Replies

1. 
   hammer1 | Aug 16, 2011 11:23am | #1

   You have likely buffed off everything you put on. A traditional beeswax and mineral oil finish is made by melting the beeswax about 50-50 with mineral oil, not mineral spirits, in a double boiler at low simmer temperature, staying under 150 degrees. Slather the warm mixture on the wood heavily, 5 or 6 coats. Allow it to dry 24 or more hours, then buff with a clean cloth. You can add more protection by applying coats of beeswax, no oil, and buffing with a cloth. This finish will not last very long. Food safety requires sanitizing the board daily with bleach water, not soaking it but spritzing it and allowing the bleach water to stand for several minutes. Bleach water is a teaspoon of chlorine bleach in a quart of water. You will need to renew the finish frequently maybe one or two applications a month. As time passes and you have been diligent about cleaning and renewing, the board will become more water and stain resistent. If you are getting water raising the grain, the finish isn't working. Hot water and soaking will go right through it, regardless. When the board becomes knife scarred, you should sand it down since those grooves can harbor bacteria. Mineral oil evaporates and beeswax rubs off. You keep applying so both will penetrate and build up in the pores of the wood.

1. 
   dwighttbp | Aug 16, 2011 09:03pm | #2

   You have likely buffed off

   Hi Hammer1-  Thanks for the help!  I did not make clear in my problem description that each coat of mineral oil was rubbed in and left on the butcher block overnight and buffed in the morning.  But it sounds like we need to just keep adding the oil or oil and wax mixture on the bb and not buff it at all until we've put 5 or more coats on and let it sit for a day or more.  Is that about right?  And if we use the oil and wax mixture, it should be warmed before applying, right?

   Thanks again- 

1. 
   hammer1 | Aug 17, 2011 08:46am | #3

   Dwighttbp, you mentioned that you had buffed with #0000 steel wool. This is an abrasive and will remove the finish. I think that is the biggest problem. By applying the wax/oil when warm, it should penetrate more easily. I think you have to make a judgement as to when it stops penetrating into the wood and starts building up on the surface. That will depend on the wood and your mixture. Just keep applying until the wood won't absorb any more, that could mean coating throughout a day or two. You are attempting to impregnate the wood with the mixture until some is left sitting on the surface. When you get to that point, buff the excess with a cloth.

1. 
   dwighttbp | Aug 17, 2011 10:11am | #5

   Great- thanks for the clarifications.  By the way, we've been doing all our buffing with a cloth and only using the steel wool to remove the raised water spots in the area where we sprinkled water to see if the finish was working.  Sounds like buffing broader areas with steel wool is a bad idea...

   Thanks again.  

2. 
   user-64052 | Aug 17, 2011 09:57am | #4

   is this a true

   butcher block or a so called one?

   ron

1. 
   dwighttbp | Aug 17, 2011 10:31am | #6

   Not sure what you mean by true or so called butcher block.  We cut strips of maple and glued them together and sanded it.  Strips are 1.5" thick and 1.75" to 2 " wide.  It's not the kind of butcher block that I'd be using a meat cleaver on, if that's what you mean?

1. 
   user-64052 | Aug 17, 2011 12:01pm | #7

   a true butcher block

   is end grain and the other is just a laminated countertop and one can use different processes with the same materials for finishing them, with the laminated board it will only take so much material and penetration into the wood..neither m/oil nor wax are impervious to water , but is easy to maintain with frequent application.  maintenance; it is called

   ron

3. 
   HowardAcheson | Aug 30, 2011 11:57am | #8

   The article at the following location has good info about finishes for and finishing of cutting boards/chopping blocks.

   http://www.hardwoodlumberandmore.com/Articles/ArticleViewPage/tabid/75/ArticleId/27/Cutting-Board-Finish.aspx