Kitchen Island Butcher Block

Natural hardwoods set off kitchen fixtures and floorings beautifully, which is why they are so popular. If your kitchen features wood surfaces, don’t forget it’s important to completely butcher block countertops in the kitchen after each use, since wood is naturally porous and absorbs bacteria and food odors. The more open-grained the wood, the more porous it is. Oak is on the open grained end of the scale, while maple is on the tighter grained end.

Mild soaps such as liquid dish detergent mixed with water work well for cleaning butcher block. You also can use a solution of bleach and water to help prevent bacteria. Just combine 1 tablespoon bleach with 1 gallon of water. This works really great if you keep the solution in a spray bottle; just spray and wipe the wood after each use. One thing you should never use on wood countertops is a scouring cleanser like Comet.

Wood countertops intended for use as cutting surfaces are finished with penetrating oil, usually mineral oil of some type. In order to maintain this finish and keep the wood stain-resistant, you should periodically apply non-toxic oil, once every few months. USP-grade mineral oil is the best; it is the cheapest food-grade oil and it is available at your local drug store. Vegetable or olive oil should not be used; it will turn rancid. Warm the oil up a little prior to applying with a soft cloth, wiping along the grain direction. Let the oil to soak in for four to six hours then wipe off any excess oil that didn’t soak in.

What about all those spills and marks seemingly branded into the wood? How do you get rid of stains on older butcher-block countertops? You could go ahead have the surface sanded and resealed. But before you do, give this a try: shake some salt over the marks, and then scrub the wood with the cut open side of a lemon half. Letting the wood sit overnight, rinse with water afterwards. For the darker stains, sponge on a solution of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and water.

If you do decide to sand and reseal, consider using one of the professional alternatives to mineral oils. You can find wood sealers designed for food surfaces at many woodworking supply outlets. Look for products called Salad Bowl Finish; these are approved as non-toxic for food contact on countertops and cutting boards and require less frequent maintenance. Enjoy your clean new countertops.

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.