Im not sure what the best choice is or if one is darker than another, but we didnt do the waterlox. I wanted to be able to cut on it (if I dare lol). So we just have a mineral oil finish.

I have a Boos maple top in their varnique finish. I won't be cutting directly on the top and I didn't want to bother with re-oiling. I was also concerned about the oil finish and my kids doing homework at the island (didn't want oil ruining their papers).

My butcherblock top (maple, end grain) is oiled. It's about two years old, and I haven't had problems with rings, staining, etc. The oil does help to repel some liquids (water, juice and the like) but not others (other oils).

One advantage to an oiled surface is that it is very easy to maintain the finish. You simply pour some oil out of a bottle, rub it in with your hands and let it sit overnight. In the morning, use a paper towel to absorb any excess.

Another option is mineral oil with beeswax. It may provide a bit more protection against staining.

We have a peninsula in walnut, and we did not waterlox, we just oil it. I baby it a bit, but the kids do eat on it every morning (with place mats!) and after 8 months it looks good as new. I oil it with mineral oil, and occasionally with this beeswax oil stuff that I get from Williams Sonoma. We didn't want to Waterlox it because we wanted it to look more like old wood than a shiny kitchen counter.

One advantage to an oiled surface is that it is very easy to maintain the finish. You simply pour some oil out of a bottle, rub it in with your hands and let it sit overnight. In the morning, use a paper towel to absorb any excess.

One advantage to a Waterlox surface is that it is even easier to maintain the finish. Simply apply 2-3 coats of the Waterlox initially, do nothing but enjoy for 2-3 years, then when you've got a few stains that you don't want to look at anymore, lightly sand the surface and reapply another topcoat of Waterlox. Wait another 3 years and repeat.

We started out trying the whole oiling thing with our BB counters until I just couldn't stand the upkeep anymore. It was an oily gross too-frequent job, cat hairs got sucked into the oil, parts of it would dry out faster than others, and the counter never really looked or felt the way I wanted it to. The Waterlox was like a dream come true. I say go with Waterlox.

Like Jenswrens said, it will take more care and upkeep to do the oil. I like the look better, too, but I love our Waterlox finish on so many things around the house I want to do kitchen jobs freely, without thinking my surfaces need to be babied. I knew myself well enough to know Waterlox was what I needed. Done right, the Waterlox can look matte and pretty close to oil. I admit that I didn't accomplish that on my island, because DH was nervous because of the prep sink and urged me to do more coats for a heavier layer of protection. My cabinets that have only 2 coats of original, and 2 thin coats of handrubbed satin, look closer to a handrubbed oil finish. Someday I might try to work on it and get it closer to the look...But I'm too busy using the island to care enough about doing that! :-)

Stacey, another Waterlox fan here. Although I don't have wood to oil, I do have soapstone counters so know about keeping up an oiled surface. Our island is wood plank because we also wanted a "old farmhouse" table feel, and I used the matte finish of Waterlox. It doesn't have a shine at all, but a nice sheen. Here's are a couple of photos so you can get the idea of the sheen. One is the island under artificial light, one is natural daylight.

Eliz

I have American Cherry counters throughout my kitchen. I finished them with pure tung oil cut 50% with citrus solvent. Got them both at the Real Milk Paint company. It is amazing stuff. Beautiful, and didn't even start to look a little tired until two years later. Then all that was needed was a once over with more of the oil mixture. No sanding. Good as new.

I used Waterlox on my floors and I love the stuff. But the pure tung oil is completely food safe, and easier to touch up than Waterlox. And I've had to touch up the floor here and there.

Oh, goodness, what a decision!!

elizpiz- that's pretty much what I want our island to look like... what's the wood?

pirula- do you have any problems at all with water discoloring the oiled finish on your cherry?

I am getting carrara marble counters, so I have a feeling that the island is really going to be my utility prep zone (like if I am making anything acidic, processing tomatoes in September, etc and dont want to etch the marble too much).... so it's going to get used a lot. I guess I prefer the look of oil but since I already have one surface I will want to baby a little bit.... the island needs to be pretty care-free! I dont care AT ALL about re-oiling as need be. I will enjoy that (do it on the teak furniture already). BUT I dont wat to have to worry about wiping up every spill immediately.

Hi staceyneil,

Not only do I not have problems with water discoloring the wood, I don't have problems with oil, tomato sauce, coffee, red wine, or anything else discoloring the wood. It sits there till I wipe it off. And if it dries, it still comes off with a wet cloth and water. If you allow water to dry on the counter, it leaves water spots that you can then wipe away with a moist cloth. Gone. I'm ashamed to admit it, but will anyway, that most oil drops just get rubbed into the counter and disappear.

Want to add that the first go around with the tung oil took about eight coats. And that each coat needed a few days to dry. So you're effectively counterless for several days. But after that, it's heaven.

Elizpiz, I should know this, but is there an actual 'matte' finish Waterlox, not just 'satin?' I haven't seen it and didn't see it on the website. Just wondering, because I want my island to look more like yours and it's shinier.

I was just looking at the web site and only saw the satin, too. Maybe it has to do with how many base coats of gloss you put on first? The web site says 1 or 2. I have done a LOT of varnishing on our boat and I know that on the interior we used gloss base coats and then many coats of the "rubbed effect" which seems pretty comparable to Waterlox's system. How many coats of gloss did you do, rhome410? And how about you, elizpiz?

