CUTEK® Colourtones

It is important to understand that CUTEK® timber oils are a unique penetrating oil system designed to enhance the natural colour and grain of wood. CUTEK® oils are sold clear and can be used to protect the timber 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 and 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® oil that have silvered can easily be returned back to the wood’s original colour using CUTEK® Restore and high pressure washing, followed by further applications of clear CUTEK® oil. However, if you desire to maintain the original colour of the ‘freshly oiled’ wood then you need to purchase a CUTEK® Colourtone to add it to clear a CUTEK® oil.

What to expect when using Colourtone

Most wood care products on the market leave a build-up of material on the surface of the wood. In the short term, this provides more colour, 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 as CUTEK® Colourtoned oils will fade over time rather than peel or flake. The initial CUTEK® Colourtone build on new smooth wood projects only offers subtle amounts of pigment that enhance the wood. Timber that’s fully exposed to the weather will lighten faster as the wood acclimatises over the first six months. A maintenance application after this initial weathering period will provide greater Colourtone build as the wood becomes rougher and more porous.

How to increase colour build on new wood

New wood is milled smooth and often has a mill glaze, which will greatly restrict the initial colour build. Better results can be achieved by creating a rougher surface and preparing the wood using CUTEK® Restore in combination with a high-pressure washer. Sanding the new wood to 80 grit will give even better results as it removes mill glaze and creates a much rougher surface, which will enable higher colour build. Note: The rougher the surface of the wood, the greater the colour build and durability. Rough sawn or heavy brushed wood profiles will take more oil and colour so much bolder colour 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 machining method used.

Note: Sanded surfaces should be vacuumed or washed thoroughly to remove all loose wood and dust.

Choosing the right CUTEK® Colourtone

Our CUTEK® Colourtone system is formulated to enhance your original wood colour or to modify it to suit your design specifications. With this in mind, you need to think about what look you are trying to achieve, and then select the colour that best suits your timber type as well as your design aesthetic. If you are not sure about how a Colourtone will look on your specific timber, make sure you use a free sample on your actual project timber to make sure that the Colourtone you have selected will meet your design expectations.

If you are trying to match your wood’s natural colour and keep it looking natural for longer, here are some things to think about:

What is the natural hue of your timber? Is it more Golden, or Brown, or Red, or a combination? Is it a pale tone, or is it quite a vibrant colour naturally? We have multiple colourtones available in each natural wood hue (brown/gold/red/grey), but each has a different pigment combination and colour saturation that will make a difference to how it will look on various timber types. Please consider our recommended timber species and CUTEK® Colourtone Pairings table (found in the next tab).

For a good idea of what a Colourtone could look like on your timber type, use our Colourtone Visualiser above. While the visualiser will give an indication of the potential look, it is essential to test a free sample on the exact timber you intend to coat.

Changing the original colour of any wood

For horizontal walk on surfaces such as decking, we recommend you select a CUTEK® Colourtone that is the closest match to the wood you have selected, rather than attempt to change the colour. You can talk to any of our stockists for advice.

For cladding and screening, a much higher build of colour can be achieved which can completely change the original tone of the wood. Even very light wood coloured species can become an almost solid Black, Grey, 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® Colourtone 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.

NOTE: We recommend ordering a free sample testpot to see what your chosen CUTEK® Colourtone will look like on your specific timber PRIOR to starting your project.

*The above timber species and CUTEK® Colourtone pairings are recommendations only based on commonly preferred lighter, medium or darker results. It is up to the individual to test their chosen colour on their timber species prior to full application.

One CUTEK® colourtone size can be used in all pack sizes as follows:

• 1 x 180 ml CUTEK® Colourtone pot is required for a 5 litre can of CUTEK® oil.
• 2 x 180 ml CUTEK® Colourtone pots per 10 litre can of CUTEK® oil.
• 4 x 180 ml CUTEK® Colourtone pots per 20 litre can of CUTEK® oil

Stir and mix the CUTEK® Colourtone well before adding into the clear oil. Continue to stir 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® oil should be applied to all faces of the wood prior to installing, with a second and third coat of colourtoned CUTEK® oil applied to the top surface once the first coat is completely dry. Two or three thin coats on finished wood and hardwoods are better than one or two thick coats. CUTEK® oils will take longer to absorb/penetrate into dense hardwoods so thin coats are best so as to avoid delayed drying of the oil.

NOTE: 1L CUTEK® Colourtones are available by special order. Our standard 180ml CUTEK® Colourtone is not suitable for a 1 litre can of CUTEK® oil.

With CUTEK®, maintenance is simple, fast, and cost effective. CUTEK® timber oils 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.

Typically, Colourtoned CUTEK® oil will lighten/fade faster in full weather exposed areas whereas wood in protected areas will retain colour with minimal maintenance over time.

Exterior timber

CUTEK® oils should be reapplied when the wood is no longer beading water, or as frequently as necessary to retain the beauty and colour of the wood.

Typically, horizontal exterior wood surfaces exposed to full weather such as pool decks and handrails will require re-coating more frequently (initially after 6 months, then annually), while other surfaces such as vertical rough-sawn cladding will need recoating less often.

Interior timber

CUTEK® oils used in interior settings (CUTEK® Extreme) should not require reapplication where there is no UV exposure. However, if you desire to refresh the beauty and colour of the wood, lightly clean the timber with warm, mild soapy water and apply one thin maintenance coat of clear or Colourtoned CUTEK® oil.

If basic cleaning is required where clear CUTEK® oil has been used, use warm, mild soapy water and a soft dishcloth.

Note: if you require a frequently washable surface, CUTEK® Interior is recommended and is available by special order.

Further Information

CUTEK® is designed to gradually fade over time rather than peel, split or crack.  Rejuvenation of faded timbers coated with CUTEK® oils is a simple, fast and cost-effective process.

Clear or Colourtoned CUTEK® oil should be reapplied as frequently as necessary to retain the natural beauty and colour of the wood. Assessment of this is subjective and it is important to realise that colour 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.

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