be applied to end grain
• factory coating is a clear oil wet stacked, tint to be applied on site with additional coats
• once laid/erected, it is recommend 2 further top coats with Cutek Wood Preservative either as a clear oil or with a colourtone mixed in to keep the freshly oiled look for longer, please refer to application information.

Colourtones available for onsite application.

Here are some things to avoid when planning to coat timber with Cutek:

• Wet wood, or wood with a high moisture content. Your wood should contain a maximum moisture content of 17%, as anything higher can significantly delay the drying process. If this happens, Cutek may sit on the surface and eventually go tacky without penetrating properly.
• Too many coats too soon. The first application of Cutek needs to completely diffuse and dry before the next coat is applied.
• Existing oil, stain or paint on the surface. Existing film coatings act as a barrier to Cutek’s penetration. Old coatings must be fully removed by sanding and/or chemical stripping prior to applying Cutek.
• Cold weather. In cold weather, Cutek will become thicker and therefore too much oil is applied when coating in cooler climates. It helps to warm oil by placing in a sunny/warm spot before application to make is thinner and enhance penetration.

Achieving the best result from Cutek means allowing the oil to diffuse into the wood and dry fully between coats. It it’s not fully dried, excess oil will sit on the surface of the timber and eventually become tacky.

IMPORTANT: Two or three very thin coats of Cutek will be much more beneficial for your timber over the long term rather than applying one or two heavy coats of Cutek.

Once the timber pre-coated with Cutek has been laid/erected, you will need to follow the standard Cutek top coating procedure as outlined below.

Application Technique:

Step #1 – ProClean: Timber Restoration & Timber Preparation

*Please note: This step is not always necessary on raw timber but is highly recommended for best results, especially when coating denser timbers and timbers with a mill glaze.

Cutek ProClean counteracts the weathering process by eliminating years of discolouration and fungus from all species of timber. ProClean is exceptional at removing surface grime, fungus and stubborn stains. ProClean is also ideal to prepare new timber as it helps to remove the mill glaze and opens the grain to assist with Cutek’s deep penetration.

Before you begin, note the hazards and precautions on our website www.cutek.com.au and the can labelling, and ensure that you use the correct safety equipment as detailed in the Safety Data Sheet.

• Apply undiluted ProClean to your timber liberally to pre-wetted timber with a brush, roller or lambswool applicator. ProClean will start to react in around 10 minutes, however, it does not need to be kept wet, so it can be left on your timber for up to 24 hours when severe staining or discolouration has occurred. Once the timber has brightened to a satisfactory level, thoroughly pressure wash all of the ProClean from the surface of the timber. IMPORTANT: Always do a small test patch on your timber before doing any large sections so you can ascertain how long you will need to leave ProClean on your timber for it to react.

Step #2 – Oiling with Cutek

Now that your timber has been prepared correctly it is ready to be oiled with 2 top coats of Cutek, inclusive of your desired colourtone choice (remember, if you do not use a colourtone then your timber will naturally silver over time). It is important to let the timber dry after it’s preparation and have a moisture content lower than 17%. If you are concerned about the moisture level, you can purchase a water moisture reader quite cheaply or alternatively you can wait 2-3 days to ensure that the timber has completely dried after it’s preparation.

Before you begin, note the hazards and precautions on our website www.cutek.com.au and the can labelling, and ensure that you use the correct safety equipment as detailed in the Safety Data Sheet.

• Apply Cutek oil to dry timber with a lambswool applicator or brush. For your first coat, apply only a light coat of Cutek so that you can ascertain how long it will take for the coat to fully diffuse into the timber. Once you can rub your finger over the surface of the timber without any oily residue or colour appearing on your hand, you’re ready for your second coat. Apply a second coat and wait for this coat to fully diffuse into the timber. IMPORTANT: The time for Cutek to fully diffuse (dry) varies due to the denseness of various timber species and environmental factors. Always do a small test patch (preferably on an offcut of timber) to ascertain the curing time and the preferred colourtone finish.

IMPORTANT: Wood must feel completely dry and non-greasy before application of the second coat.

Future Maintenance

Timber is durable, sustainable and gives a great natural look, however, without maintenance it will deteriorate no matter what coating is applied. Depending on your timber’s exposure and the surrounding environmental factors, it will need one coat of Cutek (with a colourtone) as frequently as necessary to retain the natural beauty and colour of the timber. Vertical timbers may last longer than this as they generally are not exposed to as much UV as horizontal timbers. Before you recoat, you must give you timber a sufficient clean to keep mould, fungus, dirt and any stains from being stuck in between multiple coats of Cutek. Using a hose or a pressure washer by itself will not be sufficient, so you will need to give your timber a clean down with ProClean. Cutek ProClean counteracts the weathering process by eliminating years of discolouration and fungus from all species of timber. ProClean is exceptional at removing surface grime, fungus and stubborn stains.

• Apply undiluted ProClean to your timber liberally to pre-wetted timber with a brush, roller or lambswool applicator. ProClean will start to react in around 10 minutes, however, it does not need to be kept wet so it can be left on your timber for up to 24 hours when severe staining or discolouration has occurred. Once the timber has brightened to a satisfactory level, thoroughly pressure wash all of the ProClean from the surface of the timber. IMPORTANT: Always do a small test patch on your timber before doing any large sections so you can ascertain how long you will need to leave ProClean on your timber for it to react.

Once you have cleaned your timber sufficiently with ProClean, you need to apply 1 further coat of Cutek for maintenance, inclusive of your desired colourtone choice (remember, if you do not use a colourtone then your timber will naturally silver over time). It is important to let the timber dry after it’s preparation and have a moisture content lower than 17%. If you are concerned about the moisture level, you can purchase a timber moisture reader quite cheaply or alternatively you can wait 2-3 days to ensure that the timber has completely dried after it’s preparation.

• Apply Cutek oil with a lambswool applicator or brush. Apply a light coat and wait for this coat to fully diffuse into the timber. IMPORTANT: The time for Cutek to fully diffuse (dry) varies due to the denseness of various timber species and environmental factors. Always do a small test patch (preferably on an offcut of timber) to ascertain the curing time and the preferred colourtone finish.