Wood worktop oil and what you need to know
This article focuses on helping you decide what is the best treatment for your kitchen worktop. There is plenty of wrong information out there regarding what oil you should use on your wooden worktops. Interesting chat with Worktop Express recently that confirmed they have no idea what they are talking about. They certainly had no idea what cure time even is. Worktop Express is one of the largest online suppliers of wooden worktops to the general public. After my chat with them, I wouldn’t recommend listening to them. They recommend sanding your worktop to 180g which is way too high for the maximum amount of oil to penetrate and protect your worktops.
What is the dry time Vs cure time of wood oils?
Dry time is the recommended amount of time between product coats, also known as recoat time, and cure time is the amount of time recommended before exposing your wooden floor or worktop to normal usage. This includes wet cleaning and not staining the second that cup of coffee spills. Worktop express does not understand what cure and dry times are.
Cure time is when the surface can be used as normal. This includes wet cleaning which will not affect the finish. The cure time is very important and is very different to the dry time.
Danish Oil for my wooden worktop?
Manufacturers will also advise you not to get your floor or worktop wet until the product has fully cured. Take Rustins Danish Oil. Danish Oil sounds good right. Well, Rustin’s bulk out the can you buy with nearly 50% white spirit. In my experience, danish oil is not the best product for wooden worktops. It takes too long to apply correctly and you need to re-oil every few months. No wonder kitchen installers try to steer homeowners away from wooden worktops based on the work involved to keep them looking good.
Using Danish Oil on my wooden worktops
Worktop Express tells you to do around 6 coats of Danish Oil. 6 to 8 hours between coats and then they want you to continue oiling your worktop once a week for 6 weeks then every 3 months until you get sick of that life. Wow, is this a new baby or a worktop that should be used? Also for that first six weeks, you aren’t to get the wooden worktop wet. Don’t even look at your worktops. Danish oil is a generic name and can be made up of different ingredients (remember nearly 50% white spirit in a major brand). Likely these the product will not cure, especially as the oil part is natural. This would explain why you have to keep throwing more oil at your worktop. Great for the manufacturers and the retailer, but not great for you or the bank account.
Which oil should I have on my wooden worktop?
I prefer Magic Oil 2K. Why? Two great reasons. 100% solvent-free and fully cured in 12 hours! No weekly or quarterly oiling targets for you to hit once I leave. How about another reason. The product is 100% oils and waxes, with no white spirit to bulk it out. A second product has to be added that ensures it cures in 12 hours so you can stop worrying at night if you are treating your worktop nicely.
Magic Oil is a product with high water and chemical resistance. It leaves a stunning matte finish and enhances the grain and details of the wood. Maintenance is super easy with a product that is just wiped on and left to dry. In the future, no sanding is required if no damage has occurred. The worktop is deep cleaned using a high alkaline cleaner. Then dried and more Magic Oil is applied. In most households, this likely won’t need to take place until a number of years have passed.
VOC levels. If I remember Magic Oil has about 5 grams per litre. An oil product from a local retailer (I won’t name here) is selling one with 700g per litre! No wonder homeowners have to vacate the property after application. Don’t forget the hazmat suit for application!
I’m always happy to give you some honest, free advice if you prefer to work on your own worktops. Alternatively, if you looking for a professional worktop restoration service near you then please get in touch on either the contact page or use the contact details below.
Tel / WhatsApp – 07568 700 355
Email – steven@squirrelpropertyservices.com
