Oak kitchen worktop oil choice

[ukworkshipper]

Hi folks!

I am deciding how to finish my new kitchen worktop, it's 40mm thick oak and I like to keep the matte look. The manual mentions worktop oil but after much reading I am still unsure which oil to choose. I have also thought about using varnish, which should be less maintenance but I am not sure that I will like the finish and it has its own cons.

One of the most suggested is Osmo but I am confused beteween the Polyx-oil and the Topoil, what's the difference and is any of the two preferred? Is Osmo hardwax oil the same as Polyx?

What about tung oil? Does it provide any advantage over the Osmo products?
In a wood working forum users were suggesting to use Linseed oil/beeswax combination or water based polyurethane. But not sure if water based polyurethane gives a varnished finish.

Will I be able to use the same product for finishing the steps of a stairs with steps made of oak?

Any help is highly appreciated!

 

[johnnyb]

I prefer fiddes hard wax to osmo these days. But rubio is well thought of and expensive. Varnish is a bit old school these days. Oils like tung and danish are not very durable tbh. Hard wax oils are favoured as there surprisingly durable and easy to recoat.

 

[HOJ]

I use Fiddes satin matt hard wax oil on my interior joinery, I have used Osmo in the past but the drying time is a lot longer, like 16 hours.

I'm making 3 Oak worktops at the mo, one is a big desk and then a freestanding kitchen island unit, both destined for finishing with the Fiddes.

 

[ukworkshipper]

Thanks for the feedback. I am not sure if I can source Fiddes because is for a job on the Continent and I am not finding any Fiddes reseller :-(. Looking at their website they don't seem to ship outside the UK and then with shipping and customs it might get expensive. Such a shame as their prices seem reasonable. Is there something on par with Fiddes?

 

[Fitzroy]

Hard wax oils are favoured as there surprisingly durable and easy to recoat.

I have a wooden worktop in my utility and even with only occasional sink use the area around the sink needs some maintenance every year or two, an oil/hardwax finish is pretty easy to sand back and recoat, I think a varnish finish would be a real pain long term.

Mine are finished in Danish Oil but it is really not very durable so wouldn't recommend.

 

[alex robinson]

There are 2 different types of finishes that have been suggested.

Varnishes such as polyurathane are film type finishes that sit on top of the wood. Any damage will be difficult to repair without refinishing a large area. They tend not to give the grain so much life and tone as oil based finishes, but are more durable.

Oil based finishes such as tung, linseed, osmo or any other hard wax oil soak into the top layer of the wood before curing (interestingly equivalent oxygen based polymerisation rather than "drying" for both). They are less durable, need multiple coats but are easily repairable and bring out the texture of the wood much better.

Danish oil is an interesting one as the name covers a wide range of recipes. Often however they are mixes of tung (or other drying oils) and oil based polyurathane varnish, sometimes with a thinning agent such as white spirits to help with penetration.

I would go with an oil based finish and apply several coats. It will then need reapplying every 6 -12 months to look good. There are a great many available and some will be more durable / easy to use / cheaper than others. I wouldn't worry however too much about which one - they should all do the job.

Drying time can be very different, especially for the more "natural" finishes. Pure tung oil takes forever so I would steer clear of that. The quick dry version has time amounts of metal catalysts in it that reduce the curing time from weeks to hours. If speed is a real issue there are various options with a second component that is mixed in just before application to speed matters up.

 

[Distinterior]

On the rare occasions that I fit Oak, or any other real wooden worktops come to that, I use Rubio Monocoat....It is a 2 part system where by you mix the two liquids together in very accurate quantities prior to application.

I know it's quite expensive to buy, but the finish is good and hard wearing, which is extra important on a kitchen or utility room worktop.
It's available in various colours & tints, but I tend to stick to the natural colour finish.

 

[sploo]

I've used Osmo Top Oil (3058 Clear, Matt) on oak worktops, over the top of Osmo Wood Protector. It's worked very well. The only weakness I've found is that if your child leaves rolled up balls of dried acrylic paint on top it will react and "leak" through... but I suspect that's a rather unlikely issue... unless you're me.

 

[ukworkshipper]

There are 2 different types of finishes that have been suggested.

Varnishes such as polyurathane are film type finishes that sit on top of the wood. Any damage will be difficult to repair without refinishing a large area. They tend not to give the grain so much life and tone as oil based finishes, but are more durable.

Oil based finishes such as tung, linseed, osmo or any other hard wax oil soak into the top layer of the wood before curing (interestingly equivalent oxygen based polymerisation rather than "drying" for both). They are less durable, need multiple coats but are easily repairable and bring out the texture of the wood much better.

