# how many coats or mineral oil



## jems (Mar 11, 2010)

i made simple cutting board and had some questions about mineral oil. how many coats to use? do you wipe on and wipe off or do you leave it on and let it soak in? do you sand between coats?


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## Rick Dennington (Aug 27, 2009)

Greetings jems: Just take an old cotten t-shirt or some soft rag, and pour the mineral oil on the board liberally. Wipe it on, and wipe it in all over. Let the oil soak in till it starts looking kinda dry. Keep repeating this till the board won't take any more oil…...usually about 4-5 coatings like this. You can wipe it down in between coats….. do not sand in between coats… get that done before you put the oil on. It make take a couple of more coats… the wood will tell you when it's had enough. Simple…. pour….rub in…repeat, repeat, repeat, etc. When it's had enough, give it a final wipe-down, and let it dry…. that's it…..you're good to go….keep on keeping on….......later.


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## HanselCJ (Feb 11, 2010)

good to know, I was going to do a cutting board soon, and that preempts a question I would have had.


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

The best mineral oil finish recipe I found is one coat a day for a week, one coat a week for a month, and one coat a month for a year. This will ensure complete saturation and only one coat a year after that to keep it up. I used that on our pizza peel and the stuff just wipes right off.


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## mtkate (Apr 18, 2009)

I agree - the ones I did (that worked out!) had at least 5 coats each side before being used. And even after that, I would mix up a mineral oil / paraffin wax blend in the double boiler and coat that on (at least two coats each side). Usually takes me a week to finish a board if I do a coat every night.

Listen to me - "usually"... LOL. I have probably made 5!


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## Pete_Jud (Feb 15, 2008)

I use it on my cutting boards, and have learned that it takes time. 5 coats min. End grain will soak up more. And this will take several weeks. Don't do this a week before Christmas.


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## woodpeckerbill (Jun 9, 2009)

I agree mineral oil. Shopuryl, that's an old, old trick…heat the boards in the oven,pull them out and place them in a large tub of mineral oil. Some even used weihts to keep them totally submerged. After about 5 minutes or so, pullthem out and set on grate to drip. Next batch is coming. The heat opens the pores of the wood and more oil is absorbed, so only one oil bath per board. Works really well. I don't use this method anymore 'cause my wife has gotten all territorial about most of the appliances.
Bill


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## Broglea (Dec 9, 2009)

If its end grain, just keep putting it on until it comes through the bottom. It pobably takes a good 5 coats, then freshen it up once a month after that.


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