If the wood top is just decorative - that is, not a working butcher block, then I would just go for a poly finish. Once and done. Any kind of oil finish will need to renewed at least a couple of times a year.

i wouldn't use poly. takes 30 days to fully cure before it would be considered food safe. Plus, it's like having a plastic film over your wood. little bits of it when you use knives would get in your food that you eat. no thanks.

Waterlox is the way to go if you're worried about water issues.

It’s a blend of Tung oil and resin with a water-resistant finish that’s also food safe.

heck, even a mineral oil or pure tung oil (pure,,,not the tung oil finish stuff which is a varnish) would work fine. Whatever you choose, make sure it's FoodSafe and for butcher blocks.

We prefer to just regularly oil wood tops with mineral oil. It is food safe and has a beautiful natural look.

Definitely agree with KDC. That's what I do to mine. Always love the day I've re-oiled it looks so beautiful. Only have to oil every few months and it takes less than 5 minutes. Very easy

What wood are you using?

Waterlox is not available where I live. We used Watco butcher block finish. It is A beautiful finish. Like Waterlox, it takes quite a few coats. I tried oiling with mineral oil and beeswax but that got to be a pain and it only looked good for a week or so after oiling.

@beverly The countertop is white oak in wide planks

We were planning on ploy Benwood stay clear in low lustre to finish it.

We will always use a cutting board. I’m not the type that would just cut on the countertop but it is where we’ll do most of the food prep/baking/etc so I had thought poly would be the most durable but all the input has me re considering.

Thank you for all the input!

Another vote for Waterlox. I used to do touch up for a high end custom kitchen design firm. Their countertops were done with Waterlox Original by a sub. However, it is NOT "a blend of Tung oil and resin", though they are now selling pure tung oil and urethane varnishes. This is the formula for a varnish (oil+resin --heat--> varnish). Despite all the pages on their web site that tout "tung oil" and "tung oil finish", in one and only one place, they say their "original" product is a varnish. https://waterlox.com/project-help/guide?id=55d7f899-9e95-430b-9788-6ee59ed27e30&q=

Where on the Waterlox web site does it say it's food safe? I too am interested in a wood counter for our island, but there will be an undermount sink. Does Waterlox protect enough near sinks?

http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/finishing/articles_497a.shtml

thank you everyone for the input!

Some questions on waterlox:

are the folks suggesting waterlox recommending the original Waterlox Original Sealer & Finish and then I can put the Waterlox Original Satin Finish over top as I don't want a high gloss

or are you recommending Waterlox Urethane Satin Finish?

I'm not sure which one is the better fit for my island countertop (Which no one will be cutting on; will always use a cutting board but it is the main food prep place)

can you do the Waterlox Original Sealer & Finish over stain?

Kelly, the different application techniques are outlined on the Waterlox website. You would apply several coats of Original as base and finish with Satin for a Matte finish. There is a plethora of information on their website and you really should read through it all to become extremely familiar. https://www.waterlox.com/project-help/Guide?id=8abadfea-3ef1-446a-8d80-33992c09f550&q=

Waterlox is repairable where as poly it’s not. Whatever finish you choose you should make sure that it is repairable.

I finished my black walnut with Waterlox original five years ago. I love my island !!

bb,,,that is a gorgeous piece of wood! nice kitchen too. no backsplash? a marble one would be beautiful back there.

Beth, yeah. No backsplash -yet!! LOL! I get myself into too many DIYs! Do you think marble would be best since I have marble perimeter counters? I had been considering glass tiles. I love tiling so I really should get to it.

@bbtrix, seeing no backsplash gives me some relief. My GC just asked which backsplash material I've chosen and I thought his head was going to explode when I told him I'm going to wait until everything else in installed so I can sit with it awhile (maybe a long while) first.

@mittens, I think it’s wise unless you have a clear vision. My projects are mostly DIY so I get burnout toward the end. Do you have a current thread going on your remodel?

Waterlox both looks and sounds like a great idea.

As long as you're not using your countertop for a cutting board -- especially if your choice is wood or one of the cheaper alternatives -- go for it.

I have a small wood cabinet top separate from my actual "L" shaped kitchen countertop and wish I'd used wood for the entire kitchen -- and mine is finished with multiple coats of.clear poly without the Waterlox (didn't know about that a decade ago) ... but, yes, it takes a long time and multiple sandings and applications and considerable drying time and curing time to get to the finished product properly sealed.

My sister did their entire kitchen in wood countertops and the only place they had any trouble was by their (shallow/splash prone) farmhouse kitchen sink. When they replaced that sink with a deep double stainless steel one they also repaired that section of the countertop and have had no problem since.

In addition to trivets and/or silicone pads to protect any countertop from heat, do invest in some trays on which to set stuff rather than setting some items directly on your countertop ... such as when you're slicing stuff (or pouring liquids, especially hot or sticky ones) -- a place to set a cutting board or meat platter to help protect the countertop from a slicing "miss" and/or from any spillage. That is a good idea for any countertop you eventually choose -- and not just for protecting the countertop but for easier cleanup as well..

bbtrix: really like the look of your countertop,.

come on Houzz! Fix this site. pics won't load or disappear when you finally get them in comments. trying to post 4 pictures for 10 mins!
check back here later,,,maybe pics will magically appear

bbtrix,,,it's been 3 months for me and I can't even decide (although, the calacatta in the pic w/a gold schluter for accent is looking good)

I think you could do quite a bit with your choices. (please, no 3x6 white subway!) if you do a white glass, just know it will have a cool minty tint to it.

ere you thinking of a color?

or what about the Harlequin? I love this one

or The Jewel (both Tilebar. and you get 5 samples for $5)

or, I love the look of the Zellige tiles

the marble random bar (I thought about doing this one too)

or: here's marble w/marble.

Before adding any product to the entire wall as a backsplash became "a thing", most backsplashes over countertops were a single four or six inch high row of tile w/rounded top edging either on the tile or separate rounded trim piece. Wall tile was usually reserved for behind/above/around the stove.

The wall above that four or six inch row of tile was painted or wallpapered, enabling easy hanging of trivets or spice racks or bars with hooks for cooking spoons, etc., so, if you're undecided about your backsplash but, short term, want to protect the wall from any spills, you could always go with that retro idea -- something which would be easier and less costly to replace than a mistake made because your hurried the process.

@suezbell, or as my son once suggested, IKEA has a wide range of plastic placemats for under $3...easily affixed to the wall with a piece of tape. :-D

I have never had a problem wiping up spills from the wall. My Sherwin-Williams paint has held up beautifully.

@Beth, I initially thought of a green tone glass but I’ll likely look for a marble that goes with my Danby Montclair. I do love marble! But it still has to wait. My next project is limewashing my brick fireplace wall with Romabio .

love the Danby post pics when you finish your fireplace too. I've seen Romabio done on some and it looks great.

No poly. If it gets cracks or crazes and water gets in, you'll get spidery discoloring of the wood. And you can't touch it up; you have to do a full sanding and recoat.

Oil-based finishes are far better.

Watco!!!

Another option we used for 13yrs and loved, is Good Stuff for Wood. I've ordered from this company twice. We even had a sink in our antique pine island. A little goes a long way and it's a great finish.Link to our last house/kitchen.

Watco is an oil-varnish blend that has about twice as much oil as varnish, thinned 200% with paint thinner. As such, it would have minimal water resistance because of its high percentage of linseed oil.

We used mineral oil on ours and I love how it brings out the rich hues in the wood. Easy to maintain, non toxic. Very happy with our choice.

Has anyone used Fiddes or Osmo finishes on their wood countertops?