This is The Easiest Cutting Board Finish in the World. In this post, I’ll take away all of the extra thinking that goes into picking out a finish for your handmade cutting boards and show you the one product you need to use to be really successful. Enjoy.

Cutting Board Finish

There are so many different cutting board finishes and methods that you can end up getting really stuck right near the final steps of your project. Don’t let that happen to you, and instead pick the best finish right from the start.

Even though there are a lot of great options for finishing your cutting boards, all you need to do to be successful is pick one really good option. Coming up in the post, I’ll show you exactly what that good option is, as well as how to use it.

Again, you may find different methods for using it, and that’s OK. However, in the beginning all you need is one reliable method that works. Once you have that, you can experiment with others, always knowing that you have at least one good way of doing it.

See Also: 10 Step Guide to Wood Finishing

Cutting Board Oil or Bucher Block Oil

The only finish that you need for your cutting board is butcher block oil. In reality, this is just mineral oil, but just by the butcher block oil and use it. It’s great stuff, and it makes your cutting board look awesome.

You can find butcher block oil online, you can also find it in most fine woodworking stores. It’s going to be in the finishing section, and it’s a nice clear oil that brings out the color of your wood.

There are a number of different companies that make cutting board oil, and the products will be very similar. The only thing that I recommend is purchasing a brand name that you recognize, that way you know they have a good track record.

See Also: How to Make Unique Cutting Boards

How to Apply Cutting Board Finish

Easiest way to apply a finish to your cutting board is simply to use a rag and apply the oil by hand. Get your rag into the oil, or pour a little on the rag itself. Then, wipe the rag back-and-forth to deposit oil on the board.

As certain sections absorb the oil, come back with the rag and add more. Keep on doing this for several minutes until the board doesn’t absorb the oil as quickly. At this point, you saturated the surface, and that’s your goal.

Now, come back with a clean cloth, and wipe away the excess oil from the surface, making sure not to leave any really wet spots or pools. Place the cutting board somewhere safe to dry, and take a look back at it in the morning.

See Also: Make and Sell Cutting Boards

How to Repair the Finish

One of the awesome things about butcher block oil is how easy it is to apply, and also how easy it is to repair after the board gets used. Cutting boards are going to see quite a bit of abuse, mainly in the form of knife cuts.

For this reason, it’s important to select a finish that’s easy to repair. It’s not a matter of if you’re going to have to repair the cutting board, it’s just a matter of when. Knowing those kinds of odds, cutting board oil is definitely your winning finish.

The awesome thing about repairing your cutting board is that all you need to do is sand on the surface until the defects are gone, and then just apply another coat of oil the same way you did the first time.

The cutting board finish will be absorbed right to the surface, and it will restore the beauty of your project and make the grain pop. It’s really easy to do, and you don’t actually even have to scrape off the old finish to do it.

See Also: Handmade Cutting Board

Tips for Finishing a Cutting Board

Here are a few more tips for finishing your cutting board using butcher block oil:

• Natural wood likes to soak up this kind of oil, so make sure to keep on applying it for as long as you’re cutting board will drink it up.
• Some people like to dunk their cutting boards in a tub of oil, which you can absolutely do, it just takes a lot of oil to create the tub and fill it.
• It’s very difficult to mess up this finish, in fact just about the only way to do it is to skip areas and not actually apply finish to certain spots. Then they’ll stick out.
• Butcher block oil isn’t expensive, but it’s also not worth the trip to get a second bottle. Just buy two, because you’ll go through it kind of quickly.

See Also: A Beginners Guide to Woodworking

Your Action Assignment

Now that you know the easiest cutting board finish that you can possibly use, it’s time to get out into your shop and take action. First, go on Amazon and pick up a couple bottles of cutting board oil so that way you can get started.

While you’re waiting for those to arrive, make a couple of really awesome cutting boards. Use some of the tips from the other posts and really make your cutting board stand out. After all, why make something that just looks ordinary?

When your cutting block oil shows up, apply it following my directions and leave it to dry. You’ll be very excited to see the look, and it also be excited at how easy this finish is to apply and maintain.

If you have any questions on the easiest cutting board finish in the world, please post a question and I’ll be glad to answer them. Happy building.

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