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Interior Design & Decor
Care and Maintenance for Butcher Blocks Countertops and Kitchen Islands
The wood is widely considered the healthiest
building material in the world. The solid wood represents a
reliable, sturdy material that can last very long without requiring
excessive protection. However, wood is a natural living material
and, unlike man-made materials, it reacts to different environments
in specific ways. We would like to draw your attention to the basic
maintenance instructions for the solid wood countertops, island tops
or butcher blocks. Following these directions will result in having
a great looking, easy to maintain custom countertop that will last
for many years.
Tops with a Mineral Oil Finish
The panel must be oiled carefully on top, bottom and sides, giving a
special attention to the end-grain area, as the section that the
wood is most likely to absorb humidity through. Each cut or drill
you make in the panel (either for size adjustment, sink cutout or
other purposes) must also be oiled thoroughly. Proterra mineral oil
(Hesse, Germany) is a product that we recommend for kitchen tops
applications given that it was specially designed to come in contact
with foods. For situations where there is a great deal of humidity
involved (like sinks, water faucets, etc) the mineral oil only will
not assure the best protection and it is advisable to use
polyurethane or any other similar finishing instead.
With a soft brush, oil the wood generously on all sides or simply
pour a small quantity of oil on the wood and then spread it with the
brush. Let the wood soak the oil for about 20-30 minutes and then
remove the excess with an absorbent paper towel. When the top is
first installed, it is advisable to apply 2-3 successive coats of
oil, after which, the oil can be applied once several months or
whenever needed. Every time you sand the area to remove scratches or
cut marks, a new coat of oil must applied.
Maintenance
In order to keep your wooden top clean, periodically scrape or brush
away any food residues existing on its surface, wash with warm soapy
water and dry it well using either a dry cloth or paper towels.
Apply a new coat of oil any time needed. Alternatively, you can warm
up a 1:4 combination of beeswax and mineral oil until the mixture
becomes homogenized and then apply it uniformly on top’s surface,
thus getting supplementary protection against both stains and
humidity.
Avoid setting your wood top next to extreme heat sources like stoves
unless there is appropriate insulation between the heat source and
the top. Avoid spilling vinegar on a wood top having a mineral oil
finishing, as it can cause cupping or cracking. Do not use corrosive
chemicals or excessively harsh detergents on a wooden top having a
mineral oil finishing, as they can cause irreversible depreciation.
Repairing
If properly installed and sealed and periodically oiled, there is no
reason that your top won’t last a long period of time in the same
good shape it was when new. Sometimes however, due to poor
maintenance and improper environmental conditions, some problems
might arise; it is our duty, therefore to inform about these
problems and the way to solve them.
Cupping and warping are prone to appear whenever there is a
significant difference of moisture between the topside and the
bottom side of the panel. If possible, place the top on a flat, hard
surface, concave side facing down. On the convex side, uniformly
place some fairly heavy objects. It will take up to 12 hours until
the panel will straighten completely, after which, oil it abundantly
on all sides. If it is not possible to manipulate the top,
simply apply generously mineral oil on the concave side until the
panels straightens. In this case, however, you might need to repeat
this operation several times to obtain the desired result.
End splits will manifest whenever the panel is placed in an
excessive dry environment without being properly sealed. To repair,
mix wood sand with a small amount of water-based wood glue and fill
the cracks thoroughly. Allow 15-20 minutes to cure, sand the area
with a 120 grit sand paper and then oil the top freely.
Scratches, cut marks and food stains can be removed by sanding
uniformly the affected area, brushing away the resulting wood dust
and applying a new coat of mineral oil. The finger-jointed panels
can be sanded to a 3/8” depth, while for the continuous lamella
panels and the end-grain butcher blocks, there are no such
restrictions.
Tops with a Polyurethane Finishing
A solid wood surface finished with polyurethane based finishing
requires no maintenance at all. However, scratches, cut marks and
other damages will be difficult to repair; therefore extra care is
required.
About the Author: D. Benjamin is the owner of
iapsales.com LLC - a family business specializing in HVAC products. We
are distributors of
Qmark Heaters,
electric tankless water heaters,
bathroom heaters,
patio heaters, electric heaters,
portable air
conditioners & electric towel warmers. Shop on line at
www.heateroutlet.com for these great home improvement products.
Iapsales.com LLC was established in 2003 and is the sister company to
Innovative Air Products located in historical Exeter, NH. We are a 2nd
generation manufacturers’ rep firm dedicated to providing residential &
commercial heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment. We offer
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