Cutting board finishes

[crsowa]

i recently began making cutting boards.  For the first one, I used butcher block oil and it was fine.  I've also read about diluted salad bowl finish to finish cutting boards.  My question is, what is the difference between the two?  Thanks, My latest 2 are attached

 

[Billedis]

I know nothing about the oils, but I know a beautiful cutting board/s when I see them and yours are fantastic.  I especially like the zippered looking one.  Thanks for sharing.  Bill

 

[tbellemare]

You can just go the the drugstore and get mineral oil.

Tom

 

[waho6o9]

I don't know the difference either. 

I just use Emmet's Good Stuff. Done...[attachimg=1]

 

[Tyler Ernsberger]

Mineral oil found with the laxatives at the Drug Store is a great finish!!!  I have built over 50 butcher blocks and I use mineral oil.  Its cheap and its the same thing as expensive oils sold for butcher blocks.

 

[Hud]

I have been making cutting boards for 30+ years and mineral oil is the best I have used.  I sometimes will heat it so it  penetrates better/faster not sure better but it seems faster to soak in and then wipe off excess.  Mineral oil will not go rancid like vegetable oil can.

 

[Craig Clemens]

Mineral Oil is a penetrating finish that does not cure hard or build a film on the surface of the wood.

Salad bowl finish is a reactive finish (read wiping varnish) that does cure hard and can build a film. Thinning helps to avoid this and is a very useful technique for finishing cutting boards since you're not looking to build layers.

The merits and dangers of each choice can and have been argued about frequently so choosing the type of finish for anything that will have direct food contact is a personal choice. I'm in the camp that maintains that all finishes are safe for food contact after completely cured (usually 30 days).

 

[JeromeM]

You might like to get Charles Neil's views on finishes


Hint "Salad bowl finish is just a thinned polyurethane wiping varnish" his words