oiling a solid oak kitchen worktop

andymarshal · 15 Sep 2006

Hi, guys i managed to sort out an oak worktop for my kitchen and have read conflicting info on the best oil to use on it. I just wandered what people around here would use/recommend.

Thanks
Andy

oilman · 16 Sep 2006

Tung oil, next best linseed oil. don't use anything with additives like driers in, such as boiled linseedoil, or danish oil.

andymarshal · 19 Sep 2006

Thanks for that, can you refer me to any particular brand and where to get it from.

Thanks
Andy

woodsmith · 30 Sep 2006

oilman said:
Tung oil, next best linseed oil. don't use anything with additives like driers in, such as boiled linseedoil, or danish oil.

I'm just wondering why you recommend tung oil, don't you find it takes ages to dry, linseed oil is even worse. My personal preferences are Liberon finishing oil for a satin(ish) finish and Chestnut finishing oil for a slightly more glossy finish.

oilman · 30 Sep 2006

What if it does take ages? You put the oil on in the evening, wipe off the excess before you go to bed, and it's ok to use in the morning. If it's wet so what? It's not poisonous.

Next evening you give it a wipe over coat with a cloth, and so on for the first week. Then as often as your enthusiasm lasts.

It takes weeks to dry, but then it's going to be there for years. While it's drying it's going further and further into the wood. This quick drying stuff sits on top and will wear off, giving more maintenance. The dryers are poisonous in some cases, so why use them on a food surface?

I have surfaces finished only with tung oil. Some are matt, some are satin and some shine. Just depends on the number of coats and the amount of rubbing. But then I like doing it.

Andymarshal, Holkham and Liberon are ok brands just to mention two. Don't go for the cheap stuff. All oils are not the same.

Arthur Cider · 6 Oct 2006

andymarshall

Ive just had MFI solid wood worktops installed and I used ..

Sadolin Worktop Oil (sold at B&Q)

Saturday Morning, simply apply using a J cloth, leave for @2 hours, wipe off excess and leave for the day

Easy to buy at any B&Q, easy to apply and looks real cool

oilman · 7 Oct 2006

What's in it? Has it got driers? does it dry with a sheen?

Arthur Cider · 8 Oct 2006

Sadolin Worktop Oil is formulated to waterproof and protect your wooden worktops to give a natural, classic look to your kitchen. Stops worktops from warping and splitting.

It dries nicely and has a mid sheen finish, looks and feels real cool

www.sadolin.co.uk/homeowner/products/woodenflooring/worktopoil/index.htm

oilman · 8 Oct 2006

Arthur Cider said:
.................
It dries nicely and has a mid sheen finish, .............................

...................

It probably has driers in then.

Arthur Cider · 10 Oct 2006

OILMAN, Im up for giving this Tung oil a try

Can you advise, after using one type of oil (as mentioned above) if switching to another, can you just go straight on top of the old oil or is it back to the bare wood again?

oilman · 10 Oct 2006

I would think tung oil could be applied by just wiping over with a rag. Tung oil should be applied on bare wood, and allowed to soak in, but if the B&Q stuff has driers in, then soaking in probably wont happen.

mr_mike · 10 Oct 2006

.....at risk of throwing the cat amongst the pigeons, personally I think Danish Oil looks great on Oak worktops. It is in reality a very dilute, oily, amber-coloured varnish designed to be applied and wiped off while still wet. The result is a very thin film that offers little in the way of protection but definitely enhances the beauty of the wood. It's better for low-wear surfaces to be honest.....having said that I use it on my kitchen worktops, and ones that I fit for people.

Tung Oil (like Danish Oil) also has poor water, scratch and stain resistance. The difference is the oil's allowed to soak into the wood and each coat takes at least a day to dry. You just flood it on and wipe off the excess. It gives a soft finish, that tolerates dents without chipping. The worktops will darken with age as with most oils.....it's just a matter of what you like the look of best ?

....neither will provide failsafe protection.....at the end of the day....it's all about wiping up water spills immediately, not plonking hot pans them & avoiding leaving metal pans in the one place for long periods.....this can lead to dark stains which are a bugger to get out.......Oak's particularly susceptible to this.......

.....having said all that I love Oak worktops.....and I love the look Danish Oil gives them.....even if it isn't technically a 'pure' oil and even though it contains 'driers' e.g. evaporative solvents. Over time I just prefer the look of Danish to Tung, Linseed/Boiled Linseed or Walnut Oil.

oilman · 11 Oct 2006

Tung oil takes a day to dry? It takes weeks. To dry it oxidises to a polymer which swells and fills the pores in the wood. Danish oil is tung oil which has been heat treated and has driers added so it polymerises much faster, it is not just a matter of evaporative solvents.

mr_mike · 11 Oct 2006

Apologys Oilman.....what I mean't was re: Tung Oil, is having wiped off the excess, it takes at least a day to sink into the wood...I'm sure it does takes weeks to dry, if it ever really does.

Arthur Cider · 11 Oct 2006

"but if the B&Q stuff has driers in"

Oilman, It's not B&Q stuff its Sadolin Worktop Oil

Thanks mr_mike, you certainly know what your talking about

Im going to take your advise as I'm about to start a new kitchen in our second home, thanks again

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oiling a solid oak kitchen worktop

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