CUTEK®
Mason’s Mill & Lumber stocks the complete CUTEK® system — CUTEK® Extreme clear oil, CUTEK® Colortones, cleaners and applicators — plus CUTEK® pre-finished wood milled right here in-house.
Wood protection, passed down through generations
CUTEK® loves the look and feel of wood, and sets out to provide the best wood protection solutions on the market. The company is passionate about the sustainability of the lumber industry — without wood, there would be no need for wood oils.
As a family business passed down through generations, CUTEK® is committed to helping the lumber industry thrive for generations to come.
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The CUTEK® system is built around two simple steps: Prepare and Protect. Start with CUTEK® Wood Stripper and/or CUTEK® Wood Reviver to get your wood clean and ready. Then protect it with CUTEK® Extreme clear oil, adding a CUTEK® Colortone to maintain or change the color. Then maintenance is as easy as a wash with CUTEK® Quickclean and a re-coat with CUTEK® Extreme, no sanding required.
Thermac Poplar — CUTEK® Extreme Clear Finish
Thermac Poplar is a thermally modified Appalachian hardwood produced by Bingaman & Son Lumber from native Pennsylvania yellow poplar. Using only heat and steam — no chemicals, plastics, or additives — the wood is heated in a low-oxygen environment to fundamentally alter its cell structure. This process removes the sugars and moisture that fungi and insects need to survive, while permanently reducing the wood's ability to absorb water. The result is a stable, rot-resistant hardwood with a warm, chocolate-brown color that runs consistently through the entire board, not just the surface.
Yellow poplar is particularly well-suited to thermal modification: it's a domestically abundant, fast-growing hardwood that emerges from the process with excellent dimensional stability, a smooth grain, and a rich color that rivals more exotic species. Independent testing on thermally modified yellow poplar has demonstrated Durability Class 1 ("very durable") performance against wood-destroying fungi, placing it in the same durability tier as many tropical hardwoods.
Each board is finished with CUTEK® Extreme Clear, a penetrating oil that migrates deep into the wood fibers rather than forming a surface film. CUTEK®'s core function is dimensional stabilization — it works from inside the board to slow moisture movement, which is what causes cupping, checking, and end-splitting in exterior wood. Because the finish penetrates rather than coats, it cannot peel or flake, and maintenance requires no sanding or stripping — just clean the surface and re-apply when it looks dry. The clear formulation adds no pigment, so the poplar's natural thermally-modified brown will show through initially and gradually transition to a silver-gray patina if left unmaintained with a colortone.
Ideal for exterior siding, soffits, porch ceilings, cladding, and covered outdoor applications where a domestic hardwood with contemporary durability is desired.
Specifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Species | Yellow Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) — thermally modified |
| Product Line | Thermac by Bingaman & Son Lumber |
| Origin | Appalachian / Pennsylvania hardwood |
| Modification | Thermal modification — heat and steam only, no chemicals |
| Finish | Cutek Extreme Clear (penetrating oil) |
| Finish Type | Oil-based, non-film-forming |
| Color | Rich chocolate brown, consistent through the full board |
| Weathering | Silvers to gray patina over time if not maintained with colortone |
| Durability Class | Class 1 ("very durable") when tested per EN 350 standards |
| Janka Hardness | ~500–615 lbf (thermally modified yellow poplar) |
| Dimensional Stability | Significantly improved vs. untreated poplar; tangential/radial movement ~1.1–1.2% |
| Service Life | Designed for up to 25 years in exterior applications |
| Applications | Exterior siding, soffits, porch ceilings, cladding, covered outdoor living, trim |
| Maintenance | Clean and re-oil with CUTEK® Extreme as needed — no sanding or stripping required |
| Sustainability | Domestic, fast-growing hardwood; chemical-free modification process |
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Learn More About CUTEK®
See CUTEK® in action. These short videos show how the CUTEK® 2-step system works, from preparing your wood to applying CUTEK® Extreme clear oil and CUTEK® Colortones, so you can take on your project with confidence.
Ask about Mason's Mill CUTEK® Pre-Finished Wood! Contact us for a free quote!
Retain Your Wood's Color
With CUTEK® Colortones you can enhance and maintain the natural beauty of your wood, or alter the color to meet the design requirements of your project. Colortone swatches are shown below in groups of Brown Hues, Red Hues, Yellow Hues and White/Black Hues.
Shop CUTEK® Samples
Revive, Strip or Clean Stained& Weathered Wood to Original Appearance
With the CUTEK® Wood Reviver, Wood Stripper and Quickclean products, you can brighten, clean and restore wood to look like new and prepare for CUTEK® Extreme with CUTEK® Colortone Pre-Mixed Stains. These powerful yet safe CUTEK® wood enhancing products are user-friendly, DIY-friendly and no professional experience is necessary. – CUTEK® needs to be added before the name of each of our products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional varnishes and many "penetrating" oils form a film on the surface of the wood. Over time, UV rays and wood movement break down that film, causing it to flake or peel and letting water in, which leads to cupping, warping, splitting and rot. CUTEK® Extreme clear oil is a true penetrating oil. It diffuses deep into the wood and drives moisture out from the inside. Its protective components stay permanently mobile in the wood, migrating to any cut or fastener hole and sealing it against moisture. This "self-healing" effect is what makes CUTEK® the professional's choice for long-term wood protection.
Step 1 – Prepare: Clean and enhance your wood with CUTEK® Wood Reviver, CUTEK® Wood Stripper or CUTEK® Quickclean. Step 2 – Protect: Apply CUTEK® Extreme clear oil, with a CUTEK® Colortone added if you want to hold or change the color of your wood.
No. CUTEK® Extreme will not peel or flake. Over time, wood exposed to the sun will fade and a CUTEK® Colortone can wear with use. When that happens, simply clean and apply a maintenance coat — no sanding or stripping required.
Yes. CUTEK® Extreme stabilizes wood by controlling the free exchange of moisture between the wood and the environment. Because it stays mobile and self-healing, that protection continues even when the wood is cut or fastened, improving dimensional stability and extending service life.
Yes. Each additional coat of CUTEK® Extreme adds more protection against moisture. The more consistently you maintain your wood with CUTEK® Extreme, the better protected it becomes.
No. CUTEK® Extreme must be applied to bare, clean and dry wood. Existing stains, paints, linseed oil, polyurethane and water-based finishes block penetration and must be fully removed first with CUTEK® Wood Stripper followed by CUTEK® Wood Reviver, or by machine sanding.
CUTEK® Extreme can be applied to new wood without preparation. For the best results — and especially if you're adding a CUTEK® Colortone — we recommend CUTEK® Wood Reviver first to clean the surface, open the grain and remove tannins, mill glaze and other stains.
Use CUTEK® Wood Reviver. It removes the grey and brings back the original color and grain of your wood before you apply CUTEK® Extreme.
Clean it with CUTEK® Quickclean to remove dirt, grease and grime, then recoat. If maintenance has been neglected and the wood has greyed or become heavily stained, use CUTEK® Wood Reviver before recoating.
Stir CUTEK® Extreme thoroughly from the bottom of the can (with your CUTEK® Colortone mixed in, if using) before and during use. Apply thin, even coats with a brush or paint pad applicator. Two or three thin coats are much better than one or two thick coats.
Yes. Wood coated with clear CUTEK® Extreme can be installed immediately or block stacked wet for later use. We don't recommend wet stacking wood coated with a Colortoned CUTEK® Extreme, as it may create an uneven, smudged finish.
Request a CUTEK Quote
Use the form below to contact our sales team and start your next CUTEK project today.