The durability and beauty of wood makes it such an attractive material for counter tops. And protective finishes can not only enhance their beauty, but can also extend the life of them too.
Sealers fill in the pores of the wood so that any and all liquids your surface may encounter stay on top of the surface and can be wiped off, instead of soak in.
After extensive research on the subject, it seems like a lot of folks are using a product called "Waterlox" to seal their wood countertops. It seals and protects the wood, and unlike other types of finishes, you don't have to keep re-applying it through the years.
One option you don't want to use on counters are non-curing vegetable oils such as corn oil and olive oil. These kinds of oils tend to smell rancid over time, and won't protect them very well either.
Check out the links below to read more about Waterloxed Countertops!
The second photo down is one clever kitchen - simple elements, but it all goes together so well!
What about Tung Oil? It seems to work, but then again my expectations aren't that high...
I currently have some ikea butcher block....in my storage shed! My husband and I bought it last year and have not installed it yet for a few reasons: time to devote to it, we haven't bought a new sink (I haven't found one I like), and debate on how to seal it (whether or not to stain it). Thank you for your blog and links to others who have done this. I finally feel confident enough to install this stuff. P.S. I was interested to see in so many pictures that people have used undermount sinks with their butcher blocks. In my research they said that you shouldn't do it....but I want to so badly. Do you have any info on how to do this safely without the water getting underneath?
I have been going back and forth about whether or not to use wood vanity tops in my bathrooms. Did you happen to find any photos of bathroom vanities? It can look so wonderful, but I am nervous about damage.
If my wooden counters (I have repurposed pine boards from my attic) have already been polyurethaned, but are starting to show signs of losing their waterproof-ness, would you advise using this product? I was just wondering what to do about this problem!
Our butcher block counter is almost thirty years old. I have sanded it on one occasion, ten years ago, but on a daily basis, I just wash it with water and soap, or wipe it with any brand of glass cleaner. Once in a while, I apply lemon oil to give it a shine and nourish the wood. I think, it is by far, the most practical and versatile kitchen "work surface" one can have.
I often use wood countertops in kitchens that I design - they are a welcome respite from hard cold stone surfaces, add a lovely touch of warmth and are so easy to refinish if they get beat up. Or, they can be left to patina if that's the preferred look - nicks, cuts and dents can add to the charm!
The wood countops are beautiful! I am thinking of adding wood in a cabin I am remodeling. I haven't heard of Waterlox before. I've always used marine varnish in a matte finish.
Something I noticed about all the cabinets in these pictures: they were all white. Is there a reason that only white cabinets are used with wood counter tops?
I can't believe I never thought of built-in dog bowls!
And @zipdinger..I have seen natural wood cabinets with wooden countertops..it makes a beautiful kitchen if you're really into the natural, "green" look
Here is a picture of our wood vanity top. It's thirty years old and had never been protected by any kind of varnish, until on one occasion, two years ago, when I applied some "Wipe on" A sort of varnish that you apply with a cloth. It's so easy and it looks so natural!
I love my wood butcherblock counter! They go nicely with my white bead board walls and ceiling.I got mine at lumber liquidators,but next time would go for Ikea.They are just as nice and less expensive. I oil mine with a food safe product, and the occasional nicks and coffee can rings, only add to the cottage charm.
We have been using Waterlox for years with great success and became a distributor 2 years ago. We love the patina that Waterlox give our antique wood from floors to furniture. Here is the Houzz link
http://www.houzz.com/pro/waterlox/waterlox
At Texas Woodworks we use waterlox on all of the countertops we create. We find it to be a very durable product that excels at repelling water. Check out the waterlox page we have on our website to read our full article.
