Wood countertops bring warmth, beauty, and natural charm to your kitchen, but to maintain their integrity and long-lasting appeal, it’s important to protect them with a good sealer. Sealing wood countertops not only helps preserve their aesthetics but also safeguards them from moisture, stains, and general wear and tear. Whether you have butcher block, live edge, or any other type of wood countertop, sealing is an essential step in ensuring your wood surfaces remain durable and easy to maintain.
In this blog, we’ll explore the importance of sealing wood countertops, the different sealing methods available, and some tips for keeping your wood counters looking beautiful for years to come.
A food safe butcher block oil is the best finish if you plan on cutting directly on the wood counter. Designed to absorb into the wood and seal from the inside out, this oil finish will slightly darken the wood's grain and will need to be re-applied regularly throughout the year. To achieve a light luster to the wood, choose a food-safe butcher block and wax blend.
The Boos Mystery Oil is the gold standard:
If you do not plan on cutting directly on the wood top and are not concerned with food safety, then a water-resistant clear topcoat is ideal. While 2k polyurethane is the absolute best finish available these days, it can be both very expensive and hard to find a finisher familiar with spraying it.
A conversion varnish topcoat will, also, be very, very water and scratch resistant, completely maintenance free, and enhance the natural beauty of the wood. Use a solvent-based topcoat if you're wanting to create warm, amber hues, and a water-based topcoat to keep the wood's unfinished color.
If you plan to DIY, we're big fans of General Finishes products, as they can be brushed or sprayed and very durable. The best of both worlds! Our favorite water-based is their High Performance, and Arm-R-Seal for solvent. **Neither is food-safe and will chip if cut on, so remember, this is for countertops that you do not plan to cut directly on (... on which you do not plan to cut directly* for our grammar purists).
The Value Of Unbiased Advice
Building new or remodeling a house can be an incredibly stressful and anxious process. Especially if you feel your builder, contractor, or cabinetmaker isn't as supportive as you'd prefer. That is why Wayhome exists: to support you. We understand that you're not just building a house, you're creating a home, and every detail has to be perfect.
We invite you to explore our blog or receive free expert advice in our Facebook group.
No matter your question or concern, we'll help you find your way home.