Don't use beeswax! The only oil we'll use to seal butcher block and how we finish and refinish them.
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- Kitchen countertops take a beating! When it comes to sealing your butcher block countertops you don’t want to trust any run-of-the-mill sealer. Trust us - we’ve tried! When it comes to sealing, Tung Oil for butcher block is your best bet!
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Other brands of Tung Oil exist, but Real Milk Paint Co. is the only brand we trust for 100% Pure Tung Oil without any added junk. We have promoted products from them for years and are happy to do so now as an affiliate earning a small commission from sales at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support!
Life pro tip: Find someone who looks at you like she looks at him.
😊 Thanks for watching!
I noticed that right away too.
Probably everyone's first observation in this video. 😊 good bless these two!
I find it extremely creepy 😳
@@rickross199WHY
That’s just weird
I’ve used this tung oil and citrus oil from real milk paint for over 4 years. I bought 4 tung oil and 2 citrus solvent, everyone thought that was too much. I sanded my floors in the main level and used the tung oil and citrus mix because it’s pet safe. I don’t worry about scratches from nails because it doesn’t scratch. If there’s a scratch from moving furniture a simple wipe down and it’s gone.
I’m now doing butcher block countertops and refinished my dining table and chairs. All done in the tung oil.
I love the rustic not glossy varnish look, it’s just beautiful wood.
Now I have enough to keep my wood looking great. If I sell my house the new owners will have beautiful wood too.
That's so awesome... thanks for sharing! Glad to hear the tung oil is holding up well on your floors. We went with a different natural finish on our wood floors and if we could do it all over again we'd go with tung oil too. All the best and thanks for watching!
Tung Oil is definitely the most durable and when one boils a test piece of wood treated with 4 layers of Tung Oil, there is no deterioration. Great video thank you. I would like to see how a butcher's block or just a good chopping board is made.
You're welcome! We are sold. Good suggestions for future videos - thanks!
Thanks for the confirmation- I am wondering what your experience has been in the sink area where it's always WET-this is my biggest concern for the home that we are buying/moving to this week- I have horrid visions of black mildew stains YIKES
The tung oil has been amazing around the sink area! We haven't had any of the mold/mildew problems that we used to have when we used beeswax/mineral oil!
I looked up the MSDS sheet for this product and it is good news. It is actually 100% Tung oil.
Most "tung oils" for sale are a mix with various toxic oils and solvents and are NOT suitable for food contact. However, Tung oil has to be handled with care and any rags wet/damp with it must be kept in a metal, fire safe canister because they can spontaneously burst into flames.
Thanks for sharing!
I'm purchasing a house with butcherblock countertops and you're helping me be a little less intimidated, thanks!
Awesome! Glad it was helpful. You got this! Thanks for watching!
I used epoxy, followed the instructions like they were from the Almighty. Three years later the butcher block is still in the basement and still sticky wet. :( Someday maybe I'll clean it up and try again with tung oil.
You should try sanding it at higher grits after a few coats of oil for better waterproofing. Higher grits close the pores of wood, which is why when staining you don’t want to sand past 180
Good thought! Thanks for watching!
There was a recent study of sanding with higher grits. This was I believe in Fine Woodworking. (in 2023 for sure) and the surfaces were looked at under very high magnification. Turns out that this scientist found that the very finely sanded surfaces actually had very fine sawdust very packed into the pores. Rather than close the pores, they filled the pores.... Just interesting.
I'm a hardwax oil fan, and have moved away from pure oils, but I might try tung oil in the future.
One note: "butcher block" is end grain only. Traditionally it was a log with end grain pointed up, but slowly became laminated lumber. But it's always end grain UP. What you have is laminated hardwood countertops. A seemingly small difference, but butcher blocks were never finished with any drying oil, because they were so effective at killing bacteria by drawing the moisture deep into the wood pores.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks for sharing!
I’m a newbie to butcher block! My husband installed quite a bit of it in our kitchen last night and I’m so grateful to have found your experience and instruction. God bless you guys!
Oh, exciting! I hope you love it! So glad this was helpful for you!
I have made butcher block (end grain) cutting boards for decades. Food grade mineral oil soak followed by a butcher block conditioner. If you want something more then flaxseed oil will work. I wouldn't advise tung oil.
check out my comment 🙂
@@SALTYCOMBATDIVER-ExInstructorwhat's wrong with tung oil? Genuine question.
@@KristiBee it's not food safe according to many.
exactly what I was looking for - a "food safe" finish as you described it - subbed
Awesome - glad it was helpful!! Thanks for being here!
