Wooden counter top repair

Nalorach

Hi I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post. I have a wooden counter top which has been water damaged leading to growth of mould. I tried to clean it off and removed the finish in the process (see attached pics). I was wondering if there is any way of restoring the counter? I'd really appreciate any advice regarding sanding it down and putting some sort of finish on it to protect against water damage in future. I'm not sure what the original finish was as we inherited this counter top.

Thanks

recipio

Nalorach wrote: »

Hi I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post. I have a wooden counter top which has been water damaged leading to growth of mould. I tried to clean it off and removed the finish in the process (see attached pics). I was wondering if there is any way of restoring the counter? I'd really appreciate any advice regarding sanding it down and putting some sort of finish on it to protect against water damage in future. I'm not sure what the original finish was as we inherited this counter top.

Thanks

Looks like American Walnut to me - not the most water resistant wood. Its hard to see water damage in the photo.
Depends on what level of finish you want. A random orbital sander starting with 80 grit will remove a lot of the superficial marks but it would be hard work removing all those chopping/cut marks.
A few coats of hot Linseed or Olive oil will give some protection but I'd use a good polyurethane for a few years protection.
The professional approach would be to take out the worktop and run it through a wide belt sander for a flawless finish, then re-coat. That means £££ !

Double Barrel

Good advice by Recipio.


High maintenance area for sure. Oil mixtures (a mixture of mineral oil, linseed oil and tung oil ) are the most forgiving, meaning they can be repaired easily and often.

Do you know what the current finish is?

Polymerized tung oil (like Boiled Linseed Oil) has been given heat treatment to encourage polymerization and faster initial drying. It is usualy diluted with food grade mineral spirits to help with workability.


"Tung Oil is naturally water, food and alcohol resistant. It is safe for food contact when dry and can be used for salad bowls and chopping boards."

http://tungoil.co.uk/

If you decide to sand the entire counter a possible alternative might be Bona Traffic HD or some other high wear floor finish.

Keep us posted.

Nalorach

Thanks for your replies. We are currently sanding it down and the stains are coming out nicely. Still unsure about the finish we should use. I'm not sure what the previous finish was but I think it was more than just an oil finish.

Nalorach

Just thought I'd update. We finished the counter top and it looks great. We finished it with food safe danish oil. We are now caring for our wooden counter properly.

recipio

Nalorach wrote: »

Just thought I'd update. We finished the counter top and it looks great. We finished it with food safe danish oil. We are now caring for our wooden counter properly.

Well done. How about a photo to see the final result. ?