Struggling with staining and scratching on your birch Butcherblock countertops – any advice on how to improve their durability?
Asked by Peetu Lampo 
3 months ago
Last Updated: June 7, 2024
Hey there! Hope you’re having a great Sunday! I need some help – I’ve got birch Butcherblock countertops in my kitchen that are about a year old. I’ve been dealing with stains, especially near the stove from things like tomato sauce. I tried sanding and oiling them multiple times, but it didn’t solve the problem. So, I switched it up and used a water-based polyurethane with 3 coats, sanding in-between. Now, I’m finding that they scratch easily. Should I sand and re-oil, sand and re-poly, or maybe try epoxy? Any advice would be much appreciated!
I’ve always mentioned that butcher block isn’t ideal for countertops. Consider getting quartz or quartzite instead.
I really like the Butcherblock look that fits my budget. I decided to keep it, even though it requires a bit more maintenance than solid surface.
Did a great job with Waterlox in my kitchen for 5 years. It held up well even after I sold the house.
We set up our own butcher block and we stained and sealed it ourselves. I specifically adjusted a grey stain to make it darker and more opaque, then we applied 3 thin coats of Zar oil-based poly (oil-based dries harder and generally does better at resisting moisture). Once that dried, we added 2 more “glass coats” which is the oil-based poly thinned with mineral spirits and applied with lambswool. Naturally, we allowed all of this to cure for 45 days on sawhorses before installation. It’s been 2 years now, and we have some minor surface scuffs and scratches, but you really have to search for them. How long did you wait for the counters to cure before using them (after applying the poly)? It’s typically 30-45 days for a full cure, and poly of any type is not considered food-safe until it has completely cured.
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I went with a water-based poly. I was worried the oil-based one would turn yellow. I maintained the natural color and skipped the stain.
Theresa, did you make sure to let it cure properly before using it?
It dried really quickly, I didn’t touch it for a couple of days.
Did you apply a standard polyurethane on them?
Water-based finishes are a good alternative.
Polyurethane is not recommended for countertops as it’s not food-safe. Look for a more suitable option.
I don’t use the countertop for preparing food. It’s mostly decorative.
I found another surface for my work area, thanks to .
Polyurethane should not be used for food-related purposes!
Hey , I don’t actually use it for cutting or placing food on. I just really like how it looks.
You could achieve that style using a food-safe epoxy, but it takes some time…
I believe I’ll try epoxy as a last option. I have no experience with it.
Things can really go south…in a spectacularly bad way.
Oh man, I’m a bit worried. I just purchased the varathane from Amazon.
How are you managing to scratch it if you’re not even working on it? Varathane Diamond P High Traffic Floor Poly is my favorite!
Mostly for appliances, they always end up on the counter. Dishes and other items on it, but no food preparation. Is the polyurethane you used water-based?
Yes, hold off on replacing the thresholds, especially with three dogs around.
I’m considering sanding and trying out this polyurethane. How many coats did you end up using?
Consistently prefers 3, but starting with 2 should suffice
No content
Is a reliable source
Thinks it looks great! He’s going to give it a try.
Thank you for the suggestion. If it doesn’t work, I think it’s time to go with granite.
Prefers epoxy
Suggested giving it a try. If it doesn’t work, give it a gentle 30 days before deciding what to do next.
Was just in the kitchen, moving dishes around, and it ended up scratching the surface. Guess how I found out? All my friends used poly and had the same issue.
Was mentioning that it might happen. Not all polishes are created equal, that’s all.
They have a food-grade urathane available. Watco offers one.
I’ll definitely look into that. Thanks a lot!
Poly or epoxy should not be used for food contact due to health reasons
BEESWAX
The oil you’re currently using may be hindering the water-based polyurethane from fully curing. If you prefer polyurethane, opt for the oil-based version. Food-grade polyurethane would likely be the safest option. Even if you’re not currently using the surface for food preparation, there could be a need in the future. It’s better to be safe. Automotive clear coat could have been a good alternative initially, but may not be the best choice at this point.
Unfortunately, poly is prone to scratching no matter what…
Naturally it will show some scratches. However, you can try wet sanding and buffing them out as long as they’re not too deep and there’s sufficient product on the surface. Anything can get scratched if you’re aggressive enough.
Waterlox is a great alternative to polyurethane. It doesn’t require frequent sanding for reapplication. However, polyurethane needs to be stripped or sanded off. Best of luck.
The guy who built my bars years ago used a special type of poly that’s made for boats. It was pricey, but the quality was amazing! They lasted for years, even with thousands of people using them every week. I had them done in ’97, and when I redecorated in ’07, they were still in perfect condition. Ended up selling them!
My hunch is that was referring to marine epoxy.
I feel like I would recall if had mentioned epoxy but you could be correct, marine varnish?
Might as well have been compared to marine spar varnish, it would add up.
Absolutely , you’re right. Before marine-grade 2-part epoxy became popular, people used a polyurethane mixture. You can still find it if you prefer.
Epoxy, such as the kind used for bar tops. It’s a two-part mixture that you mix and pour.
I recommend using a 2-part epoxy for bar tops. It’s durable and resistant to scratches. Plus, it’s easy to fix if needed.
Yep, , that’s the way to do it. When we did mine, we used a torch to smooth out any wrinkles, dimples, and imperfections as it was drying
Oh, that’s exactly how does it
My Waterlox definitely needs to be re-coated after 10 years.
Remember to maintain the cleanliness of your countertops.
Welcome to the challenges of butcher block countertops. Once you’re finished with them, consider getting a solid surface.