Product Information
What is Cutek?
Cutek Wood Preservative is a specially formulated all-in-one timber preservative and coating oil for interior & exterior use. It is designed to penetrate deeply into any species of timber including hardwoods, to provide water repellency, and assist with long term dimensional stability.
Cutek does not peel off or crack over time and does not work by encapsulating timber like most Paints, Stains, and “Natural Oils”.
Cutek helps to control warping, bowing, cupping, springing and splitting; effectively enhancing the service life of timber.
The 'non peel' characteristic of Cutek ensures that future recoat preparation consists of a simple wash-down of the timber, rather than conventional sanding or stripping, resulting in significant savings in ongoing maintenance costs and time.
Cutek contains the antimicrobial preservative Copper 8 Hydroxyquinoline that assists coated timber resist surface fungus and mold.
Features of Cutek
- Cutek can be used on any species of timber ... both hardwood and softwood
- Interior/Exterior application
- Two coat system...no special primers or multiple products required
- Only requires a simple wash down before future recoating ... no sanding or stripping ever!
- Resistant to unsightly surface fungus and mould
- Liquid and gas phase water repellency
- Assists with dimensional stability by deeply penetrating timber to help control warping, cupping, and splitting
- Can/ should be applied immediately to newly laid decking or exterior surface timbers such as: Spotted Gum, Merbau and Jarrah – will slow the release of tannins down drastically.
- Suitable for use as a clear
- May be quickly and easily applied by almost anyone with no "lap marks”, or "laying off" ... no need to hire a tradesman
- Suitable for use on just about anything made from wood
- Available in a wide range of natural color tones that enhance the natural beauty of wood without hiding the grain
How does Cutek Work?
Cutek works by penetrating deep into the timber substrate seeking out and displacing the moisture within the timbers cell structure. It imparts coated timbers with outstanding liquid and gas phase water repellency, and by doing so reduces the adverse effects of moisture on unprotected timber such as warping cupping twisting and splitting. In order for Cutek to work properly it must be able to diffuse freely into the timber surface, meaning that any situation which may stop that free diffusion (i.e. retained moisture, insufficient time between coats, or the presence of any surface sealant or barrier), must be avoided or removed prior to application.
Unlike many wood coatings Cutek will never hide the natural look, grain and beauty of the timber even after several coats. In addition the vast majority of contents in the can stay in the timber, rather than flashing off into the environment.
Timber coated with Cutek will require regular maintenance due to photo oxidization of the lignin, situation, aspect and general traffic over the coated area. (See maintenance information)
Why is Cutek so different?
Most paints and stains attempt to control liquid and gas phase water movement in timber by forming a surface film that encapsulates the timber. While most paints and stains claim to be resistant to UV light, they eventually break down in the sun and allow the free movement of liquid and gas phase water into and out of the timber. This free movement of moisture can lead to a loss of dimensional stability in the timber which appears as warping, cupping and splitting.
Additionally many traditional timber coatings use additives to slow this process of surface coat breakdown. Many of these additives destroy the natural beauty of wood by partially obscuring the grain. Oils have been used for centuries to protect timber. Most natural oils however crosslink at the surface of the wood to provide a barrier like conventional surface coatings. Additionally many natural oils act as nutrients for unsightly surface mould and fungus.
Many transparent or semi transparent surface coatings for timber offer a 'gloss' look but usually for a limited time. The maintenance required to restore failed gloss or semi gloss coatings on your timber is usually costly and time consuming.
Cutek offers a natural “wet look” coating that works deep into the timber without leaving a surface film that will peel. Additionally, Cutek coated timbers resist surface mold and fungus, exhibit water repellency and maintain outstanding long term dimensional stability like no other product can. Cutek can also be buffed to achieve a low sheen if desired. Maintenance is simple and easy as you will never have to sand back your timber again, meaning easier re-coat and less time spent maintaining it.