Finish for wood kitchen island

[kevin nee]

I am finishing an island for a friend. Any suggestions would be appreciated Thanks in advance, Kevin

[John TenEyck]

Do they intend to cut directly on it? If they do then about your only choice is an oil finish or oil and wax. The classic cutting board finish is paraffin dissolved in warm mineral oil. You slather that on the wood while it's warm, keep it warm with a hair dryer or heat gun and let it soak in all it will take. Repeat as necessary when needed.

If they do not intend to cut directly on it then you can finish it with nearly any varnish or oil/varnish mix of your choice. As much as some folks talk them down, a floor poly would be a good choice because it is abrasion and scratch resistance, two good qualities to have for a kitchen island application.

John

[kevin nee]

Waterlox has been suggested. Should I use Waterlox sealer first? It will be sanded down. Any downsides to Waterlox for this application?

[Ted Phillips]

Sorry for the slow reply. I would avoid Waterlox for this application. In the kitchen, I like finishes that can be easily restored *and* finishes that are food safe. Waterlox probably won't poison you, but it is not tested to be food safe.

I agree with John - and would go with a wax/oil blend. You can mix your own, or use a commercial product like Osmo Top Oil (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040AT5X4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00). Top Oil is designed for these applications, it goes on easily, dries hard, and can be quickly restored with a new top coat. Great stuff.

TedP

[Dan Hahr]

Waterlox is as food safe as can be when dry. It makes an excellent varnish for wet areas such as found in kitchens and bathrooms. It is not for cutting boards or the like. OSMO top oil appears to be a varnish/wax blend; the "oil" is referring to the oil based varnish. I've used Sam Maloof's varnish/wax blend and it is fine for most things but it's not very waterproof. Our kitchen table stays wet and is finished with Waterlox.

Dan

[Bill McNiel]

We have used Boos Block Mystery Oil on the 4'x7' Solid cherry top of our Kitchen island for years with really satisfying results. This product is made for cutting boards and counter tops. We simply clean wipe the surface every 4-6 months (the bottle says every 3-4 weeks) and apply another coat.

I love Waterlox and have used it several times on Kitchen and Bath counters where food prep does not occur.