Danish oil is an interesting one as the name covers a wide range of recipes. Often however they are mixes of tung (or other drying oils) and oil based polyurathane varnish, sometimes with a thinning agent such as white spirits to help with penetration.

I would go with an oil based finish and apply several coats. It will then need reapplying every 6 -12 months to look good. There are a great many available and some will be more durable / easy to use / cheaper than others. I wouldn't worry however too much about which one - they should all do the job.

Drying time can be very different, especially for the more "natural" finishes. Pure tung oil takes forever so I would steer clear of that. The quick dry version has time amounts of metal catalysts in it that reduce the curing time from weeks to hours. If speed is a real issue there are various options with a second component that is mixed in just before application to speed matters up.

Thank you that's very informative, this forum is as usual a fantastic place to learn!
I will definitely stick with an oil, but I need to figure out what to get and if food safe certification is necessary.

 

[ukworkshipper]

I find the Osmo product line a bit confusing. It seems the PolyX is only available in certain countries, maybe due to some regulations. The Top Oil seems to be the only food certified, not the PolyX which probably has some additives. PolyX is water repellent, not sure if TopOil has the same degree of water repellent.

It's ironic because PolyX can be used on children toys, so you can put it in your mouth, but you can't place food on it?! Doesn't make sense.

 

[alex robinson]

I find the Osmo product line a bit confusing. It seems the PolyX is only available in certain countries, maybe due to some regulations. The Top Oil seems to be the only food certified, not the PolyX which probably has some additives. PolyX is water repellent, not sure if TopOil has the same degree of water repellent.

It's ironic because PolyX can be used on children toys, so you can put it in your mouth, but you can't place food on it?! Doesn't make sense.

It is my understanding that "food safe" merely means they have paid for the testing and certification. There are very few finishes that are not inert once cured (eg lead paint!). From their point of view, if they have 2 products and 2 sets of expensive certification tests on offer, why not put 1 though each? That way they can have something with the correct certificates for both usages and plenty of users will then want to buy 2 tins not one...

 

[ukworkshipper]

It is my understanding that "food safe" merely means they have paid for the testing and certification. There are very few finishes that are not inert once cured (eg lead paint!). From their point of view, if they have 2 products and 2 sets of expensive certification tests on offer, why not put 1 though each? That way they can have something with the correct certificates for both usages and plenty of users will then want to buy 2 tins not one...

I think you are absolutely right. I have checked the ingredients and they are essentially the same, the only difference is that the PolyX has titanium dioxide, iron oxide and some pigments. I will just buy whichever is at hand.

Osmo Wood Protector is it useful for a first layer?

 

[ukworkshipper]

I have ordered Osmo Topoil, we shall see how it turns out, thanks for the advice!

 

[imageel]

There are 2 different types of finishes that have been suggested.

Varnishes such as polyurathane are film type finishes that sit on top of the wood. Any damage will be difficult to repair without refinishing a large area. They tend not to give the grain so much life and tone as oil based finishes, but are more durable.

Oil based finishes such as tung, linseed, osmo or any other hard wax oil soak into the top layer of the wood before curing (interestingly equivalent oxygen based polymerisation rather than "drying" for both). They are less durable, need multiple coats but are easily repairable and bring out the texture of the wood much better.

Danish oil is an interesting one as the name covers a wide range of recipes. Often however they are mixes of tung (or other drying oils) and oil based polyurathane varnish, sometimes with a thinning agent such as white spirits to help with penetration.

I would go with an oil based finish and apply several coats. It will then need reapplying every 6 -12 months to look good. There are a great many available and some will be more durable / easy to use / cheaper than others. I wouldn't worry however too much about which one - they should all do the job.

Drying time can be very different, especially for the more "natural" finishes. Pure tung oil takes forever so I would steer clear of that. The quick dry version has time amounts of metal catalysts in it that reduce the curing time from weeks to hours. If speed is a real issue there are various options with a second component that is mixed in just before application to speed matters up.

I'd 2nd the recommendation to use an oil based solution - I myself used tung oil on my oak kitchen worktop and a few stains aside it has lasted 5+y and still looks good, and as Alex states - it is easily repairable.
The trick with tung oil is that it needs to be thinned maybe 3:1 with white spirit as it has the consistency of syrup neat, the upside is that when applied so thinly the film oxidises pretty quickly over maybe half a day and so it's relatively easy to build up the likely minimum number of layers you will need - as-in 4 or more. ~The final coats you may get away thinning only 50% but if you do then you had better wipe over the surface with a lint-free cloth after so as to even out the film and prevent 'wet' spots that will take ages to harden