# Any wood butcher block top finnishing recipes?



## smokinj (Mar 1, 2011)

Looking to find a good recipe to finnish butcher blocks any info would be great?


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## pen (Mar 1, 2011)

I'm no butcher but I've always used mineral oil.  It doesn't go rancid and is tasteless.  

pen


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## smokinj (Mar 1, 2011)

pen said:
			
		

> I'm no butcher but I've always used mineral oil.  It doesn't go rancid and is tasteless.
> 
> pen



Yea I am thinking wax with an oil. Maybe bee's wax to seal and mineral oil for shine. I have some very high end cutting blocks and want the very best.


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## begreen (Mar 1, 2011)

Mineral oil is what you want to use if this is going to be a cutting surface, no wax. Otherwise seal it up. We have both a large cutting block (only mineral oil) and a butcherblock pantry counter that I sealed with polyurethane 15 years ago. The counter is standing up well and remains easy to clean, but looking like new. My wife oils her large block cutting board once a month.


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## smokinj (Mar 1, 2011)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> Mineral oil is what you want to use if this is going to be a cutting surface, no wax. Otherwise seal it up. We have a butcherblock pantry counter that I sealed with polyurethane 15 years ago. It's standing up well and remains easy to clean, but looking like new.



Needs to be food grade, and I am working with dry walnut. Thats the way my Dads does his butcher blocks but the way people are now polyurethane or even olive oil they flip..lol


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## djblech (Mar 1, 2011)

I used this recipe on a kitchen table, it is a rubbing vanish. Equal parts turpentine, spar varnish, and bee's wax. Wipe on, let sit for 30 min wipe off. Let dry for 8 hrs repeat. I think I would use a mineral oil base finish if the block was going to see heavy use.
Doug


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## smokinj (Mar 1, 2011)

djblech said:
			
		

> I used this recipe on a kitchen table, it is a rubbing vanish. Equal parts turpentine, spar varnish, and bee's wax. Wipe on, let sit for 30 min wipe off. Let dry for 8 hrs repeat. I think I would use a mineral oil base finish if the block was going to see heavy use.
> Doug




There big couter top blocks 24x32x3-1/3 live edge setting on very short peg legs so you can pick them up weighing in the 30lb range. Sanded to 1000 grit.



This one is finnish now coated with bee wax. Will polish it in a couple days. Solid walnut. Thinking maybe walnut oil?   (around 15 hrs sanding) Live edge hand sanded to leave all the natural texture. 1000 grit the wood to the touch just feels very soft.


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## gpcollen1 (Mar 1, 2011)

If they are going to be used, mineral oil is the stuff.  Heavily used cutting boards need weekly/monthly application of mineral oil as well as an occasional sanding and reapplication of oil.


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## smokinj (Mar 1, 2011)

CTwoodburner said:
			
		

> If they are going to be used, mineral oil is the stuff.  Heavily used cutting boards need weekly/monthly application of mineral oil as well as an occasional sanding and reapplication of oil.



Leaning that way pretty hard more cost effective. Like to come up with a mix of bee wax and mineral oil to be constant like warm butter. Call it board butter. lol I like the idea of walnut oil just because we do all walnut boards.


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## Clarkbug (Mar 2, 2011)

I like the idea of walnut oil, but cant that go bad/rancid?  Mineral oil is the way to go.


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## smokinj (Mar 2, 2011)

Clarkbug said:
			
		

> I like the idea of walnut oil, but cant that go bad/rancid?  Mineral oil is the way to go.



2 years on nut oils. one year on olive oil. Looking at making a blend so the walnut oil would be a very very small part.


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## smokinj (Mar 2, 2011)

Blend is a secret! lol Call it "Better Board Butter" Thats alot of b's there.


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## smokinj (Mar 3, 2011)

Bee's wax, Carnauba wax, mineral oil and a very lite touch of coconut oil. 

This is not cheep to make. This is after it has set for over 3 hours.

Better Board Butter.


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## begreen (Mar 4, 2011)

smokinjay said:
			
		

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Butcher block normally means laminated maple, but no matter. Regardless of wood, if it is to be used as a cutting board for food prep it needs to be treated with an inert oil. Don't use olive oil. We use mineral oil from the pharmacy, fit for food use. If the board is not being used for cutting, but still being used for food prep, then I prefer an inert poly finish because it stands up so well. Haven't tried walnut oil, but it is said to be also ok, just be sure it's pure, with no adulterants. 

http://www.woodfinishsupply.com/butcherblock.html
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/463452


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## smokinj (Mar 4, 2011)

BeGreen said:
			
		

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Yes I agree. I went all natural food grade just for piece of mind thing. Being in a cabinet shop most of my life its harder not to go with polys. A little turpentine would have make this mix so much easier. lol I did not though. Lots of end cut maple blocks out there that for sure. Walnut is a Big favorite block right now lot of high end light airy roomy spacious
kitchens. This makes a walnut board the focal point for sure. My Dad's Kitchen just like that and guess what show up Like a run way at night. (My walnut board sets on top of his monster maple block) They really love it, they use there kitchen as a show room.


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## zzr7ky (Mar 4, 2011)

Hi - 

I have soem butcher blocks I got used decades ago... They see a lot of use.  Mineral oil base coat, several applications especially at the end grain, heat helps.   

Once it is finished I end up keeping them in good shape with a cabinet scraper.  Faster and better finish than sanding.

Enjoy!