Yeah
Mineral oil just isn’t food safe no matter what the bottle says
I love your kitchen. I am a cabinet designer and frankly, I don’t want to have a kitchen with tons of matching cabinets … for years, I’ve always wanted something w butcher blocks an old stove shelves and cabinet combos w a few old times details mixed w contemporary and multi color finish styles. Most people are afraid of that. But, I love it!
Thank you!! It's definitely not the standard but we love it too!!
Liked the video. Lots of info. Just wish you would have showed the wood more while you were talking. Felt like a lot of info and not as much before after side by side etc. but thank you for the tip
Always appreciate the honest feedback! And can't say we don't agree with you. Having done this a couple years after the fact we have very little actual video/pics of the original process with the tops to work with. In retrospect, it probably would be helpful to take a cutoff piece of butcher block and show how we finished them start to finish. Maybe we'll do a remake and try to improve at some point! Thanks for watching!
Hi! I just wanted to clarify - do you use the Tung oil to finish your actual cutting board as well? I have been recently searching how to finish/preserve/maintain a nice wooden cutting board, but haven't found anything that seems 100% ideal yet
Hey there! Yes, our cutting board is finished with the tung oil/citrus solvent blend too! It's held up well for a few years now and is really easy to reapply a new coat on top when needed. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching!
I just refinished my butcehr block this way after watching this video. I do have a question. How do you clean your countertops after use?
Hey! Hope you love them! We've really just cleaned them like you would any countertop with cleaner and a rag and wipe down. But I wouldn't recommend anything too concentrated or powerful for a cleaner. We like Branch Basics which is safe and mild, yet effective cleaner. Or even just water and vinegar would do the trick! Thanks for watching!
I have unfinished butcher block countertops. My dark half just arrived.. should I return for half n half, I am nervous it will be too dark?
We used the dark half on ours and really like it! Just depends on the look you are going for!
Can you put down the dark toung oil over a stained butcher block? Like stained with honey from minwax water-based not oil ?
I'm not familiar if that stain is a stain and sealer, or just a stain. If it's just a stain, then yes, you could apply tung oil over it. If it's already the color you want, you might consider just the half n half, which won't darken it. The dark tung oil will continue to darken the butcherblock. If it does have any sort of sealer on it already, then you'd need to sand down to raw wood and then apply the tung oil. Thanks for watching!
Nice video very informative. I do have a question. How do you guys clean it after food prep with just warm water or what?
Yes or we'll use a natural cleaner like branch basics if needed. Thanks for watching!
I got the Dark Half for my butcher block and really liked how it looked after the first two light coats, but after putting a third coat it’s starting to look a little dark for my taste. Is it going to continue get darker with every coat? I’m wondering if I should use the standard Half (not dark) for the rest of the coats
That's a really good question. To some extent, the darkness will vary depending on the wood species you're applying it to. I haven't found that the wood gets a crazy amount darker as you add more coats beyond those initial first couple of coats. But, as you mention, I think the safest option would be to apply coats until you achieve the darkness you want, and then switch to the standard Half n Half for the remaining coats. Thanks for watching and good luck to you!
I have been using Tung oil for years on lots of my projects and was leaning towards it on a new 60" x 27" top I am making, and here you are using it and cementing my decision. Thanks so much and great job!
So glad it was helpful and thanks for watching!
how many coats should I put on a NEW Butcher block countertop?
@@judichristopher4604 Keep adding coats until most of it is not absorbed into the wood. then just wipe and buff last coat. I ended up going with mineral oil(had to strip off all the tung oil, my fault) and it is super easy to add more whenever you feel it is needed. Good luck!!!
@@Lewisusa11
Thank you for the info
@@judichristopher4604 You are very welcome!!!
I’ve been using hemp oil… fabulous for bamboo tops, plus smells like CBD oil…
Thanks for sharing!
What kind of wood are your countertops made of? Very pretty.
Thanks! They are birch.
We're building a house and trying to decide what to use for the "backsplash" for the half wall behind our sink. I really like what you used - is it wide paneling with a frame? What is the dark piece directly behind the sink? Thanks for all your advice on butcherblock - we'll be finishing our island top soon and will look into your suggestions!
