Tung oil finish on Butcher Block?
Has anyone tried this on butcher block countertops or cutting boards? We're having maple butcher block countertops installed as part of our home renovation. One of the finish options is tung oil cut with citrus solvent to aid penetration. I've used tung oil on several gun stocks and been very pleased with the outcome. We're looking for something that will pull out the character of the wood more than the common vegetable oil finish.
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I have read that tung oil can cause nerve damage. At one time the application using the warmth of the bare hand was the standard method. Not sure who did the studies but now they recommend rubber or plastic gloves when handling it. Do a little research on it. That was a while back and I don't recall the particulars.
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For cutting boards I only use mineral oil. Vegetable oil can go rancid. Also, I wouldn't want the added chemicals in the tung oil on any food prep surface. I put multiple coats of mineral oil on a vintage butcher's block table. I it brought out the grain & sealed the old wood. Try different things on the underside to experiment & see what you like.
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We will have a couple of very large pieces left over and plan on doing some test squares. The product I've been looking into is pure tung oil (food safe) and citrus solvent in a 50-50 mix. We'll try it, and a couple other finishes, to determine what we like best. The upside is the tung oil dries to a hard finish. The downside is that it requires a days long curing process to achieve that hardness.
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it is not food grade
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mineral oil
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You don't want to make your family guinea pigs in an experiment involving VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds).
99% of upscale kitchen counters sold today will be granite, quartz, marble, or Corian. All have an impermeable surface, unlike wood. Buy the best that you can afford, you will never regret it. If your budget is tight, get laminate.
Neal
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There are butcher block specific finishes. Watco I think. I've never used it.
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I would definitely NOT use tung oil on a surface used for food prep. Instead, what you want is to get some Flax oil. It's a food variant of linseed oil. Do not use your typical boiled linseed oil, however you MAY be able to find some food grade product labeled as linseed oil.
I would also not use vegetable oil as it will go rancid. And if you use mineral oil (which is a fine option, but not really going to protect much) be sure to get a food grade type. I have found this most readily in grocery stores that cater to the food service industry, but you may be able to find it at your regular grocer.
Ultimately, my recommendation is to go with the flax oil. It is a drying oil and will actually protect the surface, just like boiled linseed oil does on tool handles and so forth. It is also easy to simply reapply when it wears.
Robot or human?
Activate and hold the button to confirm that you’re human. Thank You!If you want you can still use the citrus to get good penetration, but you shouldn't need that.
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Nine Myths About Linseed Oil and Flaxseed Oil
Ten myths about linseed oil and flaxseed oil and their suitability for cutting boards, cricket bats, paint and everything in between. By Treeboard, your source for beautiful wooden products.3 -
Thanx for the info guys! We'll try some tests on a few pieces n see what floats our (my wife's) boat.
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