Making a butcher block?
Question:What woods are best? Does the wood need to be trreated somehow or just sanded smooth?
Answers:
Milled and sanded maple is the most common material, and consider the USE.
First of all, even with the tightest grained, hardest wood, on the planet, it's usual design is to come in contact with food substances, so any finish you use should be compatible with work you do with food on it.
In my experience, especially currently, Butcher Block is more for aesthetics than actual food prep use, and I suggest any type of cutting board suitable for chopping/slicing/etc.
In any case do not use eurethanes, or poly based clear coats, and if you find the oil as one answer suggests, at least check the MSDS sheet available for the substance of the Oil, and its relation to food products.
After use, probably within a reasonable amount of time a bleach solution should be used. You may want to consider scraping/ sanding and re-treating, on some schedule, depending on how often you allow Beef blood to possibly soak in, or chicken parts chopped on the surface.
Bacteria LOVE moist wood, and food byproducts/residue.
Q&A is OK
Beech is the wood of choice for butchers blocks, don't treat it with anything at all.
oak,walnut,maple, cherry. If you are laminating the wood together use tightbond 3 which is a water resistant glue. Coat with mineral oil or beeswax- both are food compatible finishes
The End Grain In Maple Will Last The Longest.After Final Sanding Use Butcher Block Oil To Seal The Wood.
Question was asked and answered 4 weeks ago:
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/ind...
My answer then:
Hard maple. Any butcher block I've seen is maple. The reason is it is a tight grain. Oak would NOT be a good option, it is open grained and food would get into the surface and be hard to clean.
Source(s):
http://www.awpbutcherblock.com/products/...
http://www.woodzone.com/refinishing_butc...
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