Hi! So we just built the half wall behind our sink to be about a foot higher than counter height for the backsplash. And then I used leftover trim and shiplap pieces from the rest of our kitchen for that little area of backsplash and painted it. The dark section behind the sink is kind of unique. The cabinet the sink sits in had a fake drawer face on top initially. But to make room for the farmhouse sink that area of the cabinet needed to be cut out and modified. I had that cabinet face lying around and it looked cool so I wanted to use it for something. The I realized it would fit perfectly in that backsplash area! So that’s what we have going on there. Hope that helps and good luck with your project! Thanks for watching!
It looks like shiplap behind the counters
I would rather have a backsplash too. Those walls get dirty in my 50 yrs of cooking I’ve noticed (I’m 59)!
I’ve always wanted extra deep counters so I can line up things along the back but still have enough room to use the counter. 30” deep instead of 24”. I saw someone on a diff channel even put a little shelf in, in the back, just high enough to wipe off counter easily and store jars on or measuring cups, etc. An additional functionality updo!
My kitchen is my workshop and it stays functional, not pretty or staged. It’s beautiful in its productivity. And with a fire engine red Aga, it would be stupendous!
Tung with beeswax? What do we all think about that. 4:1 like you would mineral oil.
That's an interesting idea! Curious too if anyone else has thoughts. Thanks for watching!
Excellent video guys, thanks!!!
You bet! Thanks for watching!
What brand of countertop did y’all purchase?
It's the standard birch butcher block that they sell at Menards. Thanks for watching!
Just got ours delivered. Why can't they be stained?
Awesome! Do you mean before applying tung oil? You totally can, we just didn't because we used the dark tung oil which gives it a dark color naturally. Thanks for watching!
I install probably half a dozen to a dozen counter tops a year with a third of them being butcher block and, I would say that if your looking to use the counter for active abuse going with an epoxy finish. There are many different types of epoxy out there, fast setting, thin pour and deep pour etc... they tend to bring as much depth to the grain as possible but cost is sufficiently higher then oil. With oil the only two that are really food safe are tung and mineral oil of which should be applied continuously from week to week until the wood no longer accepts it which can honestly take a year or two for an 1.5"-2" counter top.
Awesome, thanks for sharing your experience and for watching!
Boiled Linseed Oil is food safe if you buy actual Pure "Boiled" Linseed oil, not the stuff that has chemical dryers in it. There is a company, i think they are Swedish, they do an all natural Cold Pressed BLO, its labeled "All Black" Boiled linseed oil. Though, my go to is still Tung oil.
Do you know if you could use this stuff for the color and then an epoxy over top of that for additional protection?
@@paigecowart1027 If you want to Epoxy the counter top i would suggest using an actual wood stain not a colored oil. I am not totally sure if the Epoxy is ok over the top of an oil finish, but if it is, you would need to be 100% sure that it is full cured before coating it with Epoxy to ensure there is no issues. If you are just want the color before Epoxy, the easiest and safest option would be to use a wood stain.
@@paulmccullough7352 ok, thank you… starting the project soon and trying to figure out the best option. Think we’ll stick with staining then. Thanks again.
I use heat treated walnut oil. 2 sources, one, which I use is from the Doctor's Woodshop and it has carnauba wax in it which flows without heating or solvents. The other is from Mike Mahoney an internationally known bowl maker. I don't use tung oil. I know it is very slow drying, and I have heard some say it tends to leave a film. Not positive. With the Doctor's oil, final coat is applied with a heat gun for better penetration. It takes a week or so for it to cure. Sunlight/UV helps it cure. End grain cutting boards will let the oil penetrate better. Been using it for 20 years maybe, can't remember.
Nice, thanks for sharing that option! Sounds like a solid alternative to try. I haven't experienced the film with Tung Oil, but I know there can be a lot of variables. Thanks for watching!
Is this food grade? If you mentioned it, I missed this important detail. I would be weary of harmful chemicals ending up in my food.
It is food grade. Sorry, I don’t know if we made that clear in the video. You’d want to wait until it was done curing before eating off of it.
very nice. I just used the same brand (Real Milk Dark Half) for my kitchen counter (butcher block)
I've applied 4 coats so far.... but it seams kinda matte finish still. should I be sanding before the next coat? maybe polyurethane seal or no?
Thanks!
Hey! My experience has been that once the wood is fully saturated, then it will have a bit more glossy of a look when wet. But as it cures and you wipe up the excess, it definitely loses the sheen and dries more matte. I would probably only sand if the surface is rough after applying. I think I only did a light sanding after the first coat or two since the grain stood up a bit from being wet. I personally wouldn't seal with polyurethane. The beauty of tung oil is that you can reapply new coats as needed in the future and do repairs easily. Poly doesn't allow for that and you'd need to sand the whole thing down again and start over. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
@@FromScratchFarmstead yeah, I get a brown residue when going over it with a paper towel now after 4 coats.
