how to seal & stain wooden countertops

A reader named Beth wrote in recently and said this:

I was wondering how the wooden counter top on your kitchen is holding up? We loved your kitchen refresh post this last Fall, and were thinking about making a similar change. But we don’t really know how to care for the countertops and it makes my husband nervous. I was wondering if you recommended anything to take care of your countertops?

We have loved our space since the refresh, especially the pantry – it has kept all our food storage in check, and it’s easy to do cooking/grocery store lists at a glance!

When we first installed our butcher’s block {we had it made from heart pine} we were told not to do anything to it. But we soon realized that wasn’t going to work for us. There were lots of spots on it. {I blame the kids or the puppies, it’s just easier that way}.

But we knew it was only going to get worse if we left it alone.

So we decided to seal and stain the top to improve the overall look, and protect the wood finish.

How to seal & stain wooden countertops:

We gave the countertop a good scrub to get rid of those Cheetos {shhh, no judging, they are handy to throw at the natives when they are restless. Ashley is giving me the side eye.}

And since we knew these were spots that would need more than a good scrub, I used this a great excuse to break out a power tool.

We gave ours a good sanding with an orbit sander to get rid of the spots we’d collected over a few months, wiped it down to clean it up from all the sawdust, and we were ready to go.

Even if the spot monsters haven’t visited yours, it’s still a good idea to sand it a little to help the stain take.

After doing a bit of research, we decided to use Watco Butcher Block oil and finish.

From their site:

Watco’s specially formulated Butcher Block Oil & Finish allows for easy and safe maintenance of wooden butcher blocks, cutting boards, salad bowls and other items which require a food safe finish. Please read product labels for additional directions and precautions before using

• Easy wipe-on application 

• Rich sheen enhances while it protects

We were all about a safe, protective finish for our food products to lengthen the life of our little countertop.

So we used two coats, and let it dry for a few hours in between each one.

We were a little worried in the beginning about sealing it for fear of discoloring the natural wood, but this finish really brought out a great color in the heart pine.

Cue the face palm for not sealing it sooner.

A few things to remember if you’re thinking about wooden countertops: {Which are really true with any countertops}

• Always use a cutting board for protection when cutting up food to lengthen the life of your countertops

• A protective item like an oven mitt or trivet are always suggested when placing hot items on top.

• We simply wipe them down in between each use, and they’re just as beautiful as the day we installed them a few months ago! We intend to keep them that way, and re-treating every few years based on wear/need is always recommended.

And the treatment on top was the best $10 we spent in our little kitchen refresh.

It has truly been a great change for our home and we love it! We hope this helps, Beth!

Have any of you guys made the switch with butchers block or wooden countertops? We’d love to hear any of your favorite tips!

Have an inspired day!