Tung Oil and Citrus Solvent

We just received our FH2 yesterday! :partying_face: I found some old chats about using tung oil and Citrus Turpentine. I would like to not have to order from Amazon, being in Michigan I’m afraid it would freeze before I got it. Where else could I find it?

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Congratulations on your new hive! :blush:

First I would like to make sure that you ordered the Cedar version. If not, Tung Oil will not be a good choice anyway. If it is araucaria pine, you will need paint instead.

If it is cedar, DO NOT buy something from Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware etc. The ones I have visited do not have the correct product. They will probably want to sell you a Minwax product, and that has toxic solvents in it. If you can find these RealMilk Paint products, they should be safe too - https://www.realmilkpaint.com/help/tutorials/finishing-countertops-butcher-blocks/ They have a store just south of Grand Rapids if you are willing to go there.

I have not seen anything that suggests that Tung Oil is damaged by freezing. It does deteriorate when exposed to air, as it begins to “cure” (it sets into a resin form). However, you will probably want to wait for warmer weather to apply it anyway, unless you have a heated garage. If you are going to use citrus turpene, it has a very strong smell. I wouldn’t want it in my house. It doesn’t smell bad, just very overpowering. The tung oil also has quite a strong nutty smell, again, not bad, but t can get a bit much. :blush:

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Thanks Dawn. That’s the product we were looking at using. We did get the cedar hive. The store you mentioned unfortunately has permanently closed :frowning: Planning on ordering from Real Milk Paint when we get a break from the polar breeze we’re having right now. I sure appreciate your help and insight!

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