bread board finish

Farm Labourer · 26 Oct 2019

I've started to transform an ash off-cut from my bench into a traditional breadboard with rebated end caps.

I would normally finish with olive-oil but wondered if you experts had better ideas.

Thank you in anticipation.

Steve Maskery · 26 Oct 2019

Nothing at all.
I own two wooden kitchen boards, one elm, one maple. I can't find the maple one, I have no idea how one loses a breadboard, I think it must have disappeared when I refitted my kitchen last year

But I still have my elm one. No breadboard ends, so it's a bit wonky, quite bleached from being in the dishwasher regularly, but apart from its 3D surface, it's as good as the day I planed it up. I don't know when that was, but it was in A Previous Life, so at least ten years ago.

MikeG. · 26 Oct 2019

I tend to put a finish on end-grain chopping boards, but not on long grain boards, such as breadboards. I've got a beech breadboard here which must be 30 years old. It's never had a finish on it, and although it's a bit thinner than it was, it is otherwise perfect and likely good for another 30 years.

--Tom-- · 26 Oct 2019

If you’re just using for bread no need for a finish.

For a general purpose board I soak in mineral oil and then use a home brew mix of beeswax and mineral oil. Once the surface gets scored up, I’ll scrape it smooth, reoil then rewax.

mumble · 27 Oct 2019

Olive oil tends to go rancid. Rapeseed oil and sunflower oil are better. I use orange oil for my wood turning bits that are used for foodstuff.

Orraloon · 27 Oct 2019

I also would say leave it bare. Been using a bit of oak board for over 40 years as a chopping board. Gets washed with the dishes and dried on the dishrack. Has been in the dishwasher a few times but that makes it a bit furry so it's also had a couple of defurrings with a plane.
Regards
John