help with chopping board

[technium]

Hi

I have been asked to make a colleague a chopping board from some offcuts of an expensive oak kitchen worktop along with giving me all the rest (enough to make another 5 or 6).

I plan to cut the 40mm thick oak on my table saw and then route the edges with the router to make it look half decent but whats the best way to finish it. As its going to be used for food I assume I need some kind of foodsafe oil but whats the best to use? Also would I need to oil then sand then oil then sand to stop the grain standing up or does that not happen on oak.

Finaly have I forgotten anything or do you have any tips etc? I obviously want to do a good job as hes giving me aload of leftovers.

thanks

Colin

 

[disco_monkey79]

I used virgin olive oil on my homemade chopping boards. Some say there's a chance of it going rancid*, but I've used it several times, and over a long period, and not had any issues.

I haven't used olive oil on oak, but when I've wanted to get a very smooth finish with danish oil on oak, it was a case of sanding smooth, oiling, and then a very light sand after and re-oiling. I don't think it was so much a case of the grain standing up, more a case of imperfections (dust, grit etc) getting caught up in the oil and causing an uneven feel.


*I dare say if you left a wet board somewhere to moulder, then it would go rancid, but then that'd probably be true of any wooden board, whether treated with oil or not

 

[sunnybob]

Food safe mineral oil.
Not baby oil because that has perfume added.

use several coats, needs recoating every once in a while depending on how much (or if) its used.

 

[SkinnyB]

+1 for the mineral oil, butcher block oil etc

 

[NazNomad]

I used coconut oil on a fruit bowl, never had a problem with it going rancid.

 

[thetyreman]

pure tung oil is great on an oak chopping board, I've used it with good results, it is surprisingly water resistant as well.

 

[Nelsun]

Solid surface finishes (Danish oil etc.) will look great to start with but they'll scratch like an 80s DJ over time. Any finish will do similar but mineral oil type finishes are quick and easy to top up as and when needed. You can use food safe waxes blended with mineral oil to add a bit of longevity but it'll still want redoing along the way. Oak + water isn't a great combo as it'll blacken unless you're pretty religious about drying it off quick-sharp.

If it's going to be 40mm thick it'll be a heavy b*gger so routing in some finger access to pick it up is a good idea. Something like a 1/2" radius guided core box bit does well for that.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[sneggysteve]

I used this from IKEA - http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/tool ... -00046786/

See thread #p717335

 

[ED65]

Colin the best finish on most boards of this type is no finish at all. Oiling is mainly done for appearances but it doesn't do much of anything to protect the wood and if hygiene is the main focus (which I think it should be on a typical home board used for a range of foods including meat and dairy) then it's best for the wood to be left bare.

If it is oiled for looks it will need to be periodically oiled by the owner forever to maintain that look, how often will depend on the amount of use the board sees and how it's cleaned.

Also would I need to oil then sand then oil then sand to stop the grain standing up or does that not happen on oak.

It happens very much in oak which has a coarse grain structure.

The way to prevent grain raising once something is exposed to water in use is to raise the grain yourself and then sand off only the raised grain. Some people do multiple rounds of grain raising, from a previous thread here as many as six. But often if you use very hot water you only need to do it once or twice. Don't soak the board, just wet down the surface and prop it up on the drainer to dry.

 

[Rorschach]

Mineral oil, paraffin oil, horse laxative. All the same stuff, doesn't taste or smell of anything, soaks in quick, won't go rancid or a funny colour. Cheap as chips too.

 

[technium]

Thanks all, plenty of different ideas.

I will wait to see the wood and then get a feel of what I want to do with it.

thanks again

Colin

 

[Harbo]

No need to apply any finish, just a quick wash or wipe and leave to dry.
Our oak chopping board is still going strong after 50yrs.

Rod

 

[JWD]

I've used RAW (not boiled) linseed oil in the past which works a treat - boiled linseed has heavy metals in it.

We have two in our house and i'd have to say the bare oak looks the best after 5 years - although does your mate want it to match the worktop or stand out?

joe

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It much depends what it's used for - if it's for a bread board, fine, leave it bare - but if you're going to slice meat on it, it needs oiling.

 

[ED65]

Phil, you actually most want to leave a board unfinished if you use it for meat (raw or cooked). It's perfectly hygienic, same as unfinished wooden spoons are as long as they're washed and allowed to dry between uses.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It's oak, oak is porous. I'd rather they were filled with old oil than old blood.

 

[dickm]

Whatever finish or lack of finish is chosen, make sure you have TWO chopping boards, one for meat or veg that will be properly cooked and a separate one for anything that might be eaten uncooked.

 

[technium]

Thanks all. I have spoke with my colleague and he said he definately wants it oiled but something clear. Im thinking probably the mineral oil but is that just standard 'Pure' mineral oil as ive never purchased it before so want to get the right stuff.

I showed him the thread and he seems to be leaning towards the mineral oil.

thanks, really appreciate all the suggestions, although I think with my share of the wood I may try a few different finishes and see how they all fair.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes, it's liquid paraffin as in the laxative, not paraffin the fuel. Many people go to animal feedstuff or vetinary suppliers rather than a pharmacy for it. Depends how much difference you think there is.

 

[technium]

thanks Phil I was looking at this stuff -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHOPPING-BOAR ... 2548.l4275

Ive been given the wood this morning, the measurements are all 40mm thick 60cm x 45cm for smaller piece, 75 x 60 for middle piece and the largest piece is 60cm x 120cm

thanks

Colin