Finish Advice for New Oak Island Top

last year

We put a rift sawn white oak top on our kitchen island. We use the island for food prep (with cutting boards), eating, and homework. There is no sink in the island.

We love the look and super smooth feel of the unfinished oak as it sits and are looking for a product that will 1) retain the raw, unfinished, no sheen, look, 2) provide some protection against grease or berry stains (3 young kids), and 3) does not require a sprayer to apply.

We tried out the General Finishes high performance Flat water based topcoat. Aesthetically, it's acceptable but it leaves a slightly rough feel (product was brushed on with a foam brush, as per the instructions). If I sand it with 220 to make it smooth again, I'm assuming that it will remove all of the protection.

If you have any product or technique advice, we would greatly appreciate it.

Featured Answer

cat_ky

last year

You need the finish to be food safe. Try food safe Mineral oil.

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Comments (9)

jlc712
last year
We used Rubio Monocoat on our wood counters. It's a matte finish and has held up really well. I think it's been 5-6 years. You can scuff sand and add another coat when needed, but we haven't needed to yet.
The Beach House Group thanked jlc712
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The Beach House Group
Original Author
last year
Our carpenter suggested Rubio and mocked up a sample but it came out a lot darker and more golden than we were shooting for.
jlc712
last year
There are several colors of Rubio, not sure what you tried. We went the clear natural. You could also try Waterlox.
Clyde Kalvin
last year
You would need multiple coats and you need to lightly sand between coats.
The Beach House Group
Original Author
last year
Thanks Ann. I saw that in the instructions and just figured that the final coat would still be rough. I'll try it.
Clyde Kalvin
last year
@The Beach House Group You want several coats sanding between each and then you put on your last coat and it should be very smooth. I have refinished a maple butcher block tabletop and the finish is smooth.
dani_m08
last year
@The Beach House Group - Ann Marks is exactly right. Your last coat should lay down flat and not "raise the grain" = smooth.
John Liu
last year
last modified: last year
“Osmo Polyx Oil” is a wipe-on hardening oil from Germany, “Emmet’s Good Stuff“ is a wipe-on urethane made in the US, both are foodsafe when cured. Both leave the feel of the wood grain unaffected, neither make the wood darker although the grain contrast is slightly enhanced. Both can be sanded out and spot-refinished with no sign of the refinishing. Two wipe-on applications is sufficient. No particular need to sand between applications.

I learned of these from some woodworking forums, and turns out my furniture maker uses Osmo Polyx often. I was looking for a finish for my maple edge grain butcher block counters, and tested these two, as well as mineral oil/beeswax and Waterlox, for stain resistance against espresso, soy sauce, red wine, and other common kitchen messes, left on for 5 min, 1 hour, and 12 hours.

The sample finished with Emmet’s was unstained after 12 hours of all those things. The sample finished with Osmo was very faintly stained after 12 hours of espresso, which was the most staining of the things I tried. It only took a few minutes to sand out the stain and refinish with Osmo. Mineral oil/beeswax was pretty useless in stain resistance. Waterlox was, surprisingly, not that protective at all.

See more info and details here

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/6466680/butcher-block-countertop

I wrote a longer post about my subsequent experience with these finishes in actual use on my countertops and cabinets (which I ended up finishing variously with Osmo, Emmet’s, and mineral oil/beeswax - different finishes for different locations), but Houzz ate it. Arrrgh. If these finishes are of interest I’ll re-type it.