I guess that means it's already saturated..🤷
still afraid to use it though.. putting anything liquid on it scares me. 😱
@@mickael486 you might have the residue for a couple days. Wipe it down good a few times and it will go away. Just remember it is recommended with tung oil to allow for around a 30 day curing period before it's fully ready for use. I'd definitely try to avoid anything liquid during that time. Good luck!
What kind of wood did you use for the wood butcher blocks? Ty
Our butcher blocks are birch!
Thank you for your experience with the butcher block countertops! We are putting ours in and don't have experience with it yet, so your video was very helpful.
So glad it was helpful! I hope you love yours!
Oh another question! Did you do any finish to the underside or is the tung oil on top the only finish?
Hey there! I did finish the underside too, but I only did a couple coats. I think it is recommended that all sides be sealed so that one side doesn't dry out quicker than the other over time which can lead to warping. Plus, you just never know where spills or messes can happen in a kitchen so it's good to have everything at least somewhat sealed. Thanks for watching!
If my wife doesn’t look at me like that I don’t want her
He's the best! Thanks for watching!
Hello! Great video!! What type of butcher block did you buy? I love the look and want to buy the same
Thanks! We have birch. It's the basic butcher block from Menards.
@FromScratchFarmstead thank you so much!!
We have a butcher block countertop that I decided to use howards butcher block conditioner on after listening to many different people on the subject. It's been 3 years and I have pretty diligently sanded the stains, and reconditioned the counter many times. I don't like the way it's looking, I even have some mildew stains where I put a dish pad to stack dishes on from dampness and tried everything including bleach to fix and some is still there. Do you have any advice as to what to do at this point to make it more user friendly? I wrote howards about a more permanent finish and they said there's no guarantee with the conditioner already on it to have another finish work.
So after another finish has already been applied, I think your only option is to sand them down fully to bare wood again and finish them with Tung Oil or whatever option you choose. But it would need to be bare wood for any new finish to absorb and work correctly. You can reach out to Real Milk Paint Co. and check if there's any other options, but that's my understand of what would need to happen. At least that would give you a fresh start with the mildew spots then. I totally feel you on this.... that was our experience our first time around after using Howards. All the best to you and thanks for watching!
Thank you, I was afraid that would be our only option, I appreciate your help.@@FromScratchFarmstead
So why not use beeswax? It just isn't as good as tung oil or ...?
That was our experience. The beeswax just wasn't as waterproof as we'd like it to be for a kitchen application. We'd have to constantly worry about something penetrating the countertops. The Tung Oil is very different and about as close to waterproof as you can get from a natural oil. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
Just did my butcher block countertops this weekend. I have 3 coats in so far, I really love the way it's turning out. Thanks for the advice 🤘
Awesome! Hope you love them so much and thanks for watching!
Homer Formby used Tung oil and he has books out on it and you can watch the tv shows that show how to use it.
Good to know! Thanks for sharing that resource!
I love my butcher block counter tops! Going to try this- was using just citrus oil and it isn’t strong enough! Thanks!
Awesome!! It’s really been a game changer for us! Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for this video. I have been looking for the perfect finish to put on my butcher block counter tops. Your look amazing! I love that with a little sanding and some more tong oil you can make them look new again.
Awesome, so glad it was helpful and I’m sure your tops will turn out great!! Thanks for watching!
So you would use this instead of a stain and polyurethane coat?
Yes, you wouldn't want to do both. The dark tung oil has a pigment built in that acts as a stain. If you get regular tung oil, you could stain the wood first then apply the tung oil over it. Just make sure the stain doesn't have any sort of sealer added in with it. The tung oil will leave a very durable, but also natural feeling finish. With polyurethane, you're basically applying a coat of plastic on top of your wood. Plus if it ever gets damaged, you pretty much need to sand the whole thing down and start over. Tung oil allows you to reapply coats over time or sand down small areas and reapply the tung oil for repairs. It's very forgiving and more natural. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
I used your discount code to get a gallon of Dark Half. I am so glad I found your video! This stuff is amazing, and it will be my go-to sealer from here forward.
Awesome! So glad it worked out well for you!
What kind of wood is your countertops
They are birch!
Hi what happens if you mistakenly leave a glass on them
We haven't had issues with it leaving marks. This fall I made a highly concentrated grape juice from the deep blue/purple grapes that grow here and I didn't realize I had spilled it on the counter. It was there all night and wiped up fine in the morning!
