Refinishing a Butcher Block Table

Butcher blocks are made of sturdy slabs of fine-grained hardwood.

Butcher blocks are a modern invention originally designed for meat cutting by professional butchers. The first butcher blocks were made of northern hard maple because of the wood's hardness, which made it extremely durable. In fact, a butcher block was so thick and durable that a butcher generally used the same butcher block throughout his career. When the surface became pitted and rough, the butcher planed off the top of the block to create a new smooth surface. Today, butcher block is also used for counter tops and tables. Butcher block is also available in additional types of hardwood such as oak, cherry and walnut.

Things You'll Need

• Electric sander
• 150- to 180-grit sandpaper
• 220-grit sandpaper
• 320-grit sandpaper
• Stain, optional
• Brush
• Soft cloths
• #0000 steel wool
• Tung oil

Instructions

1. 

   Wear a face mask while sanding to avoid breathing dust.

   Sand the butcher block table using an orbital sander loaded with 150- to 180-grit sandpaper. Keep the sander moving smoothly over the table. Stopping at one location will result in an uneven sanding job.

2. Change sandpaper and sand again with 220-grit sandpaper. Move sander in the direction of the grain of the wood.

3. 

   Select a semi-transparent stain to bring out the pattern of the wood grain.

   Smooth the table by sanding with 320-grit sandpaper. The fine grit of the 320 sandpaper will lay down the fibers and leave the table ready for staining, if desired.

4. Stain with a penetrating transparent stain or a semi-transparent stain. Use a brush to apply stain, applying the stain with the grain of the wood. Allow the stain to dry according to manufacturer's directions.

5. Rub the table with tung oil applied with a soft cloth. Wait five to 10 minutes and then wipe with a dry cloth to remove excess tung oil. Allow to dry according to manufacturer's instructions.

6. Rough up the finish on the table using #0000 steel wool. Wipe the table free of sanding dust. Apply another coat of tung oil, following instructions in previous step. Repeat Steps 5 and 6 until you have seven coats of tung oil on the table.

Tips & Warnings

• Tung oil naturally creates a waterproof and alcohol-proof finish. Tung oil also resists most food stains. According to Jean Ballance of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, application of seven thin coats of tung oil creates a hard, scratch-resistant finish.

References

• Master Garden Products: Tung Oil
• Jean Ballance; North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service; Swan Quarter, North Carolina
• The Butcher Block Top: A Short History of Butcher Block
• Wood Zone: Refinishing a Butcher Block Top
• The Real Milk Paint Company: Tung Oil
• "Furniture Repair and Refinishing" Brian D. Hingley; 1998

Resources

• Dining Table Guide: Butcher Block Dining Table