I am building a kitchen island with a maple butcher block top. Which finish is best? I’m not sure if food will be prepared on the surface yet. I’m concerned that in a few years of use the top will be too “damaged” for my liking. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Replies
I've worked in many a kitchen/restaurant with wooden prep surfaces.
I think you have to assume that someone will prep food there at some point??
End grain will take years to show any damage (15-20)
Long grain will sustain damage if used for chopping but it will look really cool if the damage is done by a cook who actually cooks.
I've been in kitchens where the counters had endured decades of food prep and they just look awesome.
The finish should be plain mineral oil- non toxic and easy to reapply whenever needed.
A cook will douse the counter top with pure bleach on a regular basis to maintain sanitary conditions. After several bleach downs.. a wipe of mineral and you got that beautiful warm wood glow again.
cheers,
Dave
If you do any cutting or chopping on your butcher block, it will get scarred fairly quickly.
An excellent treatment for cutting boards and butcher blocks is a mixture of mineral oil and either paraffin or beeswax. This is what is used on many commercial wood surfaces. It will last longer and be more protective than just mineral oil. Mineral oil can be found in most supermarkets in the pharmacy section or in a true pharmacy. Paraffin is found in the canning section of the store or in a hardware store.
Heat the oil in a double boiler and shave in some wax. The exact proportions are not critical--a 5-6 parts of oil to one part of wax will work fine. Stir the mixture until all the wax is liquified. Apply the mixture heavily and let it set 10-12 hours or overnight. Next day do it again and continue until the wood will no long absorb the finish. Let it set for 10-12 hours and then lightly scrape off any excess. Then buff it with a rag.
Reapply whenever the wood begins to look dry.
Never put a wood board in the dishwasher and don't soak it in dishwater for long periods.
i will second the suggestion for a mix of beeswax and mineral oil. if you use just plain mineral oil then reapplication is frequent. Mix it with the beeswax as mentioned in the previous reply and saturate the block,leave overnight and buff off the next day-lasts waaaaaayyyyyy longer. Also, no need to use harsh bleach on the wood...use vinegar instead, it will help avoid the gross color change and is safer to handle in the kitchen.
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