![]() |
Poly vs. Mineral oil for coutertops: the great conflict. - Printable Version +- Woodnet Forums (https://forums.woodnet.net) +-- Thread: Poly vs. Mineral oil for coutertops: the great conflict. (/showthread.php?tid=7269005) |
Poly vs. Mineral oil for coutertops: the great conflict. - closed for business - 04-20-2016 I'm going to dabble in doing a mini kitchen reno. the cabinets are painted white (not my choice, some joker painted nice oak cabinets white). I'm going to replace the backsplash, and repaint the cabinets an antique white bisque color. I'm planning cherry counters, potentially live edge, with a walnut stripe. there may be some inlay work, depending on how i'm feeling. anyways, would you poly them and seal it once and for all, or do mineral oil treatment like a butcher block. Poly would lockout moisture mostly, but will get scratched. If it was MO, and they got scraped, you can touch up sand/oil and you're back to newish. thoughts? Re: Poly vs. Mineral oil for coutertops: the great conflict. - atgcpaul - 04-20-2016 I just did butcherblock in my kitchen and used General Finishes Enduro-Var Water Based Polyurethane Varnish. My other choice was going to be Waterlox Original which seems like everyone who does wood countertops swears by. Anyway, I chose the Enduro-Var because I wanted to spray on a lot of coats in a short amount of time and I didn't want to stink up the house when I brought them inside. I should have used the Waterlox for the ease of future repairs. I tinted the Enduro-Var and I know I won't be able to get the same color down the road when I need to fix up spots. I finished a small game table with Waterlox and the smell dissipated much faster than I thought. Personally, I wouldn't go with the mineral oil. I've used it on cutting boards and the IMO the sheen isn't as nice and it always feel oily. Re: Poly vs. Mineral oil for coutertops: the great conflict. - ®smpr_fi_mac® - 04-20-2016 Mineral oil doesn't cure. I wouldn't use it. Re: Poly vs. Mineral oil for coutertops: the great conflict. - meackerman - 04-20-2016 This was for wooden cuttingboards, but seems it would work on any wooden countertop. Problem with most film finishes like poly is if someone cuts on it, they can cut the finish there's no easy way to fix it. Howard Acheson said: Re: Poly vs. Mineral oil for coutertops: the great conflict. - jteneyck - 04-20-2016 It's pretty simple. If anyone is going to cut directly on the counter top, don't use varnish, use Howard's recipe. If you can convince yourself, and whoever cooks in the kitchen, never to cut on it varnish will look nicer, longer. John Re: Poly vs. Mineral oil for coutertops: the great conflict. - Cooler - 04-20-2016 I went through that decision making recently myself. My rationale was it you are planning on using the counter top as a cutting board, then mineral oil; if you are going to use cutting boards for cutting then poly. The mineral oil finish will require vastly more maintenance. The poly is not safe for food. I put down 4 coats of oil based poly. I waited two full weeks before putting the finish to use. After one week I used place mats on the surface to protect the finish. But after two weeks I was confident that the finish was fully cured. In a couple of years I might scuff it up and apply another coat. But I expect it to stand up well. I have several silicone trivets to protect it from heat and scratches. If you are using poly I recommend that you get at least a half dozen of these (they work great as pot holders too). http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1...cone+pot+holder Here is my poly coated countertop: ![]() Re: Poly vs. Mineral oil for coutertops: the great conflict. - meackerman - 04-20-2016 Cooler said: since when? once its cured its food safe. Re: Poly vs. Mineral oil for coutertops: the great conflict. - Cooler - 04-20-2016 meackerman said: since when? once its cured its food safe. [/blockquote] What I meant is it not safe to use as a cutting board where chips of the poly can get into the food. It is safe to put food on poly finish. You would not want to eat it though. Re: Poly vs. Mineral oil for coutertops: the great conflict. - closed for business - 04-20-2016 jteneyck said: Or slide a pan on it, or a cup or bowl that the bottom isn't polished smooth or... whatnot. I can refrain from cutting on it, but what about setting a plate on it that's made out of stone ware and moving it? The gent that has been down this road, how long have you had yours fully cured and any moderate/major marks? Re: Poly vs. Mineral oil for coutertops: the great conflict. - jteneyck - 04-20-2016 Good point, and the reason I have granite counter tops. Can't cut on it either, though, but that's why cutting boards were invented. John |