Hello, I read your post and use to buy & sell Party Lite candles. I stopped using them when I found out that Party Light candles are not all made here in the USA which we did not like since we had no knowledge of the quality of the materials used in making their candles. We agree, Party Lite had a nice scent throw but the soot is far too much for our liking. We couldnt help wonder what it was doing to our lungs. So to find a healthier alternitive to burning candles, Many years ago, I became interested in making my own candles. I have sold them in my own retail locations for years. I have made all sort of candles using many types of waxes. Overall (next to beeswax) we prefer soy wax. There is no dispute that soy wax is a much cleaner wax to burn. We have had great results from our soy candles and our customers come back for more. We found that measuring our fragrances by weight, not by volume gave us a better scent throw. We also found that buying a higher quality of fragrance oil also worked well for us. At times, depending on the fragrance, we have used 1.5 ounces (by weight) of fragrance oil per pound of wax. Keep in mind, wax is like a sponge and can only hold so much fragrance oil. Too much oil and you can get the opposit effect and have a poor scent throw. It is important to mix the fragrance oils very well to make sure they bind to the wax. Without aggitating, we mix ours for about two minutes. Hope this is helpful. Debbie

laurielou, Are you wanting the mineral mostly for the matte/non-shiney/natural wood look, or so you can cut on it? I'm thinking you said in another post it would mostly be for the look. I don't know if this helps, but I thought I'd share my experience... I thought that I definitely wanted the matte/natural look that mineral would give, but now that I have the more shiney waterlox finish I'm surprised at how much I like it and don't mind the shine. It a very soft shine anyways since I used a mix of satin and original on the final coat. I love the counter top so much and it is in the center of the kitchen, so I would hate for a water ring to get on it. I would see it everytime I walked into the kitchen. Not 100% sure about this but from what I've read, water rings and stains are inevitable. It might be possible to sand them out, but no guarantee. That would drive me crazy! It makes my life easier to not have to worry about that, especially with three kids! Just thought I'd share some of my experience because I've been where you are and know how difficult it is to decide! I'm sure your cherry top will be beautiful regarless! Jill

Leave the cherry natural and use the food safe mineral oil. Why? Food safety. Most stains are particle products and the particle can be pulled out of the wood during use. Polyurethane is a plastic and will chip during food prep using knives. Also not desirable. Then there is the fact the cherry will darken naturally, so in a couple of years, it may well naturally darken to close to the desired shade. Compounds in the wood counteract food bacteria with cleaning by wiping with a damp cloth(soap strips the mineral oil) and a light occasional oil application. The surface does not need to remain oily, wipe on, wipe dry.

Here's what I could find out about the OP's choice: Legno Bastone- Guiseppina European materials made in Europe (which explains the price tag!) 13mm thick (1/2") 180mm wide (7") 1950mm longest length (6.4') UV Cured Hardwax Oil Finish The installation instructions state this floor can be glued, floated or nailed. If nailing down, you will need to assume the use of glue-assist because of the width of these planks. A full spread glue is probably your best option (pricey as it may be). The MAINTENANCE is always what I'm after when dealing with a hardwax Finish. The manufacturer prefers OSMO products (mentions it 9-10 times in the Residential Care link) http://www.legnobastone.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Legno-Bastone-Inc-Residential-Care-Instructions-01-02-2018.pdf I ALWAYS suggest a coat of maintenance oil once the floor has been laid...just before you move back into the house. This is a common requirement for COMMERCIAL installations. The reason: these floors can look THIRSTY fresh out of the box. And if they have been exposed to remodeling activity, they can get a little worn even before you move in. To prevent owner upset, it is well worth it to have the maintenance oil put down 1-2 days before the furniture goes back in. That way you have the freshest floor finish possible. And if you are going to do the maintenance yourself, it is a GREAT TIME to have the professionals SHOW YOU what to do and how to do it. This takes all the stress out of owning oiled floors. And PLEASE purchase EVERY SINGLE OSMO item listed in the maintenance link! Get everything ready BEFORE the floor needs it! And I mean everything. That way you are READY and able when life hits the fan!