I just ordered this. Called the company with some questions, and they were very helpful . There is a Black Friday sale on right now!!!
So glad they were helpful! Hope you it works really well for you!
great video - one question - i'm currently debating with the father whether to do an eproxy finish or a oil stain. if i went ahead and did an oil stain finish, could I still do an eproxy finish in a couple of years after a resand if I change my mind?
Hey! I'm not an expert on epoxy finishes. But yes, you should definitely be able to sand down the tung oil finish (or really any finish you use) and apply a new finish like epoxy later on if you want. Pretty much any sealer will need to be applied to raw wood to be effective. Thanks for watching!
@@FromScratchFarmstead Thank you, I did the oil finish and I couldn't be happier. She shining
@@suilamhain7429 awesome!! So glad to hear!
Which species of wood did you use for your countertops?
I believe they are birch, which have held up really well. They're literally just the stock butcherblock tops that Menards sells for a really affordable price. Thanks for watching!
Oh my, i absolutely love your counter tops 😍 beautiful. Great job .thank you so much for your kindness and sharing with us how to protect the wood.
Thanks you!! So glad it is helpful for you!
Did you apply tung oil to your raw countertops before adding the sink? What sealent caulking for sink on countertop did you use, clear silicon??? Curious me... thanks for great video
Yes, I definitely applied Tung Oil before the sink went in. And I even applied it before installing the countertop so that I could make sure that the bottom and sides were fully sealed too. That has held up really well, even around the sink area. I don't remember the exact caulk that I used. I don't think it was a pure silicone, but maybe some sort of siliconized kitchen/bath caulk. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for your reply ! @@FromScratchFarmstead
Does this change the colour of the countertops at all? I'm renting a house that has bb countertops and I don't want to alter their appearance too much. Also, anyone know if this product can be purchased in 🇨🇦?
The dark Tung Oil will definitely act like a stain and give a dark finish. But standard Tung Oil will just leave a natural wood finish. It may yellow slightly over time. I'm not entirely sure about RMP being available in Canada, but they have great customer service if you reach out. Thanks for watching!
What species of wood is your countertop?
I believe they are birch, which have held up really well. They're literally just the stock butcherblock tops that Menards sells for a really affordable price. Thanks for watching!
Is it the citrus oil that gives it the darkness?
It's not the citrus... that's more or less clear. The Dark Half (tung oil + citrus solvent) has a dark pigment added to it. I forget exactly what RMPCo uses for the pigment, but I remember looking into it and believe it's a much better option and more natural than most stains. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
This is a great video! The only thing I am wondering is how strong is the smell of the product? Is it like a paint thinner strength smell or a weaker smell like interior house paint.
So, the half n half with the citrus solvent is a stronger smell, but it's a really delightful smell. It will smell like your house is filled with oranges for a couple days. But it goes away. There's no smell like paint thinner or oil or anything like that. Thanks for watching!
Counter tops are looking good!! Nice simple lines to your kitchen.
Thank you!! And thanks for watching!
Try putting a wet cloth under your cutting board when you use it. It will keep it from sliding around to make it safer. A nice bonus is reduction of scratches.
Haven’t heard of that one before but thanks for the tip!
@@FromScratchFarmstead If you’d rather not use something wet, the rubber mesh crisper drawer liners (most dollar stores stock them) work just as well.
Just ordered some dark half for a raw dough trough I’m planning on sealing. Can’t wait 😊 Thanks for the discount code!
@@ohnoyce Good tip! And that sounds like an awesome project! Thanks so much for the support and for watching!
@@ohnoyceso does a silicone cooking mat (Silpat). They also make specific silicone mats for this purpose as well, but they are a little pricey.
I use a white plastic one
It’s never slipped but it’s fairly heavy for plastic.
Question of the day 😂. I live in a basement apartment and as soon as you go down the stairs the kitchen is right there. I need to do a 10’x25” piece & an 8’x25” piece for the 2 kitchen countertops. Not sure on birch or walnut yet, but how bad is the smell going to be? I understand it’s a strong citrus smell but would i need to do it in a garage, or you think in the apartment semi installed would be ok. I can open the front door with a fan blowing out & I have a window above the sink that has a dual exhaust fan that would help, bc taking the tops in and out is a no go, I have a herniated disc 🥴😂. Your tops looking really good! 👍🏼. I ordered their sample kit but I think I already know I wanna do the dark half 😆.
