What oil finish for Mountain Ash Butcher Block Countertop

[Stephen B]

Mountain Ash is an Australian hardwood with some similar qualities to oak. See my May post on this species.

The picture attached shows three sub panels made from recycled timber resting together prior to domino joining and final glue up which was completed this afternoon AEST.

In the past for panels and countertops I have used shellac and/orwax or water based floor varnish. This time I want to use oil.

I have been thinking of three options -

Festool Heavy Duty Oil
Livos Countertop Oil
Boiled Linseed Oil

I welcome suggestions and techniques from FOG members.

Looking at the specifications for Livos and Festool and because they are both German products, I have a suspicion that they are one and the same. Am I right?

With appreciation,

Stephen

 

[JoggleStick]

G'day Stephen,

You don't mention whether it needs to be food safe or not?

Anyway, for anything that needs to be 100% food safe I would recommend Organoil 'Woodwipe'

For a premium wood oil finish you will have to go an awful long way to get anything better than X-troll Wood Preserver. This is a professional standard finish, so you won't find it in 'Bunnies'....

JS

 

[Old School Carpenter]

Good old fashioned mineral oil,
food safe, works forever, easy to recoat

Mike

 

[waho6o9]

Good call on the mineral oil.
[smile]

[attachthumb=#]

I use Good Stuff from Emmet's as well. 

On your fine project, I would find a quality butcher block oil and
saturate all sides for as long as it takes.

 

[teocaf]

I'm also researching the same thing right now for a butcher block top that will be on a kitchen rolling cart.  I was reading through Bob Flexner's "Understanding Wood Finishing" this morning and he wrote that all finishes are "food safe", that is, once they cure.  It makes sense to me-he presents a compelling argument.  For me, it opens up more options, but I do like some of the specific finishes that some suggested, which I had not thought of before.

 

[fdengel]

Have you considered Butcher Block Oil?

;D

 

[panelchat]

is it to be used just as a countertop, or as a large cutting board?
if it is a cutting board surface, i highly recommend mineral oil, it is the standard thing for this and of course requires periodic re application.
its not really a finish, more of a treatment. it stays wet and is particularly suited to cutting blocks.

if it is more of a typical countertop, that won't have knives going into it, there are many options for finishes. i recommend against linseed oil- if you are going for a penetrating, drying oil like that, then pure tung oil of Osmo Poly X would give you a more water resistant surface and they dry in 24-48 hours, linseed dries much slower and is weaker/less impervious.

 

[Stone Message]

Can you get Osmo Top Oil in Australia? I have tested it and it is excellent and it is foodsafe (mind you I know some cooks who produce meals which are not foodsafe).

I did a review of it a while ago:



Peter

 

[panelchat]

Peter- funny!

typo above i just noticed- i meant pure tung oil OR Osmo Poly X.. I'm sure Peter's Osmo Top Coat is even more appropriate.

in the US, most tung oil is sold as "tung oil finish" and has little to do with real tung oil, this is why i specified "pure"... one must go out of their way to get the real thing, which, also, is food safe..

 

[Mauri Motti]

Mineral oil and the butcher block thing must be both paraffin oil. (food safe)

Paraffin oil is the way to go!

 

[Stephen B]

Can you get Osmo Top Oil in Australia? I have tested it and it is excellent and it is foodsafe (mind you I know some cooks who produce meals which are not foodsafe).

I did a review of it a while ago:



Peter

Thank you all for replies so far, more welcome.

Yes Peter, and thanks.
http://www.naturaltimberoils.com.au/solutions/interior-timber-finishes/osmo-topoil-for-timber-kitchen-benchtops/

 

[Guilliaume woodworks]

The good stuff by Emmett's is the way go!