Varnish for oiled wood worktops?

[stillfrazzled]

I give up. My lovely oak worktops were installed 18 months ago and in that time I have grown to loathe Danish Oil with a passion.

Is partly my fault as don't refresh it enough, but lovely cream units all stained, cracks in wood round sink, stains from cooking etc.

I want to varnish and also possibly use some crack filler (like the stuff you use on floorboards) if possible - any advice appreciated!

i don't think varnish will help. you'll have issues with water too.

how about sanding them and being more assiduous with the oiling? how often have you been doing it?

I've had my oiled oak worktops in 3 years and they're still mint condition. I've only oiled them myself twice in that time too- but they were very well oiled before they went in. It doesn't sound like yours were- who installed them?

I don't use Danish oil either. Our kitchen chap gave us this in the matt finish rather than satin:
www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/FD15

I wouldn't varnish them- I don't think you'll get a good result plus the varnish will wear in patches.

If i were you I'd get the worktops sanded and filled (professionally if I could afford it, or myself if not- there are videos on YouTube) and oil, oil, oil, them like billy-o. Lots of thin layers rather than fewer thick ones.

They weren't oiled when we bought them and I did them myself. And am shite at DIY.

Hate the oil, stinks and ruins the cupboards. Will have a look at that matte stuff and also YouTube.

Is my fault for choosing soething high-maintenance, I know but just want a slightly easier solution. Sigh.

I agree that varnish will not be hard wearing. I have had two kitchens with wooden work tops that have remained in just about the same condition after several years wear.

The trick is to oil, oil and then oil some more. I use ordinary sunflower oil that you would use for cooking and for a brand new surface would treat it with about a litre of oil per square metre. I then scrub it down and re oil with a thick coat 2-3 times a year.

Don't use Danish oil, it's crap.

DP uses a shellac which gives a hard almost varnish like finish instead.

That link that Fay gave looks good too.

stillfrazzled, i think you probably didn't oil it nearly enough when you first installed it, sorry to say.

I don't think varnish will stick to an oiled surface.

Danish oil is thin and easy to apply, Tung oil gives better protection.

Sorry but IMO wooden worktops are much more suitable for kitchens in showrooms than for kitchens in houses.

I oiled them as many times as suggested, but quite prepared to believe not enough.

And yes, bad choice for house with small DC and working parents. Is now exercise in damage limitation...

sorry

I suggest try that hardwax oil linked above first, don't put on more of the stuff that didn't work first time. We use that on a lot of furniture.

Varnish won't take on something that has been oiled. Maybe try a different oil based finish such as the shellac.

I feel your pain, my sisters kids have trashed her wooden workshop in 18 months.

?but shellac is varnish (also French Polish) not oil.