Hey there! It's definitely a strong smell. But very pleasant with the citrus. It does only last a couple days before the smell starts dissipating and you, let alone your neighbors, will hardly notice it. If you have a garage space available, doing it there is always safest with plenty of air flow. Otherwise the fans will definitely help. Sounds like a fun project! Let us know what wood you go with and how it turns out. Good luck to you and thanks for watching!
50/50 tung/citrus is the only wood finish i use. i have used it on furniture and my cabin, even my floors. unlike all other wood finishes, you can just sand and spot reapply away any stains and imperfections. i do not use the stain product. i use natural water based dye instead BEFORE i put down the oil. using water based dye allows you to achieve exact desired color which is not affected by the oil. using stain which is oil soluble means you cannot achieve exact color match and you are introducing chemicals to the process. dyes are far easier, cheaper, natural, and free from fumes as well. if you sand the surface fine, you can also polish apply the last coat of oil so to end up with a very shiny surface finish. as this product is all natural and devoid of petrochemicals, you do not have to worry about poisoning yourself either. the only side effect is that your house will smell like orange julius 🙂
Thanks for sharing all that info - super helpful! I'll need to test that out sometime to use a water based dye, then apply Tung Oil/citrus solvent over it. All the best to you and thanks for watching!
You think like I do!
Hate chemicals
Glad you used pure tung. Because theres no set minimum when you buy whats called tung oil from most stores. And most dont lable whats in it.
Thanks for sharing!
Good info for my first time using butcher block. Lowe's recommended the Howard Oil & Conditioner. Now not sure to go this route or Tung Oil. There is a video on Tung Oil and its confusion. Will have to view that. Small 5ft top for my base wall cabinets so not like being used for a lot but my small appliances. I'm planning on keep look more natural as I have Espresso Shaker Cabs. Your video has helped me be more confident on my project. Can you come over and cut the top for me.... LOL Thanks so much for your "Advise".
Hey! So glad it was helpful and hope the project turns out for you! No product out there is perfect, but Tung Oil is definitely the best I've tried for butcherblock. Thanks for watching!
I was looking at Tung oil for my new cutting boards so now I'm even more excited to think of this making a full a butcher block countertop a viable option.
Awesome! Good luck with your projects and thanks for watching!
5:05 😁👍
Hi there! Great video. I have just purchased a 52 year old house with an ancient looking butcher block island that i am sanding. Can you give an example picture of the half/half vs dark/half oil please?
Hey! Sounds like a fun project! So if you check out this post we did on butcherblock, you'll see a picture of a cutting board we did in half n half. fromscratchfarmstead.com/tung-oil-for-butcher-block/. That was made with a cut off slab of the same butcherblock we used for our countertops, so you can compare that with pictures of the dark half tops we have. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
Like this video. Needed this video. Thanks guys. Great job and you did us viewers all a good service here. Now I know exactly what I’m using on my new butcher block!
Awesome! Hope it turns out great!
Awesome Tip Thank you
You're welcome!
How bad is the smell while the tung oil is curing?
So the citrus smell from the solvent is strong when applying and the day or so following. We find it quite pleasant. But it dissipates relatively quickly. Thanks for watching!
@@FromScratchFarmstead thank you for responding, I appreciate it!
Thanks for this video! I had a question. I just got butcherblock counter tops installed and have applied several coats of Howard's oil as well as conditioner because that's what I was told to use. After watching this I'm regretting that decision. Is there anyway to be able to apply tung oil after the fact? Thanks!
Hey! So unfortunately, tung oil (or really any sealer) needs to be applied to raw wood to really penetrate the grain and proved a good seal. So you’d need to sand them down fully and then apply the tung oil. Since you’ve already applied the Howard’s, I’d probably say just live with them for a while and see how they hold up for you. You may find that it meets your needs. If the become high maintenance, then it might be worth thinking about sanding down and trying the tung oil. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
Did you sand between the coats? And did you vacuum and wipe (with what?), or just wipe the surface? How many hours or days between coats? Do you think 2 coats would be sufficient?
I'd check the tutorial on the real milk paint co site, they give all the specifics for best practices! Thanks for watching!
Do you seal the bottom of it too before you attach it? I’m installing butcher block rn and want to know if I can install the bb unfinished😊
Yes! We did at least a couple solid, thick coats on the bottom before we attached them.
Hi guys. What wood your countertops are made of? What is the thickness? God bless...
I believe they are birch and they are around 1.5 - 2” thick.
