"Bar top" finish choices?

[Ramona Jim]

I've picked up ~ 100 bd ft of 100 year old oak 4/4 8" wide boards that are going to be used to 1) hide a steel beam that is holding up one end of our late Victorian, and 2) replace the awful laminate kitchen counter tops.

Looking for suggestions for finish on the counter tops (beam boards are being left rough).

We're looking for something durable (able to withstand lots of wipe downs - cats know to stay off the counters when we're cooking, but no way they stay off 24/7) and relatively low maintenance. Cutting boards will be used for actual food handling.

Don't know yet whether or not we'll be staining the oak - that'll depend on what the boards wind up looking like once they get worked from rough swan to smooth.

We'd rather not have an uber glossy shine, but if the most workable answer is a resin type finish (thinking wooden bar tops that get constantly wet) we'd be ok with it.

Any thoughts? Suggestions? Brand names? Process tips & techniques?

[Howard Acheson]

The key question is whether it is white oak or red oak. Red oak is a very poor choice for a food preparation surface. It is very porous wood with large pores. Food residue will quickly get down into the pores and can cause illness and odors and stains. For a food preparation surface, you don't want to use a film finish. As soon as a knife is used, it will damage the film and open up pathways to moisture getting underneath and destroying the adhesion of the finish.

White oak is a better but not wholly satisfactory wood. At least it has small pores and the wood will not absorb and transmit water and juices. But it still has finishing problems if you want a smooth surface.

As said above, if you will be cutting or chopping food, you don't want to use a film type finish. Even oil/varnish finishes like "Salad Bowl Finish" is not a good choice. These finishes are penetrated by knife blades allowing water and juice to penetrate under the finish.

An excellent treatment for wooden food preparation surfaces like cutting boards and butcher blocks is a mixture of mineral oil and either paraffin or beeswax. This is what is used on many commercial wood surfaces. It will last longer and be more protective than just mineral oil. Mineral oil can be found in most supermarkets in the pharmacy section or in a true pharmacy. Paraffin is found in the canning section of the store or in a hardware store.

Heat the oil in a double boiler and shave in some wax. The exact proportions are not critical--a 5-6 parts of oil to one part of wax will work fine. Stir the mixture until all the wax is liquefied. Apply the mixture heavily and let it set 10-12 hours or overnight. Next day do it again and continue until the wood will no longer absorb the finish. Let it set for 10-12 hours and then lightly scrape off any excess. Then buff it with a rag.

Reapply whenever the wood begins to look dry.

As to a a "bar top" finish. Are you referring to the thick pour-on epoxy coating you see on some basement bars? If so, I would discourage that. It quickly picks up scratches and cuts from knives and other food prep implements. It's impossible to repair and quickly becomes ratty looking and feeling. Also, it's not a good choice over solid wood. As the wood expands/contracts with changes in relative humidity, the panel will warp or crack the epoxy. Pour-on finishes are best used on top of plywood which does not expand and contract.