And, back to my original concern, about the color of the wood.... how did you guys find the Waterlox changed the color (or not at all?)

The only reason I am even second-guessing Waterlox is because the sample of oiled cherry I saw was lovely, darker than natural, and I thought that the slight contrast to the base cabs would be nice!

RHome - oops! you are right - it is "satin". Guess I have matte on the brain because I responded to another post about BM Aura and matte finish paint! I used one coat of the "original" sealer and two coats of the satin finish on the island, using the guidelines on the Waterlox web site.

Stacey, the wood is reclaimed red oak planks we bought at an architechtural salvage place that specializes in reclaimed wood. They also fabricated the island top. I've linked the site below, although it may not practical for you, since it's in Canada.

As an aside, I use "Wood for Good" from Method to clean the island a few times a week, aside from regular wipe ups and spills. It has a lovely almond scent and adds its own nice bit of sheen to the wood. Although I have to say that DH really doesn't like the smell! :-)

HTH,
Eliz

Here is a link that might be useful: Timeless Materials

Hey!! Thanks for that tip on wood for good Elizpiz! I'm going to try it for other wood things.

I clean my counters with my dish soap, which is the Mrs. Meyer's with lavender and orange oils. Makes the counters beautiful.

Your cherry is going to darken regardless of what you finish it with. I don't think the waterlox will make it any different than the tung oil with citrus solvent will. So don't worry about that. Both will bring out the gorgeous grain. Cherry oxidizes and darkens naturally. I wish atticmag was up, I'd post my pics. But I'm in the finished kitchens blog somewhere. Sorry, not the most tech savvy I am.

I was going to say that Elizpiz's counters look like my floors, which are Waterlox satin.

I have used that Method wood cleaner and liked it, too.

On the cherry darkening... I know it will darken, it's just that I would love it to be just a little different-looking than the cherry cabs it sits on. At the showroom, the John Boos cherry butcherblock finished with oil was several shades darker than the satin-varnished piece, which looked JUST like the natural cherry cabinets. So: I am trying to figure out if that darkening is something I coulod expect if I chose oil. I am leaning towards the Waterlox..... but would really like a little darker (or just different-looking?) top then cabinet bases. Does that make sense at all? Perhaps just being horizontal, it will darken more and look different?

Hmmm, I totally understand staceyniel.....

All I can tell you is that my wood counters are still darkening to this day, after almost three years. But for the last year, it's really slowed down. I think they may be almost done. I have no idea how they would have darkened with Waterlox. I can tell you my floors didn't darken at all, but they're white oak, which I don't believe is as known for oxidation as cherry is.

Pirula, hope this isn't off topic, but what is wrong with atticmag? I've tried to access it for several days now with no luck.

I really don't think you can go wrong with either the Waterlox or the pure tung oil and citrus solvent. One is more work at the beginning, the other sounds like it's only slightly more work as the years go on.

I think you'll be delighted with either one.

Ivette

We have a beech BB with an oiled finish. I hate it so much we may end up replacing all of the counters and the backsplash. We have wine stains, strawberry stains, discoloration from sunlight hitting it... Sure, we can un-install it, take it outside and refinish it, but I could wipe all of that off laminate or stone, and sticking laminate on it might be easier.

Oiling doesn't seem like that big a deal, but we have a tiny kitchen, and oiling means finding somewhere for the stand mixer, and the food sealer, and my big trivet, and the salt and pepper that are too tall for my drawers.... There's nothing like starting your day by kicking your stand mixer on the way to make coffee.

>I am leaning towards the Waterlox..... but would really like a little darker (or just different-looking?)

FWIW, there was a recent post on waterlox over at ikeafans that said that you can tint waterlox with the pigments they sell in wordworking supply stores.

jeez cocontom, what kind of oil did you use? My experience has been completely the opposite, and we have a very sunny kitchen too. i'm so sorry you've had these awful results.

nutherokie: Jane had some jackA$$ put a big virus on atticmag. she's got her experts working it and it should be back up soon. What a mess.

Ivette

You can also buy darkened tung oil at Real Milk Paint. But I tested it and didn't like it. Looked muddy to me.....

Maybe the piece of oiled cherry at John Boos was an older countertop, already naturally darkened. It may have nothing to do with the type of finish at all. Did you ask at the showroom?

I was also going to say that on the Waterlox website they suggest that you can add an oil-based stain to the first coat of the Waterlox if you want to alter the color of the wood. I have about 7 coats on my island top...The first 2 or 3 done with a foam brush and the others with cheesecloth. I wonder if I didn't stir the Satin well enough or maybe that particular can wasn't as 'satiny', because my cabinet doors do look like your island, Elizpiz. Not at all shiny. I may have to experiment now that the weather is so warm and I can open the doors and maybe bbq and give the island a break for a few days...

I have used that Method wood cleaner and liked it, too.

On the cherry darkening... I know it will darken, it's just that I would love it to be just a little different-looking than the cherry cabs it sits on. At the showroom, the John Boos cherry butcherblock finished with oil was several shades darker than the satin-varnished piece, which looked JUST like the natural cherry cabinets. So: I am trying to figure out if that darkening is something I coulod expect if I chose oil. I am leaning towards the Waterlox..... but would really like a little darker (or just different-looking?) top then cabinet bases. Does that make sense at all? Perhaps just being horizontal, it will darken more and look different?

Ok-
I have no idea why that post got posted again!! Sorry !! Very weird.