Thanks for the helpful video!! You helped me convince my husband that we needed Butch block counter tops. But now I'm completely new to this. How do you clean them? I've used my half tung oil/ citrus solvent mix on them several times but when I wash the counter it feels rough like it's not sealing it. Any helpful tips are very much appreciated!! TIA!
Hey! Awesome that you went with butcher block! Hmm, that's a hard one to diagnose without seeing it and knowing more. We haven't had any sort of roughness when washing them. Like you mentioned, that makes me wonder if they're not sealing properly. Usually the roughness happens when you wipe down raw wood and the grains stand up. Was it smooth after the Tung Oil was applied? I wonder if they might need a light sanding and then reapplying a coat or two of the Tung Oil on top. Also, how long did you let them cure/dry after the initial application. The recommended cure time from RMPC is 30 days. I know that's unrealistic for many, but you want to make sure to at least give them several days to seal up and harden before use. My other thought is to not use anything too potent when cleaning them to make sure you're not stripping away the finish. We usually just use warm water and a rag to wipe them down, or a mild cleaner if needed. Hope that at least gives some tracks to run on! You might also want to reach out to Real Milk Paint Co. to see what they say. Good luck to you!
Has anyone ever not finished them but left them raw? Then they get marks n such on them as they are used. Can u not clean them? Do they swell n crack from wet on them?
I’ve always wondered if it was just a vanity thing like so many things in kitchens & baths.
Can you use this to refinish any wood? I'm going to refinish some wood inserts that are under windows at our church, as well as refinish a table top that looks like it's similar to a butcher block wood table top. I just want to get the yellow oak stain off and have it look like your counter tops.
Yep, definitely! Our island countertop is oak and our other counter tops are birch and we really like how they both look with the dark half tung oil and they've both held up great. Hope this helps!
Get some felt or rubber pads for the chopping board
How are you able to sand so quickly? :-) I watch one video today about not using mineral oil for this process and then tonight your video pops up in my feed. I am happy to say that that woodworker's experiment showed that yes, using Tung Oil was the solution. Thank you for your presentation.
You're very welcome and glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
I would not use their dark tung oil around food, the dark color is from adding asphalt to the oil and using the d-limonene ("citrus solvent") to dissolve the asphalt. Side note, get some d-limonene for removing asphalt and other gummy messes, its an incredible solvent and made from citrus wastes, not petroleum.
Thanks for sharing! According to Real Milk Paint Co, "The darkened color of Dark Half comes from mixing in a naturally occurring resinous hydrocarbon for color. The resin is non-carcinogenic and does not contain any PCBs."
Boiled Linseed Oil is food safe if you buy actual Pure "Boiled" Linseed oil, not the stuff that has chemical dryers in it. There is a company, i think they are Swedish, they do an all natural Cold Pressed BLO, its labeled "All Black" Boiled linseed oil. Though, my go to is still Tung oil.
That's super interesting! Thanks for sharing and for watching!
BUT... Boiled Linseed Oil if VERY Flammable... Beware!
I have butcher block counters with minetal oil. How do i go about doing them with the half dark tung oil now?? Tia
Hey there! Really the best way to do this is to sand them down entirely to raw wood again and then apply the tung oil. Thanks for watching!
Interesting , thanks .
You're welcome!
How often do you re tung oil it?
It really depends on how much you use them. Every 1-2 years seems to be the right fit for our countertops that get A LOT of use!
Does this work for end grain? Have you tried it?
What do you recommend for putting under heat appliances?? This is my biggest battle. I have tried many things under the coffee maker. Tia
We've always just used a dish towel or placement type of thing. Thanks for watching!
Just bought butcher block from Home Depot. Do I stain it first to my desired color before applying this oil? Or does the oil color it? Thanks!
If you've bought the Dark or Dark Half Tung Oil, then it has a dark pigment in it already that will darken/stain the wood while you apply the Tung Oil. If you have standard Tung Oil, then you'd want to stain the raw wood ahead of time before applying the oil. Regular Tung Oil will give you a look pretty similar to natural wood with only slight yellowing. Good luck with your project and thanks for watching!
Love your countertops. Does using the Tung oil keep a butcherblock island top from bowing?
Thank you! We haven't had any issues with bowing but maybe that has more to do with the wood. Generally if you seal the top and bottom good, they should be pretty stable. Thanks for watching!
Do you know if the rubber feet on countertop appliances will leave a black ring on the butcher block treated with this process?
