First off, I have to say it: if you’re looking for a DIY blog, this isn’t it. We don’t exactly seek out new projects, but, being first-time homebuyers, they sort of seem to fall into our laps! While we might not be the next DIY bloggers, we are good Googlers. Really, really good Googlers. After a few dives into the internet black hole of kitchen DIYs, Hubby and I decided that refinishing and re-staining our butcher’s block was completely doable. And it was. Seriously.
We inherited this butcher’s block in our home and have always had so many people say how much they loved it. I just wanted to buy a Boos Board and call it a day. However, we had an open Saturday one weekend, so…
Here’s what you’ll need:
Dropcloth (just wait, you’ll see why)
Water-based, food-safe wood finish (we used this one)
Wood conditioner (here or similar here; also have these mineral oil wipes on my list)
Coarse and fine sandpaper (we used 150 grit, 180 grit, and 220 grit but you can go as high as 320 for this project)
Finish (we used food-grade mineral oil; you can use this or this, too)
Is it food-safe? This is the biggest question I had, and continued to ask Hubby over and over. You’ll want to make sure and use a water-based stain and a food-safe finish, or protective coating. Double- and triple-check that the finish you’re using is food-safe, though most finishes made now do not contain lead as they used to. We opted for a food-safe mineral oil purchased at a local pharmacy. I’ve included a few other options above in the “what you’ll need” section.
Carve out some time for this project as you’ll need to let the stain dry before sanding and adding any additional coats of stain. The hands-on part of this project takes about about an hour though the board should cure for several days (or longer).
It’s time to lay down that dropcloth and get to work! You’ll want to make sure that you’re starting off with a clean, dry block. Start with your coarser sandpaper (the lower the grit number, the coarser the paper) and start sanding with the grain.
If you go against the grain to sand down a portion of your block, make sure that go back over it with the grain. Otherwise, you’ll lose the integrity of the block’s character, and risk creating an uneven board. Also, don’t forget the sides of your block.
Keep going through your coarser sandpaper starting from the coarser grit sandpaper and working your way up to your finest sandpaper. Keep sanding until the knife marks are out and the board is smooth. Finish using the fine sanding sponge.
Pro tip: If you forget your dropcloth like we did, make sure you have your Swiffer on-hand, or your sweet maid coming the following week. The aftermath:
Next, you’re ready to stain. This is where it gets subjective. Pick out a stain you like in the color you like. I wanted ours to be a light walnut color. Be ready to layer on your stains. We ended up doing three coats of the stain (more on this later).
Our starting color:
Use the paintbrush to lightly coat on the stain, again following the grain.
Once you’ve painted a portion of the surface, take your cleaning cloth or rag and wipe off the excess.
Keep going with this process until you have your first coat on. Don’t forget the sides.
Let your coat dry completely, then lightly sand it, making sure to follow the grain. Repeat the process until you’ve reached your desired color.
Ours after one coat:
And the finished product, after two coats:
Your block is stained, which is great news. The final step is the finish. Did y’all notice how this work was divided up between the two of us? My hubby is a saint.
Apply your food-safe oil, or finish, with your cleansing cloth or a paper towel. Your block will begin to slowly soak it in. Be sure and coat your entire board.
Let it dry completely once it’s coated. Remember how I mentioned casually that we ended up with three coats earlier? If you clean up after, do so carefully. If you do schedule the maid, be sure and leave a post-it that says something along the lines of, “please do not scrub.”
The board needs time to soak the oil in. If it still looks dry, give it another coat. Your goal is to saturate the board with the oil. Wipe off any excess oil if it pools, and you are ready to go!
Re-soak your board with the food-safe oil once a month, and enjoy the fruits of your labor!
Before beginning any project, be sure to review all of the ingredients of your products to ensure they are food safe. It is also essential that you allow stains, paints and other oils to cure properly to ensure the additives perform as they should. This post may contain affiliate links, but all are tried and tested Magnolia Stripes favorites.
