Is there some alchemy/magic to oiling a (n Ikea) wooden worktop??

[ThereMustAndShallBeTea]

We have Ikea wood worktops in our utility and kitchen. Utility is whichever was cheapest about five years ago, strips of beech I think, and kitchen is Karlby, the one with oak veneer over a chipboard centre, which is about a year old.

The one in the utility room was unfinished so I got some Ikea Behandla and painstakingly applied three or whatever coats but it never seemed to look/feel any different. Eventually I tried putting a really thick layer on and leaving it to soak in and it just went really sticky! We then treated it really badly for about three years (it was effectively our kitchen sink) so it now needs a bit of sanding and retreating but am largely ignoring it as it's only in the utility room so not really seen.

A year ago we finally got around to having a kitchen put in and by then Ikea had introduced Karlby, which is a wood veneer that was pretreated. It still looks great and feels about the same as it did when installed but I've started re-oiling as part of my late pregnancy lunacy.

Having read other threads, I've got some Osmo Top Oil and have applied two coats today, but again it doesn't seem to have made any difference whatsoever.

We also have one of those huge wooden Ikea chopping boards and I've put a couple of coats of something (can't remember what now, this was a year ago) on that - again, no obvious difference.

My MIL has wooden worktops that look/feel like formica they're so shiny and smooth, and my friend had a kitchen put in about three years ago that they only treated once, when put in, and again it is smooth and shiny. I've tried brushes, clothes, thin layers and thick layers - what am I doing wrong?!

Oh, after the Behandla, tried some Danish oil (I think) from B&Q too.

you apply a thin coat, and let it soak in. After 20 minutes, polish off any oil that has not soaked in and is lying on the surface.

The next day, apply a thin layer, let it soak in, polish off, etc.

Whether you need three coats or ten is argued.

You must never leave oil on the surface as it will oxidise and go gummy.

Danish oil is just oil mixed with white spirit to thin it and help it soak in quicker.

You can use various fancy oils if you like, but cooking oil will work. I use linseed outside. Liberon is said to have a good range.

Surprisingly, oil is not waterproof and wood will still get damp through it. Around taps this may lead to black stains.

Incidentally, the old vest soft cloth that you used to polish off excess oil can self-ignite. Never screw it up into a ball. Spread it out flat. Preferably moisten it with water and tie it into a plastic bag to keep air out, then throw away. Or you can use it to light the Barbie or a bonfire. Do not put it in the shed with your white spirit and other flammables.

I use olive oil weekly : simplest method

Thanks both :)

If you want the same kind of surface from an IKEA wooden worktop as you get from the expensive manufacturers you will have to do some (lots of) sanding.
Sand away all of the original oil on the worktop ending up with sandpaper grain 240. Apply 3 coats of Osmo hard wax oil, wiping off the excess after about 20 mins as PJ says.
Result - perfect, hard wearing surface

Oh really? Friend's is just B&Q I think, wouldn't have thought they'd be much better than Ikea. MIL's DP is more or less a joiner though who handbuilt theirs, so makes sense that theirs is better sanded.

Let your Osmo dry. It's a thin coat and the wood may absorb the first coat or two right in, check if water beads on the surface, if so it's done, otherwise another thin coat. It won't normally look glossy or "varnished", it is normal to seem as if there's hardly any coating on the wood but it's magically waterproof.

When I use Osmo I wipe it on with a rag (j cloth usually) so it's a really thin coat, you're not meant to gloop it on like other types of oil.

However you're meant to apply it on bare wood, not sure how it will be on a previously oiled surface.

I've given up on expensive oil - I just lob vegetable oil on it now and then. Easier and cheaper.

Ooh thanks, that beading thing works great! Beads on the bit I've done, doesn't on the bit I haven't, which makes me feel a lot less it was a complete waste of time and effort!