That’s a great question. So several months ago we got an electric grain mill with the black rubber feet that sits permanently on our countertop. We slide it out when we use it and it vibrates pretty good and is heavy. Just checked and there’s no marks whatsoever. I imagine it could be dependent too on the rubber feet… some may just mark more than others. But we’ve never had issues and I imagine that even if it did leave marks, it would just be on the surface and wipe clean pretty easily. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
Do you sand between coats?
I believe I did a light sanding after the first coat but it just depends on the wood. Thanks for watching!
I didn't read all the nearly 300 comments so sorry if this has been answered..but what about where the wood is near the sink and wet a lot? This is my biggest concern with butcher block!
Great question! Since doing it this way, it hasn't been an issue at all by the sink area. Previously, when we had the mineral oil/beeswax the sink area was definitely a problem but our countertops have held up perfectly!
Two points. One , yes tung oil is good stuff if you are patient. Since the product that you are using has no dryers in it, the wait time between coats increases. I have had a decrease in dry time by setting up a fan to move air across the project ( countertops, chairs, tables ). Tung oil has a different molecular linking pattern to oxygen in the atmosphere than , say, BLO. Which brings me to point #2. Do not use BLO for countertops. A few years back I went to a customers house to look at some changes that they wanted in their kitchen. Maple countertops of Eastern Maple . Quite dark in color with age and using BLO. I pulled out some drawers to get a better look at things, and the underside of the countertops were black with mold. BLO is pretty much a Petri Dish for black mold.
Oh boy, definitely want to avoid anything with mold issues! Thanks for sharing your knowledge. That's a good tip with the fan to speed up dry times too! Thanks for watching!
So excited thank you for the information and your blog! Thanks for the savings too. So excited 😆
My Great Grandfather's favorite blessing..
May blessings be under your feet👣 and always be given by your hands 🫴
Awesome! So glad that this was helpful for you! And what a sweet blessing. I love that!
I have butcher block in my kitchen as well that we put in about a year ago. We used watco for our sealer. I'm not a fan of it. Wanting to redo the butcher block. One thing I'm concerned about is our sink is under mount. Do you think the tung oil would be good for that
Could be. You’d just want to make sure it was sealed really well on the end grain and anything exposed. Thanks for watching!
Is tung oil food safe??
Yep! Once it's cured it's food safe. Thanks for watching!
Where's the best place to buy butcher block counter tops like those featured in this video? Beautiful stuff. Where did you get your countertops-- did you make them or buy, if bought where from?
We got our from Menards. They're super affordable there and I've been happy with the quality. They're birch tops. Home Depot or other lumber suppliers likely have them too, or you can order custom ones. Menards offer them in 4' or 8' lengths, or a larger size to fit an island. We got quotes on custom sizes from our local lumber yard and it was much much more expensive. Although, I'm sure the quality would be nicer. If you have the ability to cut them down to size yourself, the standard length options are a really great way to upgrade your kitchen at a super affordable price. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
thanks for this video.. took your advice and purchased milk paint products. sweet couple
You're welcome! Hope you have a good experience with them!
Hi, thanks for sharing. I am curious, do you ever use your counter tops to make bread/pasta/pastries?? Or do you just use your cutting board?
We generally stick to using a large cutting board for everything. But, our cutting board is actually made of scrap wood from our counter tops and finished the same way. Thanks for watching!
My issue with Tung oil and citrus solvent is the horror stories I’ve heard regarding lingering or unbearable odour?
It’s citrusy for sure but it doesn’t stick around in our experience! Thanks for watching!
The counter tops look wonderful. I use something similar on all my cutting boards just to keep them looking like they aren't dried out. I am going to see if I can find the product you have used.
Thanks for sharing.
Blessings
Thank you! Glad this was helpful!
Thanks so much for the great tips and how to video! May I ask what type of wood that is?
They're the standard Birch butcher blocks from Menards. Besides our island... that's actually leftover white oak wood flooring pieces that turning a top for our island. But I'd definitely recommend the birch over white oak for countertops. Thanks so much for watching!
I wonder how cheap pine would hold up? Esp if not sealed? Like old timey cabins would have?
Did they replace them often?
Is tung oil food safe? I've learnt that tung oil should only use in outdoor projects.
From what I've read, yes, it is food safe when cured. The Real Milk Pain Co. site has a lot of good literature on Tung Oil if you're wanting to look more into it. Thanks for watching!
Super helpful! I just ordered my Dark Half!
Awesome! Hope it works well for you!
I hate my butcher block counter tops, they absorb everything 😒
Oh no! We've been blown away by how well this works. Definitely worth it in our opinion. Good luck!