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## smokinj (Mar 4, 2011)

zzr7ky said:
			
		

> Hi -
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> I have soem butcher blocks I got used decades ago... They see a lot of use.  Mineral oil base coat, several applications especially at the end grain, heat helps.
> 
> ...




cabinet scraper? Is that to get the old wax off?


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## blackdoglabrador (Mar 4, 2011)

If it is for a counter or table try waterlux original finish.  I have used is it and it still looks good after 2 years.  Can be recoat quickly and easily after a couple years to refresh the finish.  On the expensive side, but long lasting.  A quart goes a long way.

http://www.waterlox.com/products-it...g-oil-floor-sealer-finish.aspx#/Product_Uses/


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## smokinj (Mar 4, 2011)

blackdoglabrador said:
			
		

> If it is for a counter or table try waterlux original finish. I have used is it and it still looks good after 2 years. Can be recoat quickly and easily after a couple years to refresh the finish. On the expensive side, but long lasting. A quart goes a long way.
> 
> http://www.waterlox.com/products-it...g-oil-floor-sealer-finish.aspx#/Product_Uses/



Needs to be food safe. I do love the look of tung oil.


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## dvellone (Mar 4, 2011)

smokinjay said:
			
		

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this is my vote as well. Pure tung oil is food safe and usually the main ingredient in some of the highest quality finishing oils. It's also more expensive than other oils but it really is a beautiful finish and very durable.
It's advantage is that once it dries it provides a very hard surface that is impervious to acids from the foods you'll be cutting on the board. Problem is that, if you're in a hurry tung oil takes a long time to dry. It's not a fast finish, though if you're after a finish without any metallic drying agents you'll be waiting a bit anyways. If you're after a true food grade finish avoid those that are fast drying products since they'll more than likely contain metallic drying agents. Land Ark finish (without mildewcide or uva) contains tung oil, is food grade and seems to dry a bit quicker. I believe their tung oil is polymerized to help it dry quicker. They make a great product but the smallest container is a gallon. I used it on my floors and counters and it holds up real well.

Also, if you plan on waxing the surface you'll want to make certain that the finish is completely dry (cured) before you apply wax.


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## smokinj (Mar 4, 2011)

dvellone said:
			
		

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Would not have thought that tung oil would be food safe...Looking into this. Could be a sweeet.


"Needs a solvent like paint thinner to be applied".


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## WhitePine (Mar 4, 2011)

Tung oil. Here's a source. They state FDA approved for food contact.

http://www.realmilkpaint.com/oil.html


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## smokinj (Mar 4, 2011)

WhitePine said:
			
		

> Tung oil. Here's a source. They state FDA approved for food contact.
> 
> http://www.realmilkpaint.com/oil.html



That's Cool.....I like the orange solvent being used as well. Looks Like a nice twist on the next batch. I Have 40 oz of the stuff I just make but we use alot. Orange solvent will also make the blend much easier the wax like to separate from the oil. GF Used a mixer for about 2hrs while it cooled to make sure it didnt separate.


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## gyingling (Mar 4, 2011)

There is a product called "Good Stuff" that we use in the cabinet shop that I work in. 

We use it to seal the edges of maple butcher block that is cut to size.

It can be found online.


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## nailed_nailer (Mar 4, 2011)

I am a long time woodworker.  Mostly Wood Turner now.

This question comes up alot on all of the woodworking message boards I follow.

Mineral Oil is nothing more than highly refined (filtered) motor oil.  It is inert.  It also never dries (Hardens).  It is food safe and is used to "exercise" your internal plumbing.  It is a common cutting board finish.

Pure Tung Oil.  Expensive and hard to find (True Tung Oil).  Takes very long time to cure. 30+days each coat.  Great finish but not fast.

Refined Walnut Oil (Heated) will cure.  There is a very popular woodturning finish maker named Mike Mahoney.  He produces a line of food safe finishes that many folks like.

Wax.  Not really a good choice for a finish.  It provides no protection to the wood.  It can provide a quick shine that many folks like but over time it will soften with humidity and get a muddy look to it.

There are several "Salad Bowl Finishes" produced commercially.  Any of these would provide a good finish for a cutting board but they do get expensive.

The rule of thumb that most of us woodworkers use is that all finishes are food safe once cured.  Generally this means if you can still smell a solvent odor it is not cured yet.  Nearly all Modern finishes contain so little PPM of any harmful ingredients that safety once cured is not an issue.

That being said if your ButcherBlock was coming out of my shop I would finish it with Mahoneys Walnut oil.  I get from Craft Supplies USA
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Finishing___Food_Safe_Finishes?Args=

Or if it was a show piece (not for use) I would finish it with my homemade varnish mixture of 80% mineral spirits-20% Pettit Captain's Varnish #1015.
http://www.pettitpaint.com/catalog_browse.asp?ictNbr=61
3 Coats and buffed out it looks amazing and has UV protection and good wear.

Best of luck,
---Nailer---


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## smokinj (Mar 4, 2011)

nailed_nailer said:
			
		

> I am a long time woodworker. Mostly Wood Turner now.
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> This question comes up alot on all of the woodworking message boards I follow.
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The first link is what I made 1/4 lb of both wax's 32 oz of mineral oil and about 6 oz of coconut- the walnut oil I used coconut oil instead.
Whipped for over 2 hours. I am happy with it. A Few adjusment to cut down on the whipping couldnt hurt.


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