How To Use Cutek Extreme
Strip, Clean and restore your wood.
Cutek Quick Clean Concentrate 64 OZ
Cutek Naked CD33 Stain Stripper
Protect your wood in exterior settings
Cutek Extreme 1 Gallon (Tint Required)
Cutek Colourtones 3oz Tint
Perdura Deck Boss 7" Brush
Tools To Make The Job Easier
Bennett 3" Polyester Stain Brush
Bennett 4" Jumbo Polyester Stain Brush
Bennett 6" Jumbo Polyester Stain Brush
Perdura Deck Boss 7" Brush
Bennett Reusable Paint Cup
More On Cutek Extreme
Check out Cutek Extreme colours & the Cutek Covereage Calcutalor to plan your project!
CUTEK® timber oils offer powerful protection while enhancing the natural beauty of timber.
What sets CUTEK® timber oil apart is it’s ‘self-healing’ action. Once diffused, CUTEK® oil remain permanently mobile in the timber actively driving out moisture to minimise cupping, warping and splitting, even after being cut or perforated with fasteners. CUTEK® penetrating oils have a 30-year proven track record of standing up to the harshest of Australian and other International environments.
Colour Swatches
(Western Red Cedar)Western Cedar
Pressure Treated Brown
Cutek Colourtone Planner
CUTEK® all about the Timber
We love the look of timber, the feel of timber, and we want to provide the best timber solutions in the market.
We are also very passionate about the sustainability of the timber industry. We recognize that without timber, there would be no need for timber oils.
CUTEK® is a company that has been passed down through generations, and we want to ensure that the timber industry will continue to thrive and flourish for future generations to come.
So, we have decided to put our money where our mouth is:
WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH ONETREEPLANTED AND ARE COMMITTED TO PLANT 1 TREE FOR EVERY CAN OF CUTEK® OIL SOLD AROUND THE WORLD.
CUTEK® SustainabilityCutek Extreme Inspiration, Resources, & FAQs
WHY CUTEK® EXTREME
PREPARATION
HOW TO APPLY
MAINTAINENCE
FAQS
TECHNICAL INFO
FEATURES OF CUTEK® EXTREME
STABILIZE YOUR WOOD
Significantly reducing splitting, warping and cuppingSIMPLE AND EASY TO USE
No technical experience necessaryMAINTENANCE IS FAST AND SIMPLE
No need to sand or strip, just simply clean and recoatNO FLAKING OR PEELING
Instead, the coating is designed to fade with timeCOST EFECTIVE
Up to 2x the coverage rate of most wood coatingsYOUR WOOD IS THE STAR
Enhances the natural colour and grain of your woodSUSTAINABLE CHOICE
Significantly extends the service life of woodLONG-TERM, CUMULATIVE PROTECTION
Stays active inside your wood to protect from the inside outCUTEK® CARES
We plant 1 tree for every can of CUTEK® Extreme sold.
CUTEK® EXTREME OFFERS SUPERIOR PENETRATION AND DIFFUSION WITH A SELF-HEALING EFFECT
CUTEK® Extreme works differently to traditional wood stain/wood oil/acrylic/urethane/natural oils/wood coating products in that CUTEK® Extreme protects your wood from the inside out. CUTEK® Extreme penetrates and diffuses deeply into the wood core upon application, protecting it from the damaging effects of liquid and gas phase moisture, significantly increasing the service life of your wood. It does this by remaining PERMANENTLY MOBILE inside the wood, migrating to any cut or perforation with a self-healing action.
Many products claim to be a penetrating oil finish; however, they often contain a mixture of solvents, polymers and cross-linking natural oils (such as linseed and tung oils) that penetrate only a few millimeters before drying to form an encapsulating type of varnish. Because these coatings do not have a self-healing effect, once this varnish is exposed to the weather, water can quickly enter the core of the wood especially if it has been cut or perforated with fasteners leading to a rapid loss of dimensional stability. Additionally, using some natural oils in wood coatings can contribute to the development of unsightly mould and fungal growth underneath subsequently applied coatings. This situation can be difficult and costly to fix.
TYPICAL USES
All exterior wood applications except for those listed below:
Acetylated wood
Food preparation surfaces
Wood which comes into direct contact with the ground
Engineered bamboo products
CUTEK® Extreme may be suitable for use on other engineered and composite wood products. Please contact our technical support staff for further information regarding the suitability of CUTEK® Extreme for your specific substrate.
CUTEK® Extreme
=
True penetration and migration with self-healing
Competing Natural Oils / “Penetrating Oils”
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Encapsulating coating
STEP 1 PREPARE
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® oil), 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 has mill glaze, we recommend using CUTEK® Wood Reviver prior to application of CUTEK® Extreme.
If you have… OLD, GREYED OR WEATHERED UNCOATED WOOD:
Old, dirty, stained or grey weathered wood should be prepared and restored by first applying CUTEK® Wood Reviver which will remove the grey and reinstate the original natural colour, 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 the CUTEK® oil 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 greyed, become heavily stained by tannins or iron, or if there is an excessive build-up of CUTEK® Colourtone, use CUTEK® Wood Reviver to refresh your wood prior to recoating.
