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Stones/Material

Wood

Wood. Yes. Wood for countertops, islands and outdoor kitchens. Some people want a more funtional kitchen with a cutting board measured in square feet. Others want a beautiful surface that looks more like a piece of furniture than a countertop. Beautiful wood will add a sence of texture and a depth of feel to any room.

Care & Maintenance

Daily Care of Your Countertop A wood countertop is one of the most durable kitchen work surfaces available. Taking care of your new countertop is easy. Simply follow these guidelines:

1. Use a vinegar/water solution (approximately 20% white vinegar) to clean your top. Do NOT use ammonia-based cleaners; over time they will soften and cloud the finish.
2. The top can also be wiped down with a mild detergent that does not contain ammonia. Rinse the top with clean water, let dry. After it is dry, mist the top with the vinegar solution, let dry. There is solid evidence that the vinegar solution will disinfect the top.
3. Never let water stand on the countertop.
4. Again DO NOT use ammonia-based cleaners on your wood countertop.

Repairs Are Easy Follow these easy steps to remove any marks, scratches or stains.

• Lightly sand any areas with minor scratches or abrasions using 400 grit or 600 grit sandpaper. Always sand in the direction of the grain of the wood. Do not use steel wool.
• Remove all sanding dust using a damp rag.
• Apply Waterlox to the sanded area with a soft cotton cloth, such as an old T-shirt. Wear a latex glove when applying the Finish to make clean-up easier.
• Reapply at least one additional coat of Waterlox to the affected area in four hours.
• Waterlox dries to the touch in 2 to 4 hours. You may notice a smell for the first 30 minutes of so as it dries. Wait approximately 12 hours before using the surface for food preparation. The treated surface is food-safe after the 12-hour drying time.

Oiling your top When to re-oil. The two most common reasons that customers re-oil their tops are:

• The top is damaged (deep scratches, cut marks if youa re using the top for food preparation, discoloration of the finish by a chemical, etc.)
• Some of the oil is rubbed off during the course of everyday washing, etc. In this case it is time to re-oil when setting a cold drink on the top creates a faint discolroation (water ring). How long this takes will, of course, depend on the amount of use. Based on our customer's experience, this seems to range from every 8 months (customer with six children who cooks all day) to never. Under moderate use, the number should be between 18 months and 3 years.

Wood Finishes and Wood Countertop Durability

Wood has been used as a food preparation surface for several thousand years. To be sure, these original "countertops" were crude, utilitarian hunks of wood.

In the U.S., as early as the 1600's, the wooden kitchen table was the primary surface on which all food was prepared. Later in the early 20th century when base cabinets made their appearance, wood was often used as the countertop material because it was easy to work with, relatively inexpensive, and people liked its softer look and feel as opposed to metal tops.

For many years, the location and social function of the kitchen were largely determined by the size of the house. However, during the past 50 or 60 years, the role of the kitchen has changed from a room off the dining room that never had visitors to a meeting place where people could talk while food was prepared.

The drawbacks of wood tops, namely with water and staining, became problems because the tops were now much more public.

Problems with early wood countertops

To understand the why there were (and are) problems with many wood tops, it is necessary to understand wood finishes. It is the finish material and how it is applied that determines the durability of wood countertops.

The three most common negative things people remember about wood tops are:

• They were stained by almost any food that was left or that was spilled.
• They turned black around the sinks.
• The ends dried out and the wood cracked.

Waterlox is a penetrating tung-oil varnish used since 2000. Prior to this, wood countertops were either not finished at all or were finished with one of the following products:

• Mineral Oil
• Linseed Oil
• Film Finishes (include Conversion Varnish, Lacquer, and Marine Varnishes)

Mineral oil (liquid petrolatum) is a by-product in the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline. It is transparent and colorless and food safe. Mineral oil is primarily used to help prevent the wood from drying out.

Mineral oil is not a "wood finish" and does not provide any protection from water or from staining.

Linseed oil, also known as flax seed oil is made from the seeds of the flax plant. Linseed oil, unlike mineral oil does dry. However, like mineral oil, it is not waterproof and does not prevent staining. It also dries with a noticeable yellow cast.

Conversion Varnish and Lacquer - Prior to the advent of catalyzed conversion varnish, lacquers of various kinds were the most common finish used on wood. Lacquer was less durable, but expert refinishers could repair damage. Conversion varnish held the promise of being harder and more resistant to chemicals and water than lacquer, but it could not be easily repaired.

The important aspect of both of these finishes is they are "film finishes." They sit on top of the wood. When the finish is damaged and the film is broken, moisture will infiltrate under the finish and eventually turn the finish a milky white and sometimes lift the finish off the wood.

Marine Varnishes - These finishes leave a thicker film on the wood and, if catalyzed when applied, provide a very hard, durable finish. However, they are not food safe. They also have a very high-gloss and tend to look plastic. Because marine varnishes are a film, great care must be taken not to damage or break the film.

Waterlox Tung Oil Varnish

Tung oil is made from the seeds of the Tung tree. Tung trees are native to southern China, but are now grown in many parts of South America. Because Tung oil is waterproof, it has by the people around the South China Sea for perhaps 2,000 years to seal their boats. Tung oil in it pure form is a heavy, thick oil that is difficult to work with and takes a very long time to dry. Pure Tung oil is not a feasible finish to use on a countertop. Beginning in 1916, the Waterlox company began making several products from Waterlox.

We have modified the application of two of their products to product a waterproof and, with few exceptions, a stain proof wood countertop. It is not a film finish. It is a penetrating oil that bonds with the wood fibers. Moisture can not get underneath the finish. The difference between a film finish and a penetrating catalyzed varnish is shown below.