Oil for wood countertops: application, effectiveness, reviews

Oil for wood countertops is one of the most effective means that protects against pests, humidity, sudden temperature changes and mechanical damage. Thanks to excellent absorption, the product penetrates deeply into the wood, increasing its strength and antiseptic characteristics. At the same time, air exchange with the external environment is maintained.

Features of oils

Basically, special oil for wood countertops, which contains wax, is used for processing. Thanks to this, the texture of the tabletop is preserved and the service life of the item is significantly extended.

Oil for wood countertops is classified according to drying methods:

Non-drying and semi-drying mixtures. They are usually produced based on natural compounds. The composition contains more than 90% natural components, which is why they dry out quite a long time. However, wood impregnation is deeper. When such compositions are applied, a thin layer is formed on the surface, which can deteriorate under mechanical stress.
Completely dry mixtures. After the product is applied, oxidation and polymerization begins on the wooden surface, and the oil hardens. This coating cannot be washed off with water, so it retains its original characteristics for a long time.

"Selyan"

Reviews about IKEA countertops for the kitchen are only positive. Buyers point to the ratio of low price and high quality of the product. The Selyan tabletop is made of the following materials:

chipboard;
high pressure laminate;
unbleached paper;
polypropylene.

The tabletops of the “Selyan” series are made of strong and durable laminate. This is a material that is formed from many layers of paper. Under pressure and using special technology, laminated plastic is transformed into panels that are used in various fields. Despite its durability, it is worth following simple methods of caring for it: do not place it hot without a stand, do not rub it with rough metal brushes. If you follow simple care measures, Selyan countertops from IKEA, according to customer reviews, last a very long time.

Oil composition

This product consists of oil, diluent and binder. Often the connector is urethane or alkyd, and the thinner is white spirit or turpentine. Manufacturers also produce pure oils, but they only contain an antifungal agent and must be diluted during use. For this reason, substances are added to the compositions that improve the properties of oil for wood countertops.

"Ekbakken"

Composition of materials for the Ekbakken countertop:

polypropylene;
laminate (melamine).

Reviews about the Ekbakken countertop from IKEA contain only positive aspects. This is due to its strength and durability. The moisture-resistant structure of melamine from which the tabletop is made allows it to be used in close proximity to the sink. And product options in different colors allow you to use it in kitchen compositions in any interior.

Benefits of using oils

The use of wood oils has the following benefits:

Giving unique aesthetic characteristics to the structure - increasing the contrast of textures and creating a single shade.
An application to wood products that releases resins and oils under certain operating conditions.
Reduced exchange of moisture with the external environment, so all the original geometric dimensions of the material are preserved.
Withstands hot objects that are often placed on the countertop without the protective layer peeling off or cracking.
Protection against warping, rotting and deformation.

Why is processing needed?

During daily cooking, the cutting board is subjected to serious stress. It is regularly scratched with a knife or a kitchen hammer; moisture, juices from vegetables and fruits penetrate into the pores of the material, and dish soap may not be completely washed out of them. The average period of use of wooden utensils is about a year, after which they lose functionality and attractiveness.

Special treatment of the cutting board with oil compounds allows you to fill the pores of the wood and prevent wetting, swelling, and deformation of the product. Impregnation also has the following purposes:

preventing the absorption of unpleasant odors by wood,
prevention of cracks, chips and other defects,
preventing the colonization of the material by harmful microorganisms,
preventing rotting and microbial toxins from entering food.

With periodic use of impregnation, the service life of the cutting board increases, which will seriously save money, because such products are not cheap. Primary processing should be done immediately after purchasing the utensils, while they have not yet been used in cooking.

It is important not to wash the product before soaking, because oils can “lock” remaining moisture inside the wood fibers. To really extend the life of the board, it must be treated regularly.

Resurfacing

Even the highest quality coating loses its original properties and wears off over time. Restoration requires a new oil treatment of the wood countertop. It consists of cleaning the surface from dirt, sanding damaged areas and painting directly. It is necessary to use abrasive tools only when the countertop has a distinct gray tint. A complete restoration is needed in the presence of deep chips and cracks.

"Linmon"

Materials from which the Linmon series products are made:

top part: fiberboard, acrylic paint;
frame: chipboard, ABS plastic;
filler: paper;
bottom part: fiberboard.

Ginmon countertops are very light, but quite durable. The plastic frame allows you to make a tabletop of any shape. Original ideas and customer requests are implemented to order by the company’s specialists.

Application

Oil for treating natural wood countertops has the following approximate consumption:

1 liter per 30 m2 – if two layers are applied;
1 liter per 40 m2 – when the surface is treated in one layer.

Before using the product, stir it for 3-5 minutes. It is applied to the product in an even layer with a small excess. After half an hour, the excess is leveled, and the surface is polished with a pad or soft cloth. This stage involves complete absorption of the oil into the surface of the wood. When two layers are applied, the second should be done only after 16-24 hours. Both application of the product and its drying should be carried out only at a temperature of at least +16 °C.

How to prepare the mixture at home

If you were unable to buy the necessary impregnation for the boards in the store, you can easily make it at home, with your own hands. The simplest recipe is:

buy Vaseline oil at the pharmacy,
buy beeswax in a specialized store,
combine 4 parts butter and 1 part wax, cut into pieces,
melt the mixture in a water bath, stirring to ensure homogeneity,
cool the product to room temperature,
Use for wood processing, store in the refrigerator.

