Replies

1. 
   john_c2 | Jun 22, 2020 05:13pm | #1

   Mineral oil will never harden. Never ever.

2. 
   MPcustomwood | Jun 22, 2020 05:16pm | #2

   So would you recommend melting the caranuba wax and then adding color?

3. 
   john_c2 | Jun 24, 2020 07:46am | #3

   Milk paint is nontoxic and food safe.

   https://www.realmilkpaint.com/blog/tips/child-safe-paint/

   I wouldn't use color on a cutting board, but for a serving tray it's fine. I also wouldn't use wax. Its too soft. I would use either a hardening oil, a varnish or poly, or oil-varnish mix. But again, not for a cutting board.

4. 
   lat_axe | Jun 24, 2020 09:00am | #4

   The oak kitchen worktops of the new house we moved into 18 months ago were stripped of the claggy varnish on them, which was replaced with Osmo top oil.

   It's held up extremely well in a heavily used kitchen, seeming to be impervious to water and many other kitchen liquids, although not so much to some highly acidic stuff if left to stand on the surface for any length of time (like overnight).

   I've just used the remnant to finish a pair of nesting serving (not food) trays made of black walnut. It resists ring and slop marks very well. But is it food safe? I would assume so from it's purpose as a kitchen worktop finish....

   It comes in shades of colour but they seem to be more of a tint than a paint. The wood grain shows through. And although the stuff seems to resist scratching quite well, that may not be true of use under daily knives and forks (i.e. as a food tray).

   But does any kind of finishing coat resist the attacks from foodstuffs and eatin' irons that a food tray must undergo? All of those I've ever seen in restaurants are bare wood, as this can be easily scrubbed clean and apparently has some natural antiseptic properties, especially if end grain is used......

   Lataxe

5. 
   stantheman | Jun 25, 2020 09:57am | #5

   That also looks like milk paint to me, which is very tough. But if you're actually cutting on it, nothing will last very long.