To determine if CUTEK® Extreme is appropriate for your wood, please use a Pre-Mixed Sample available from our Retailers or contact us for further advice.
Cutek Extreme 1 Gallon (Tint Required)
Cutek Wood Reviver (ProClean Deck Restoration)
Cutek Quick Clean Concentrate 64 OZ
STEP 2 PROTECT
Before you protect:
Before you begin, 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 warm, dry and sunny conditions after coating to facilitate full penetration/diffusion (drying) and an even colour finish; so check your weather forecast before coating.
CUTEK® Colourtone:
Clear, un-tinted CUTEK® Extreme will allow your wood to naturally lighten/silver/grey when exposed to sunlight while retaining its protection characteristics. Unless you want a clear finish that will naturally lighten/silver/grey off, it is important to mix in 1 CUTEK® Colourtone per 3.6L (0.95 US gal) of CUTEK® Extreme before use. Adding a CUTEK® Colourtone provides UV colour protection and slows the lightening/silvering process.
To choose which CUTEK® Colourtone suits your wood and/or project, visit our Colourtone page.
Note: CUTEK® Extreme diffuses deeply into your wood and will continue to provide moisture protection and improve dimensional stability even if a CUTEK® Colourtone is not added and your wood becomes weathered and greyed.
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 CUTEK® Extreme is drying.
Stir the CUTEK® Extreme oil thoroughly (with the added CUTEK® Colourtone 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 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 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 the second coat of CUTEK® Extreme when it is completely dry and non-greasy. To test: press a tissue or rag on the wood and if there is no transfer it is dry. 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 out all oily material outside to dry, by flattening them out to their full size in an airy spot at a temperature above 4ºC (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.
MAINTENANCE
With CUTEK® Extreme, maintenance is simple, fast, and cost effective. CUTEK® Extreme will not crack, peel or split, and your wood can be easily rejuvenated or restored using our Prepare and Protect system – no need to sand or strip.
CUTEK® Extreme should be reapplied when the wood is no longer beading water, or as frequently as necessary to retain the natural beauty and colour of the wood.
Due to the cumulative effect of CUTEK® Extreme, generally each maintenance coat will use less oil than the previous coat. As the protective properties build up inside the wood, the time between when recoats are required can extend.
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.
WHAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED WHEN PLANNING TO COAT WOOD WITH CUTEK® EXTREME?
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 the moisture content is above 17%, CUTEK® Extreme may sit on the surface and eventually go tacky without penetrating properly.
Too many coats too soon: The first application of CUTEK® Extreme needs to completely diffuse and dry before the next coat is applied.
Existing oil, stain, or paint on the surface of your wood: Existing film coatings act as a barrier to CUTEK® Extreme‘s penetration. Old coatings must be fully removed by sanding and/or chemical stripping prior to applying CUTEK® Extreme.
Cold weather: CUTEK® Extreme should not be applied below 10° C (50° F). In cold weather, CUTEK® Extreme will become thicker and may result in too much oil being applied. When applying in cooler climates, keep the oil in a warm spot until ready to apply to make it thinner and enhance penetration.
Contamination: It is very important to ensure that wood surfaces to be coated with CUTEK® Extreme are free from chemical residues and are not exposed to environmental contaminants such as dust while the applied oil is drying. It is possible that contact with highly alkaline contaminants such as cement/fertilizer/other dust or poorly rinsed cleaners may lead to chemical staining.
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE COVERAGE RATE WHEN USING CUTEK® EXTREME?
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 wood substrates:
CAN I APPLY CUTEK® EXTREME WITHOUT SANDING BETWEEN COATS?
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.
CAN I APPLY CUTEK® EXTREME ON HOT SUNNY DAYS?
WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT BETWEEN COATS?
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.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR CUTEK® EXTREME TO DRY?
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.
Pre-coated wood will always dry faster if stacked outside.
I HAVE JUST APPLIED CUTEK® EXTREME AND IT IS TAKING A LONG TIME TO DRY, WHY IS THIS?
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:
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® Extreme may sit on the surface and eventually go tacky without penetrating properly.
Cold weather. You should not apply CUTEK® Extreme if it is below 5°C (40°F). In cold weather, CUTEK® Extreme will become thicker, and therefore too much oil is applied. Keep oil warm before application to make it thinner and to enhance penetration. Thin coats are recommended.
Too many coats too soon. The first application of CUTEK® Extreme needs to completely diffuse and dry fully before the next coat is applied.
Existing oil, stain or paint on the surface. Existing film coats act as a barrier to CUTEK® Extreme‘s penetration. Old coatings must be fully removed by sanding and/or chemical stripping prior to applying CUTEK® Extreme.
For best results, always allow CUTEK® Extreme to completely diffuse before adding an additional coat or using it. If you cannot wait, rag off the excess material on the surface and the coating will dry on top at a much faster rate.
WHAT DO I USE TO CLEAN UP A CUTEK® EXTREME SPILL?
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.