| Either in the traditional maple or beech wood or an | | | | scratches, a new coat of oil must follow each |
| increasingly wider range of exotic hardwoods, the | | | | sanding. The blocks extensively used on a daily basis |
| butcher-block countertops have lately become | | | | are usually sanded down every couple of weeks or |
| broadly available. While traditionally the butcher blocks | | | | so and hence, the re-oiling would follow the same |
| were meant to be used for chopping, cutting and | | | | frequency pattern, too. |
| slicing meats, nowadays we find that this strictly | | | | When choosing the oil finishing, it is important to |
| functional role is slowly left behind and the | | | | select a food-grade inert oil, like walnut oil, tung oil or |
| butcher-block tops are mainly employed on the | | | | food-grade mineral oil. Vegetal oils, although safe in |
| grounds of the visual effect that wood generates. | | | | contact with foods will eventually go rancid and |
| In such instances, the wood is commonly finished | | | | impart undesired odor and taste. Others, such as the |
| with polyurethane-based or water-based varnish, | | | | Danish oil, although stable are not suitable for food |
| acrylic lacquer, stain, or any other sort of build-up | | | | contact. For increased water-repelling and stain |
| finish, which both seals the wood and creates the | | | | protection properties, mineral oil can be heated, |
| desired looks. For those few left cases of | | | | mixed thoroughly with beeswax and immediately |
| butcher-block tops that are actively used for food | | | | applied, the resulting mixture being something |
| preparation, however, the range of finish choices is | | | | in-between a penetrating and a build-up finish. |
| substantially narrowed down to the oil finishes, which | | | | The oil is applied extremely easy, by pouring it onto |
| raises a bit of a problem. | | | | the wood surface and then smearing it with a |
| The problem is, the oil finishes are not finishing | | | | paintbrush, rag or sponge. Never worry about |
| actually, but more of a continuous treatment to the | | | | applying too much oil, especially during first time |
| wood. As soon as the oil is applied onto the wood | | | | session. When the oil is indeed too much, it will |
| surface, it will reach, due to capillarity, to the wood | | | | stagnate onto the wood surface for many days and |
| core, which will eventually leave the surfaces dry and | | | | would have to be wiped off with a clean, dry rag or |
| hence, a new coat of oil will be required. Routine | | | | paper towel, but it will take time for the wood to |
| maintenance becomes, therefore, part of the deal | | | | achieve this level of oil saturation. Most often, the oil |
| since, if the treatment is not carried out periodically, | | | | will go into the wood fiber within a 2 to 24 hours |
| the wood will start exchanging moisture with the | | | | interval. The speed at which the wood will suck the |
| environment and, consequently, the wood may swell | | | | oil in will vary with the type of oil used, the wood |
| or warp in an excessively moist climate, or, | | | | species and the grit the wood was sanded at. |
| conversely, crack if the atmosphere is rather dry. | | | | Woods with a naturally oily fiber, like walnut or black |
| Regular application of oil thus being the only way to | | | | locust, will absorb the finish at a slower pace and so |
| secure a long, functional life for your butcher block, it | | | | will do the wood polished down to a very smooth |
| is usually carried out monthly during the first year and | | | | surface. Walnut oil generally gets absorbed slower |
| once every 4-5 months ever after. Particular | | | | than the mineral oil but faster than the tung oil, which |
| circumstances, however, will further adjust the | | | | also tends to dry the wood and sometimes raise the |
| frequency. Wood species with a higher porosity such | | | | fiber. |
| as beech or oak will require a more frequent | | | | Three to four coats of oil are required before |
| treatment than maple, black locust or other similarly | | | | installation on both topside and bottom one, |
| tight-grain wood. The pace of wear and tear is | | | | particularly insisting on the end-grain area, where the |
| another factor to influence how often the re-oiling is | | | | wood pores are open wider and the oil is absorbed |
| to be performed. As the butcher block is sanded | | | | about twice faster. |
| down at times in order to remove cut marks and | | | | |