oil kitchen benches?

[sazz]

We are about to finish our white box (very dense) kitchen benches. Most of the woodwork in the kitchen is oiled with Organoil as is the floor. We are unsure if tung oil is adequate for kitchen benches though having been stung using it on exposed timbers (now marine varnished - hard work). Love the look of oil and like the idea that it can be maintained without huge sanding project, natural, food safe etc etc. Whole kitchen/house is MDF free.
Can an oil based varnish, eg Grimes egg shell oil varnish or a wipe on be applied over a hard burnished oil if the oil isn't holding up? With how much sanding? Did I say, the benches total about 8 linear m. If we did that should we apply to the underside? (these are mighty heavy). Does anyone have experience of oiled benches over time, how much maintenance in reality? And what with? I need to convince all decision makers!

By the way I have read and read threads from this forum, it is GREAT and I cant wait until I have enough time to get onto beds, bookshelves, tables etc

thanks all
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[tea lady]

Hi Sazz. I have a little bit of bench that I made around our stove that I oiled with Hard Burnishing ooil. Its only been there for under a year, but I think Its a great finish to use. It just wipes down so easily. Splatters from the stove are no problem. I will do the rest of the bench very soon. I had to do that bit cos we got a new stove. ) But I have been told that it isn't up to around the sink area. Maybe It just needs more attention to not letting water pool or something. Any finish would have trouble with that wouldn't it? Anyway, I'd recommend it.

Hope you get a chance to get into bed soon.

[sazz]

Thanks tea lady - the brave. Maybe we'll do the sink bit with a plastic coat of some sort and the rest with oil.
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[tea lady]

Thanks tea lady - the brave. Maybe we'll do the sink bit with a plastic coat of some sort and the rest with oil.
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Maybe you could find a satin finish of some sort that won't look too different to the oil. (By the way, I think the instructions on the Hard Burnishing oil tin say to oil the underneath of the bench too, but you don't have to go all the way with the sanding obviously. )