Types Of Wood Countertop Sealers (& How To Choose The Best One)

Wood countertops are beautiful, warm, and can be very durable, but how long they last is often directly tied to the products you use to seal and finish them. There are many things to know before you buy butcher block countertops; understanding the options for sealing the wood is chief among them. From natural, penetrating oils to topical, water-based polyurethanes, they all have their pros and cons. Choosing which one is right for you will require you to be honest about how you plan to use the counters and what factors are most important to you.

Do you want to cut directly on your wood countertops? You'll need a sealer that is food safe, which likely means opting for a natural product such as tung oil, beeswax, or linseed oil. If keeping the wood safe from water is your highest priority, polyurethane might be a better choice. And whether you want a matte or high-gloss look could also impact your decision.

Another question to ask yourself is how much work you want to put into refinishing the counters when the time comes. Natural finishes may need to be reapplied more often but are usually easier to work with. For topical finishes, refinishing is done less frequently, but there will be more work involved. Once you know what factors are most important to you, you can consider the many options that fall under each category.

When it comes to food-safe options, you have two primary categories of oils to choose from: wood conditioning and penetrating oils. Waxes will also figure prominently in the food-safe category and may even be combined with the other options. One of the most common options is mineral oil, which is a wood conditioner. It may need to be applied regularly for at least the first year. Its lack of water resistance, however, may mean that it's not a top choice to use around sink areas.

 Any oil will likely leave you with a matte finish. Penetrating oils, like tung oil, walnut oil, and linseed oil, harden when exposed to oxygen. This gives them an advantage when it comes to water resistance, and they won't need to be reapplied as often. Beeswax is another all-natural option that repels water. Carnauba wax and shellac also fall into the food-safe category. You can often find waxes mixed together or with some of the oils to take advantage of the best of both worlds.

If you plan on installing your butcher block around a sink, you have to think about water penetration. If not, you could end up with a worn finish or, worse, a moldy countertop. Keeping a butcher block counter in pristine condition always takes work, but some products can make it easier. Rather than soaking into the wood, topical products like polyurethane create a protective layer on top.

Polyurethane is widely used on butcher block countertops and generally does a good job of protecting the wood for years. It won't last forever, though, and it's not food safe, so if it starts flaking, you will have to act quickly. Luckily, it's not the only option. You can bump up the water protection by thinking outside of the box with a product like spar urethane, which is commonly used in outdoor projects and comes in a variety of finishes including high-gloss. 

Alternatively, products like Waterlox combine tung oil and resin to provide a more waterproof and food-safe varnish option. This could be an option for people who want more protection than oils alone can provide and food-safe counters. It's not totally maintenance free, but because this product penetrates the wood, it will continue to provide some protection even when the finish is damaged.

While the processes for applying and maintaining these finishes are all different, we can cover the pros and cons of some of the most popular options. Oils typically make application easy, though it can be a long process. With mineral oil — even when it's combined with beeswax — you will apply it every day for a week, then every week for a month, and then every month after that.

When applying a tung oil finish, you will need to build up coats of oil until the butcher block no longer soaks most of it in — and do that several times over, sanding in between. It can also take up to 30 days to fully cure once you're done. Some people are able to go years before refinishing, but when your counter looks worn or dry, apply a coat or two, then wipe away any excess.

For urethane finishes, you will initially have to apply two coats and sand in between. You will need to be more careful to avoid leaving brush marks or creating bubbles or other imperfections in the finish. You should have many happy, maintenance free years, but when it comes time to refinish, the process will be more laborious. You will have to use a chemical stripper and scraper to completely remove the finish before sanding and reapplying. While you can do the initial finish in your basement or garage before installing the butcher block, maintenance will likely be done in place, so keep that in mind when weighing your options.