finishing a chopping board

[Torre]

hello long time reader whos decided to finally get involved in the forums, in my spare time ive been making a long grain chopping board out of off cut blackwood ive had lieing around, after completing the board its now time to finish it.

after a trip to bunnings i was told to use danish oil and a coat of beeswax, long story short the board came up a treat after 3 coats of danish oil and beeswax but after testing some small water drops on the back it looks like the finish will be ruined by water. after wiping the drops off a light mark of where the water was is visible, easily fixed with some steel wool but i dont want to re waxing it every use.

my question is, have i used a suitable finish or is finish i mentioned only good for furniture intended to stay dry? and if i need to change to a better finish will i need to sand the oil out of the board or is it ok to apply another finish over it? thanks in advance, stefan

[Whit68]

I just give our chopping board a wipe over with olive oil every week or so. It seems to keep it in pretty good nick. I guess being a chopping board it's going to get cuts and knicks in it so you don't want too flash a finish.

Anthony

[RufflyRustic]

For chopping boards, the recommended finish is paraffin oil.

Read here for further details.

cheers
Wendy

[jerryc]

Been through this problem and as our chopping boards get really rough treatment, like being bunged in the dishwasher, I decided no finish was the best way to go for our household. The boards are long grain pine, nothing flash and have stood up to this treatment for years. I researched the health side and found there was strong evidence that wood is very safe as it contains it's own anti bacteria defences. Depends on what you want. Appearance or plain practicality.

Jerry


War does not decide who is right. War only decides who is left.

[Wongo]

after a trip to bunnings i was told to use danish oil and a coat of beeswax, long story short the board came up a treat after 3 coats of danish oil and beeswax but after testing some small water drops on the back it looks like the finish will be ruined by water.

Sorry Torre, I am just laughing at the Bunnings expert.

To me it is pointless to finish a chopping board. You are going to run a sharp knife on it over and over again. You will get marks, scratches and water straight after the first use anyway.

I usually put 1 coat of Hard Burnishing Oil on it. Not because I want to protect the wood but it looks better when givng it to someone.


Beeswax on cutting boards.

[BobL]

Chopping boards should NOT be wiped with cooking oil as these oils go rancid over a few days and this is not good for you. As Jerryc says healthwise the best antibacterial surface is raw wood so you should wash and dry the board and leave it raw. If you want it to continue to look reasonable, every now and then you can apply a coat of natural wax (such as that sold by the site sponsor) or paraffin oil which are food safe. Like wongo, I also use Hard Burnishing oil (HBO) just before I give em away because HBO is quickly absorbed. Often the person asks about the finish, but because HBO is expensive I tell the user to use nat wax or paraffin which they can also use for other things.

[Torre]

ok so now ive learnt not to listen to people from bunnings, what should i do? would i need to strip the beeswax off and add something like a hard burnishing oil or parrafin oil over the danish oil or will i need to sand back the danish oil as well? if i needed to take the beeswax off what would be the best method?

[BobL]

ok so now ive learnt not to listen to people from bunnings, what should i do? would i need to strip the beeswax off and add something like a hard burnishing oil or parrafin oil over the danish oil or will i need to sand back the danish oil as well? if i needed to take the beeswax off what would be the best method?

I personally wooden worry about it until it needs attending to and when it does - which will be soon, as the washing up will strip the Danish and wax off - just give it a light sanding and leave it alone. Clean raw wood is one of the safest antibacterial surfaces you can get.

[Brown Dog]

ok so now ive learnt not to listen to people from bunnings

An important lesson to learn .....

Thing is bunnings (my local store at least) actually sells a finish (OrganOil Woodwipe) that designed is for the specific purpose of finishing wood that will come in to contact with food. Wonder why they didnt recommend that product

cheers
BD

[jerryc]

Brown Dog,

Why this urge to spend money on a finish?

Jerry

War does not decide who is right.War only decides who is left.

[Dean]

An important lesson to learn .....

Thing is bunnings (my local store at least) actually sells a finish (OrganOil Woodwipe) that designed is for the specific purpose of finishing wood that will come in to contact with food. Wonder why they didnt recommend that product

cheers
BD

yeah Wood Wipe is a good chocie for cutting boards if you want to make them look a little better. Works well and is food safe.

[Brown Dog]

Brown Dog,

Why this urge to spend money on a finish?

Because shoplifting is bad....


I think you will find Torre is the one who has spent the money.

I didnt actually recommend or say that I had purchased this product....I mearly posed the question (tounge firmly in cheek ) as to why an employee of Bunnings wouldnt suggest a product that I know they stock and is specifically designed to do what Torre was originally seeking for advice for .....but I think we all know the answer to that question

cheers
BD

[jerryc]

BD,

My sincere apologies for getting facts wrong.

Jerry

War does not decide who is right. War only decides who is left

[Kev Y.]

I produced several chopping boards a few years ago as christmas presents, I finished all of them with grape seed oil I picked up from the local supermarket.

I still have one in use at home and regularly re-coat it with grape seed oil.

Cooking oil will go rancid, while grape seed , like parafin will not.

[RufflyRustic]

Just to wrap up (for future readers)

The ultimate finish for a chopping board are, in order of best:

1. Leave the chopping board unfinished.
2. Use Paraffin oil
3. Use another 100% foodsafe finish - but you do so on your own bat, i.e. make sure it is 100% foodsafe and not liable to injure someone eg with allergies, for example nut oil

Back to the discussion......

cheers
Wendy