Cutting board finish needed.

[Steve Milito]

I made a few end grain cutting boards this weekend. It's time to decide how to finish them. I have 100% tung oil, BLO, and Bush oil on hand. I picked-up the Bush oil at a show; my guess is that it is a wiping varnish, but the lable gives me no clue what's in it. I don't know if it's "food safe". I could buy "Salad bowl finish", but I've heard that it's just a wiping varnish. What a good, durable, safe finish for cutting boards?

[Mack Cameron]

Hey Steve; Mineral oil works, LV's Claphams Beeswax Salad Bowl Finish works, General Finishes "Salad Bowl Finish" is non toxic when allowed to cure 72 hrs. or more.

The Wood Whisperer guy mentions a 50/50 solution of beeswax and mineral oil works.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

Mack nailed this one. I have used or overseen the use of mineral oil for hundreds of cutting boards with no problems. Warm it in a pan of hot water, wipe it on, let it sit, wipe it off. Repeat as needed.

[Jim Becker]

Mineral oil is the most common finish for this kind of project. An alternative is 90% mineral oil and 10% paraffin, heated up in a water bath and then applied. This is especially good for end-grain cutting boards.

You can buy mineral oil very inexpensively at the supermarket, pharmacy or big-box store in the laxatives isle... ;)

[Art Mulder]

... and the final option, nothing.
You don't have to put finish on a cutting board.

I put finish on the decorative boards I make and give as gifts. On the big solid maple board, inherited from my folks, that we use in our kitchen I put nothing -- it's over 25 years old with no finish ever put on it by us.

And no one has said this, Steve, but I would never put any of the choices that you listed on a cutting board.

[Mack Cameron]

[quote]On the big solid maple board, inherited from my folks, that we use in our kitchen I put nothing -- it's over 25 years old with no finish ever put on it by us.Hi Art; I bet it's not an end grain cutting board! I don't think an end grain cutting board without any finish would last anywhere near 25 years.

[Steve Milito]

And no one has said this, Steve, but I would never put any of the choices that you listed on a cutting board.

Why? Is there a problem with using Tung oil or BLO?

[Mike Null]

I've made lots of cutting boards and on most of them I used mineral oil. The nice thing aobut mineral oil is that you can reapply every six months or so if you feel the need.

I've used other things as well including shellac but none seems to be superior to mineral oil.


I would worry about BLO because I don't know if it imparts a taste. it does have an odor.

[Mack Cameron]

Why? Is there a problem with using Tung oil or BLO?Hi Steve; I have no credentials regarding your question, but I have read somewhere that once a finish such as what you are talking about has completely dried there is no danger in using it on a cutting board. As a matter of fact, shellac could be used, other than it's reaction with water there is no danger once it is dried. Many of our medicinal capsules are coated with shellac.

All that said, my preference is mineral oil, beeswax, parrafin or some concoction using them.

[Steve knight]

I have one of those manufactured cutting board pieces made from maple. edge glued. the mineral oil seems to suck out of it with one or two wipe downs. and it warps. even if I let it soak in overnight it does not last more then a week.

[Steven Wilson]

Melt a small amount of parafin (double boiler) and mix in mineral oil. Apply warm, let dry, scrape off excess, repeat a couple of times. Any film finish (shellac, lacquer, varnish, etc) will be scratched up and look ugly if you use your cutting board as a cutting board.

[Mike McCann]

I am making cutting boards for some christmas presents. I am following the woodwhispers plans and using salad bowl finish. My questions is do you use the finish only on the top or do you wipe it on the bottom and sides.
thanks

[Mack Cameron]

I am making cutting boards for some christmas presents. I am following the woodwhispers plans and using salad bowl finish. My questions is do you use the finish only on the top or do you wipe it on the bottom and sides.
thanksHi Mike; I do both top & bottom & the 4 sides.

[Kent Follmer]

I am almost done sanding an endgrain cutting board and ready to apply the finish. There are two super small and not hardly noticeable voids at the glue joints. For sanitary and other reasons, this is a big issue.

Does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to fill and seal these couple of spots before I start to finish it? thanks

[Sean Kinn]

Does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to fill and seal these couple of spots before I start to finish it? thanks
If they truly are that tiny I'd just fill them with the glue you used. If slightly larger than a hair maybe mix in a little of your sanding dust with the glue. I just did this to fill a tiny knot (bb-sized) that appeared during the final planing of my board. I use Tightbond III which is foodsafe...seemed fine to me.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Yet another vote for mineral oil or just leave it bare wood. If the cutting board gets used as a cutting board then film based coatings will get cut and scratched very quickly. Plus the board will probably get washed a few times, which is not good for film based finishes as the water will seep under it through the inevitable scratches. One of the problems with commercially available tung oil and BLO is that they are not pure oils, they have a few drying agents mixed in, and unless it specifically says on the label that it is food safe I wouldn't use it on a cutting board.

Since no one has asked this, why do you want to put a finish on it? If your cutting board is made of a lighter wood a finish will not enhance the look. No matter what you apply it will not provide any protection from a sharp knife, besides the whole reason to use end grain is so that a knife can cut into the wood fibres without damaging the edge. If you surface coat it with a hard finish it defeats the purpose of using end grain.

I made a few cutting boards a couple of years ago, the first few months I would reapply the mineral oil when the board started looking dry, I gave up on that soon. Two years down the road and excessive abuse later (soap wash, scraping with a knife, cutting vegetables and meat on the same board, and on ocassions using an electric knife) the board still looks perfectly fine. I figure if it wears out in a few years I can always make a new one :D. The way it's going though I don't think it'll happen soon.

[Kent Follmer]

Thank you Sean and Zahid. Glue with some saw dust sounds like a good plan.

I like the idea of soaking it with as much mineral oil it can take for the first few days, then giving it some wax, and then repeat that process whenever you feel like it. Wooden salad bowls and other wood utensils would appreciate a little oil once in a while, if it needs it or not. I also don't like the hard finish / varnishes for cutting boards.

If there are any other ideas on filling the voids, besides glue and dust, I would appreciate your comments.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Usually the most invisible method to fill voids or cracks in wood is to take a sliver of wood of the same type and grain orientation, brush a small amount of glue on it and force it in the void as much as possible. Done right teh joint will be almost impossible to detect. I've saved a few dovetail joints using this approach ;).

[Kent Follmer]

Thanks again, Zahid.