# Food safe finishes



## TimF (Jul 12, 2009)

Hello all. I've gotten some very information here in the past. Now I have another question. What is a good food safe, water proof finish for wood? Thanks in advance Tim.


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

There are at least 2 products made explicitly for this purpose. One is called salad oil and the other is called Watco butcher block oil and finish. I'm sure there are more - just don't know what they are. I've used both and I have also used plain old mineral oil from the drug store.

In performance, I don't see much difference between the salad oil and the mineral oil. Of the 2, I prefer mineral oil because it is cheaper and readily available. Further, if I give the item away as a gift, I tell the recipient to re-oil it when it starts to look a little dull or dry. It's easy for the recipient to pick up a bottle at the drug store. I may be harder for them to locate salad oil that is only sold ini woodworking supply places.

I like the Watco product for really porous wood like red oak. The Watco product is more of a sealer. Porous woods offer bacteria places to hide and the Watco product, effectively, fills up those porous holes. However, I find it hard to get a smooth, even finish with the Watco product. It seems like you are always leaving streaks and/or an uneven finish. I recently used the Watco product on a red oak tortilla press and I was not happy with the look in the end. I kept sanding and applying another coat and it never got any better.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Most all finishes are food safe if allowed to COMPLETLY DRY. You did not state what object(s) you want in contact with food. Countertops, cutting boards, bowls, spoons, etc.
More info will garner better responses.
Bill


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## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

http://www.finewoodworking.com/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesArticle.aspx?id=26893


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## bobsmyuncle (Jan 12, 2011)

Bob Flexner wrote an article on "The Folly of Food-Safe Finishes"in PopWood and reprinted in his "Flexner on Finishing." He concluded the same as Bill White stated above.

At one point in time, the MSDS for a company's Salad Bowl Finish was shared with their wipe on varnish. Same product, different label, different prices.


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## Rick Dennington (Aug 27, 2009)

Just a bottle of mineral oil from the drug store or supermarket will do….Being that it's food safe for human consumption, if you ever get "backed up, or "packed up", a 1/2 a glass of mineral oil, and orange juice will take care of that problem, too…..


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