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    Butcher Blocks

    Uploaded by

    Dave Smith
    This document provides instructions for caring for and refinishing a butcher block. Butcher blocks are made of hardwood and traditionally used for cutting meat. To maintain the block, it should be finished regularly with mineral oil and beeswax to prevent warping, cracking, and moisture damage. If refinishing, the block can be sanded with increasing grit sandpaper to smooth it and remove old finishes or stains before applying multiple coats of mineral oil, followed by an optional beeswax topcoat to protect the wood. Regular oiling and wiping off excess moisture keeps butcher blocks in good condition.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Butcher Blocks

    Uploaded by

    Dave Smith
    82 views3 pages
    This document provides instructions for caring for and refinishing a butcher block. Butcher blocks are made of hardwood and traditionally used for cutting meat. To maintain the block, it should be finished regularly with mineral oil and beeswax to prevent warping, cracking, and moisture damage. If refinishing, the block can be sanded with increasing grit sandpaper to smooth it and remove old finishes or stains before applying multiple coats of mineral oil, followed by an optional beeswax topcoat to protect the wood. Regular oiling and wiping off excess moisture keeps butcher blocks in good condition.

    Original Description:

    How to care for a Butcher Block

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    © Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)

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    This document provides instructions for caring for and refinishing a butcher block. Butcher blocks are made of hardwood and traditionally used for cutting meat. To maintain the block, it should be finished regularly with mineral oil and beeswax to prevent warping, cracking, and moisture damage. If refinishing, the block can be sanded with increasing grit sandpaper to smooth it and remove old finishes or stains before applying multiple coats of mineral oil, followed by an optional beeswax topcoat to protect the wood. Regular oiling and wiping off excess moisture keeps butcher blocks in good condition.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    82 views3 pages

    Butcher Blocks

    Uploaded by

    Dave Smith
    This document provides instructions for caring for and refinishing a butcher block. Butcher blocks are made of hardwood and traditionally used for cutting meat. To maintain the block, it should be finished regularly with mineral oil and beeswax to prevent warping, cracking, and moisture damage. If refinishing, the block can be sanded with increasing grit sandpaper to smooth it and remove old finishes or stains before applying multiple coats of mineral oil, followed by an optional beeswax topcoat to protect the wood. Regular oiling and wiping off excess moisture keeps butcher blocks in good condition.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    Re-shaping and re-finishing a Butcher Block

    Simple steps you can take to keep your butcher block safe and looking beautiful.

    About Butcher Blocks

    Butcher blocks have traditionally been made from pieces of maple or a similar
    hardwood glued together to form a solid slab, or even a block. Butcher blocks have
    been used for hundreds of years and recently have become popular in modern kitchen
    designs. More recently, butcher blocks have become available in a variety of imported
    hardwoods.

    Historically butcher blocks were used for cutting meats. The thick hard surfaces
    were ideal for the heavy blows of a meat cleaver, or the slicing action of a carving knife.
    Today, most butcher blocks serve more of an aesthetic purpose in the modern kitchen.

    Care and Maintenance

    Butcher blocks should be finished regularly with a mineral oil and a beeswax
    coating to maintain their beauty and keep the wood from warping and cracking. Modern
    polyurethane and varnish finishes that are used on most furniture today should not be
    used on butcher blocks. These finishes are hard and sit on the surface. Cutting on the
    butcher block will break through this barrier and allow moisture into the wood.

    Butcher blocks are made from natural wood and thus suffer from the effects of
    moisture. Too much moisture will cause the block to swell. Too little moisture can
    cause the wood to dry out and shrink, causing cracks. These problems can be avoided
    by keeping standing water and moisture (such as liquids from meats) from sitting on the
    surface of the block. Simply wipe the block dry when you are done.

    Winter months bring dry air and this can cause the butcher block to lose moisture
    and dry out as well. Placement of the block near a washing machine or stove can also
    cause the block to dry out. Regular applications of mineral oil is the best way to ensure
    your butcher block keeps from drying out. A top coat of beeswax finish not only helps to
    smooth the surface, it also helps to repel water.
    Sanding if Necessary

    When refinishing a butcher block you may wish to sand the surface of the wood
    to remove old stains, scratches and marks. Sanding can also be used to remove a
    polyurethane or varnish finish that was applied by mistake. Aggressive reshaping of a
    well used block is sometimes called for – that’s a bigger project, and Harbor Freight.

    Massive surface reworking or removal. A random orbital sander is ideal for the
    sanding process. If the wood is in rough shape you may want to start with 80 grit
    sandpaper. As you sand the block smoother and smoother it is important to "work
    through the grits". This means that each time you sand you use finer and finer
    sandpaper. Each finer grade of sandpaper will remove the scratches left by the
    previous grade. An example of this is to start will an 80 grit sandpaper, next use
    120grit, then 240grit, and finally with 400 grit. If your butcher block needs only modest
    sanding, you can start with the 240 grit and finish with the 400 grit. Depending on your
    desired finish you might skip the 400 grit sanding.

    When sanding out gouges and scratches keep in mind that if you don't sand the
    top evenly you will end up with "hills" and "valleys" in the top. If you concentrate on
    sanding on scratch to ‘get it out’ you will end up with a valley. Antique butcher blocks
    probably already suffer from this, and you should probably just consider them "character
    marks".

    Oil Protection

    There are numerous oils available for butcher blocks. Some companies market
    them as special "Butcher Block Finishes" or "Mystery Oil". There is a term for this
    practice- selling ‘snake oil’. You can save some money by visiting the local hardware
    store and purchasing Mineral Oil. (not mineral spirits - that's paint thinner)

    Applying Mineral Oil

    You do not want to use olive oil, vegetable oil, or other organic or food-based oils
    on a chopping block. These finishes can become rancid and sticky with regular
    application and time. It won't hurt the block, but it will cause an odor and can impart a
    taste to food prepared on the surface.

    The mineral oil can be applied to the surface with a rag or sponge. It's very
    simple to apply and difficult to make a mistake. Simply wipe it on the surface and watch
    it soak in. Ok, do another coat. When the wood won't take any more oil, you can wipe
    off the excess with a clean dry cloth. Don't worry about applying too much oil – here,
    more really is better.

    New or old butcher blocks that have become dry may need 5-10 coats. Once a
    block has become conditioned, regular applications of 1-2 coats on a monthly basis are
    recommended. A beeswax finish should then be applied for optimal performance.

    A ‘heat gun’ will speed the beeswax going on.

    Beeswax Top Coat

    The beeswax topcoat is an optional addition to the re-finishing process but is well
    worth the time. The beeswax sits on the surface of the wood in contrast to the oil that
    soaks into the wood. As a result the beeswax fills in pores and gaps that thin oil can't
    bridge. This helps to keep moisture, bacteria, and other contaminants from getting into
    the wood surface.

    Oil soap will take off many things – including paint!

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