H2OLOX® is not a stand-alone product and will not provide a waterproof surface when used on its own. One (for hard woods) or two coats (for soft woods or high tannin woods) of a Waterlox® sealer is recommended before applying H2OLOX® to fully seal the wood fibers. Available sealers include UNIVERSAL Tung Oil Sealer, TRUETONE® Color-Infused Tung Oil stain, ORIGINAL Sealer & Semi-Gloss Finish, or VOC COMPLIANT Sealer & Semi-Gloss Finish. If needed, use the Find Your Finishing System tool under “How-To” to select a sealer.
If the Waterlox H2OLOX® is not drying properly, there may be a few explanations.
- Surface is not sealed / wood fibers sticking through the sealer. If there was not enough sealer applied to the surface to completely seal it (or it was sanded, thereby opening up the grain). If this is the case, it can cause the tannins in the wood fibers to react with the water and driers of the H2OLOX® which will slow the drying process.
- Solvent used to tack between coats was not completely evaporated before coating. There is a possibility that due to climatic conditions, or the specific solvent used to clean the surface before coating was not completely evaporated.
- Changing climatic conditions or low temperature caused condensation (dew) on the surface. There is a possibility that there was condensation on the surface due to changing climatic conditions during drying.
Surface is not sealed / wood fibers sticking through the sealer.
If a buffable sealer was used, such as UNIVERSAL Tung Oil Sealer, or TRUETONE® Color-Infused Tung Oil stain, it is buffed into the pores of the wood, allowed to penetrate and the excess buffed off. The surface should still feel a bit starved for finish after it has been applied and then buffed off. Sanding is NOT recommended at this point; it could eat through the buffable sealer and expose the wood fiber, allowing the water to meet the wood fibers, reactivating the tannins in the wood and negating the driers in the H2OLOX® finish.
Woods such as Walnut, Red Oak and White Oak have some of the highest tannin content. Tannins are water-soluble and when exposed to water they can deactivate the driers2 in a finish.
If the drying process is affected (lengthened) by a tannic acid reaction, there will not be a loss in performance, the finish will just take longer to dry. Therefore, if you have the time, and you are progressing in the right direction the H2OLOX® will eventually dry. To help aide the drying, add more air flow over the project. Add fans blowing over the surface to move the process forward. All is not lost in this situation. In fact, slowing down the dry time will allow oxygen to penetrate deeper into the film which may improve the total overall hardness.
If enough of the surface IS dry, the surface is sealed better (less chance of tannin interaction with water) and a second coat of H2OLOX® can be applied. The driers in the second coat will help to cure both layers. There may still be a spot that dries a little slower, but the driers will have been replenished which can help both layers.
Other Options:
- Apply ORIGINAL or URETHANE over the H2OLOX®.
- To move forward immediately, complete the following:
- Lightly sand back the un-dried coat of finish with the abrasive pads recommended for sanding and smoothing between coats. For larger jobs, use Maroon (320 grit) pads or surface preparation pads (SPP pads). For smaller jobs, use 320-grit sandpaper, 0000 steel wool or other equivalent abrasive. Be aware that using steel wool with H2OLOX will produce rust with metal dust left behind, due to the water in the H2OLOX.
- Re-seal the wood fibers by applying one more Sealer coat.
- Increase the airflow over the surface for 24-48 hours.
- Apply a new coat of the H2OLOX®, confirm positive dry and continue with an additional coat.
Solvent used to tack between coats was not completely evaporated before coating.
Mineral Spirits1 (Paint Thinner) is harder and harder to find. If that’s the case water or odorless Mineral Spirits are the next best options. ‘Low Odor’ or ‘Odorless’ mineral spirits (paint thinner) evaporates slower under normal conditions. If it is colder, it will evaporate even slower; therefore, we recommend waiting 60 minutes or longer between cleaning with Odorless Mineral Spirits and applying the next coat. Otherwise, it can interfere with the next coat.
- During application, if the finish starts to bead up, immediately wipe off with a clean rag and then wipe down again with a rag lightly dampened with water for the H2OLOX® products.
- Wait until dry, then lightly sand back / open the un-dried coat of finish with abrasive pads recommended for sanding and smoothing between coats. For larger jobs, use Maroon (320 grit) pads or surface preparation pads (SPP pads). For smaller jobs, use 320-grit sandpaper, 0000 steel wool or other equivalent abrasive. Be aware, if using steel wool, H2OLOX® is water-based and will produce rust with metal dust left behind. Increase the airflow over the surface for 24-48 hours.
- Apply a new coat of the H2OLOX®, confirm positive dry and continue with an additional coat.
Changing climatic conditions or low temperature caused condensation (dew) on the surface.
During application of Waterlox® wet-applied finishes (ORIGINAL, H2OLOX®, URETHANE or MARINE), the product, project surface and environment should be close in temperature and at least 50°F during application and at least 1-2 hours afterward. When both the product and surface are cold, they are less compatible. A cold surface has a low surface energy and may repel the Waterlox® product. It may bead up on the surface and not allow for a nice wet coat.
Prevention:
- Remove condensation (dew). Lightly dampen a rag with mineral spirits or paint thinner1 and wipe the wood surface between coats. Use a rag lightly dampened with water for the H2OLOX® products. This process will pick up any remaining sanding dust, remove potential contaminants and condensation. The slightest amount of humidity can be problematic.
Correction:
- During application, if the finish starts to bead up, immediately wipe it off completely with a clean rag and wipe down with regular mineral spirits or paint thinner1 to remove the coat and get back to a clean surface. Use a rag lightly dampened with water for the H2OLOX® products. Then re-apply, lightly scuff the surface or wait for warmer temperatures.
- If the coat dries with imperfections, lightly sand to remove. Follow the same procedure as the Tips for A Smooth Final Finish guide. It should take very little effort to remove the imperfect coat.
1If regular mineral spirits or paint thinner is not available in your area, there are alternatives, visit Waterlox.com/mineralspirits.
2 Driers are used to accelerate the drying and cross-linking process of a finish by altering (accelerating) the chemical reaction steps to drying. Driers do not however change the overall outcome (drying) – they just accelerate it. Low VOC, Low Odor H2OLOX® is a water emulsion (oil varnish suspended in water) and as such could cause a tannic acid reaction with bare wood and/or unsealed wood fibers by deactivating the driers.
