How To Stain and Seal Butcher Block Counters

Alternate title for this post could be "How NOT To Stain and Seal Butcher Block Counters."  Because I definitely, definitely did both.  So for those of you with butcher block counters of your own, or considering butcher block counters for your kitchen, or who just like to hear about the reality of DIY going bad before it goes good, I invite you to come on in, pull up a chair, and learn from my mistakes!

To be completely honest, I have my doubts about butcher block.  You know I like to cook and bake and generally just tinker in my kitchen.  And I want that kitchen to be one hard-working lady.  I want easy on the eyes but more than anything, function, function, function. 

I am not sure butcher block is going to be everything I need it to be.  BUT...it is pretty.  It has potential.  And I am giving it a shot because my frugal side can't justify ripping out a huge slab of solid wood when I haven't even given it a shot.  I tell my daughters they don't have to love everything I cook but they have to at least try before they make a decision.  So I'm trying to practice what I preach here.

I'm giving it a try.

What butcher block does have going for it if it can prove its chops to me is that it's kind of gorgeous.  The warmth and shine are unparalleled in any other countertop material.  You might recall that I'm planning to paint the kitchen cabinets white, and I'm all jittery with excitement inside at the thought of how pretty the stained wood is going to look against crisp white cabinets.

But for today, we talk about butcher block.  The cabinets will have to wait for another day.

To make butcher block counters as highly-functioning as possible you need to seal them up so they don't soak up every water, oil, and food stain that touches their surface.

The very first thing I did was sand the butcher block down to bare wood using an orbital sander.  I didn't even realize how darkened and stained the wood was until I started getting down to the bare wood and saw the difference.

Isn't that crazy??

I sanded it first with coarse sandpaper to really remove the grime, and then went over everything with fine grit to get it nice and smooth.

Here's where we talk about what NOT to do when staining butcher block counters.

• Do NOT skip wood conditioner.  I didn't think I needed it because the wood wasn't soft but the stain soaked in so unevenly and looked rather awful.  So I applied another coat of stain on top, thinking it would even things out.  
• Do NOT do this either.  It just accentuated the blotchy spots and left me with that much more to remove later.

At this point I knew I was going to have to sand the counters back down to bare wood again, which had me feeling sort of devastated because of the mess it was going to make.  Then an angel in the form of our favorite contractor told me I could borrow his dust extractor.  I didn't even know what this was but I am absolutely certain I can not continue to DIY without one.  I didn't even have to vacuum after sanding the whole counter down.  It sucked up almost every speck of sawdust.  They're pricey - Festool is the maker - but holy cow am I as smitten with a tool as I have ever been.

So here I was, back down to bare wood, ready to go at round 2.  And here is what TO do when you are staining and sealing butcher block counters.

• STEP ONE - apply a wood conditioner appropriate to the stain you're using.  If you're using an oil-based stain, use a wood conditioner meant for oil-based stains.  If you're using a water-based stain, use a wood conditioner meant for water-based stains.  I was using a water-based stain so used this wood conditioner.  The counters won't look much different at this point, just perhaps a little more intensely grained.

• STEP TWO - give the entire surface a good sanding with fine grit sandpaper.  The wood conditioner will cause the grain to raise in spots and sanding it makes it nice and smooth.  You should do this by hand, and not with a power sander.

• STEP THREE - apply your stain.  I used Daly's water-based stain in walnut.  I applied the stain using a foam brush, and moved quickly to cover two side-by-side boards the entire length of the counter.  Then I wiped the excess stain away with an old t-shirt.

• As you overlap rows of butcher block, pay close attention to the stain buildup you get when you go over some of the last stained row with stain for the next row.

• To avoid those stripes from sinking in, you'll need to wipe them away with a rag almost immediately.

• When the entire counter is finished, it might look a little dull and streaky - don't despair!  Once you add the sealer coats, the shine softens everything.

• STEP FOUR - after letting your stain dry overnight, apply a coat of Waterlox Original Sealer.  I found it best to apply this with another old t-shirt remnant.  If you have a kitchen fan, turn it on before you start - this stuff is STINKY.  If you live in a warm enough climate, open the windows!  Let it dry for 24 hours.

• STEP FIVE - sand the entire surface by hand with fine grit sandpaper to remove any little bubbles.  Repeat the Waterlox application.  Let dry 24 hours.

• STEP SIX - repeat the sanding and Waterlox one more time.

I will likely add a topcoat of Waterlox once a year to maintain the seal.  Well...if these butcher block counters can prove themselves to me.  But I give them a big thumbs up on looks - I just love how they came out with the stain and sealer!

Would you consider wood counters in your kitchen?  I'm not sure I would have, if I hadn't inherited these with the house.  But they sure are pretty!