It is undesirable to replace beeswax with paraffin or stearin - the latter strongly clog the pores of the wood, which seriously impairs its vapor permeability and can provoke rotting.

Drying and caring for the countertop

The surface dries at a relative air humidity of 55% and a temperature of +20 °C. Complete drying under such conditions is possible after 7-10 days. During this time, do not allow dirt, water or direct sunlight to come into contact with the countertop. With high air humidity and low temperatures, as well as when applying a large amount of product, the drying period increases.

It is recommended to renew kitchen boards and wooden countertops once every six months, since they are constantly exposed to mechanical stress and systematic exposure to water. Damaged areas on the surface are renewed in the same way as the primary treatment.

Factors of wood damage

If the room has high humidity, poor ventilation and a comfortable temperature for the growth of bacteria (depending on the type - from 15 to 65 ° C) and moldy fungi, any wooden surface is at risk.

This is how a kitchen cutting board can turn black.

Do not forget - and this applies mainly to the kitchen - that aggressive solutions (acids and alkalis) change the chemical composition of wood and thereby worsen its appearance and strength characteristics.

Another factor of damage is direct sunlight. But here the situation is ambiguous: on the one hand, ultraviolet light has a pronounced bactericidal effect. But in addition to destroying bacteria, it almost instantly begins to destroy the unprotected surface of the tree. It becomes silver-gray in color and loses strength.

Finally, do not forget about possible (and in the case of a cutting board, inevitable) mechanical damage. They put a hot frying pan on, scratched it with a knife - they ruined the tabletop or board.

It may seem subjective, but we are for butter. Yes, the varnish coating looks beautiful, dries quickly and is inexpensive.

But the varnish coating has disadvantages, which in the case of countertops and especially cutting boards will emphasize the advantages of oil:

The varnish is not recommended for use in rooms with high humidity.
The varnish can hardly withstand temperature changes: and this happens often in the kitchen.
The varnish coating is easily damaged even with slight impact - a scratch on oiled wood is much less noticeable.
Damaged varnish cannot be restored in a separate area - you will have to completely remove the coating and apply a new one.

Any defects on the varnish become immediately visible.

OSMO

OSMO wood countertop oil is particularly popular due to its many advantages:

There is color for interior work and colorless matte or matte-silky;
recommended for processing kitchen countertops, wooden furniture and furniture panels;
makes the surface resistant to stains and household chemicals;
It is resistant to wear and has a water-repellent effect;
resistant to sweat and saliva, the product is safe in contact with food.

For unpainted wood, oil should be applied in two layers, and for renewal only one. There is no need for grinding.

"Casker"

The material of the “Kasker” series is quartz composite.

The highest priced countertop is a product made from special quartz stone. The peculiarity of this material lies in the properties of the material. Firstly, the main advantage of the composite is its strength. It was she who attracted kitchen furniture manufacturers. Secondly, the absence of pores makes this material almost 100% moisture resistant, which is its advantage among other materials used in the manufacture of kitchen countertops.

BORMA HARD TOP OIL

This is a mixture of natural modified oils made in Italy. It is ideal for kitchen worktops and is food contact resistant. The product is environmentally friendly and safe, has passed strict quality control, and therefore does not emit harmful chemical impurities. The special shape ensures resistance to dirt and scratches. Solid oil is transparent, so distortion of the shade of wood is excluded, while adding richness to the color. Complete drying occurs after 12 hours, and maximum hardness after a day.

Painting process

Before you start painting, you need to remove all the handles from the tabletop . If this is not possible, then you can wrap them in a layer of durable film to protect them from the ingress of dyes.

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Now you need to choose the right roller for painting work. Here it is better to choose a tool made of foam rubber rather than velor. This way there will be no unpleasant streaks or grooves on the painted surface.

If the furniture is not disassembled before painting, hard-to-reach places should be painted with a brush dipped in the prepared solution. You need to choose not the cheapest models, otherwise lint will come out of them, which means it will remain on the painted surface.

The time allotted for painting depends on what paint is chosen, as well as how many layers it is applied in. The drying time of the dye can be found by looking at the label; manufacturers indicate everything in detail. If for effective painting you need to repeat the procedure, then this should be done only after the previous layer has completely dried. Otherwise, the product will be damaged, and the entire process of removal, preparation and painting will need to start all over again.

Tabletop painting process

SOFT GLASS

You can cover the surface with oilcloth or a tablecloth, but they wear out very quickly.

An adequate alternative is transparent PVC film. It is also called soft glass. Withstands household chemicals, relatively high temperatures, does not become saturated with water, and does not deform. No scratches left.

Like self-adhesive film, only a little thicker. It will do for the first time.

Suitable for wood, MDF, chipboard, glass, metal, as well as artificial stone and agglomerate surfaces.

SELF-ADHESIVE FILM

The easiest way to cover. Allows you to update a tabletop that has become old.

Before you begin finishing, thoroughly clean the area to be treated with sandpaper. Achieve a perfectly smooth surface.

Attention! Clean the surface thoroughly. Do not allow air bubbles to form under the film!

In stores you can find a huge assortment of self-adhesive films with a variety of designs - imitations of stones, solid wood of any species, plain, with a pattern.

Cheap and cheerful. But effective.

The surface with such a film is easy to clean from dirt and can serve for a long time without wear or fading.