Varnish or oil for old kitchen top

[Maggie2006]

Hi All,
We have recently moved to a new house with a wooden kitchen top which needs a bit of retouch. I plan to sand it down however I am unsure about what to apply on the top. I did the oil bead test and noted that the oil drop doesn't get absorbed - does this mean the existing finish is varnish, and that I have to use varnish to seal it off? Or can use something like Osmo or Danish oil? Thanks for any helpful advice.

 

[JohnD]

the appearance does suggest varnish to me. You will want to sand it back to bare wood or the appearance will be patchy. Try a medium fine to remove the old finish, and fine to smooth the wood. Use a cork sanding block. Coarser sandpaper will abrade faster but leave a rougher surface. Rub only along the grain, not across it, and not in circles.

If you want to change or intensify the colour, you can use a wood dye, preferably spirit based, after sanding.

If you wipe the sanded surface with a damp cloth, you will get a preview of how it will look after revarnishing.

IMO a matt or satin varnish would be better than oil. Oil is easier to re-treat on weathered external wood, but indoors I don't see an advantage. edit: now I see you have a kitchen worktop, if you want to oil it (you will have to re-treat frequently) you can do that but will have to sand off all the varnish first. Oil is not waterproof and IMO unsuitable near taps and kettles.

I mostly use a Diamond Floor varnish, which is very durable. You can apply three or four thin coats if you want. Windowsills tend to get ornaments and flowerpots on them which might be the cause of the wear on yours. Felt pads, mats or doilies would add protection. I don't know about pet claws.

 

[Maggie2006]

Thanks JohnD. Much appreciate

 

[foxhole]

Osmo top oil, minimum 5 coats, last one I did lasted 4 years without any maintenance.