If finished in a catalyzed product (epoxy, urethane, etc), a person may as well just have a plastic work surface... or at least I'd think so since the permeability would be little to none.
Shellac or lacquer would probably be similar.
Oil would not protect well and would of course leach a little oil into the dough.
All of this has me a little unsure of what to use on the top. So I figured I'd just see what others are using and if my assumptions are accurate above.
Is there a preferred finish for butcher block?
Mostly I've read that a mix of bees' wax and mineral oil is the best. Butcher block companies like Boos sell block creams, and that's what's in them, or at least in the ones from Boos. I also talked with a man who makes gorgeous wooden spoons by hand, and that's what he uses on his wooden pieces.
TomP
Ok thanks. Great to know. Just looked up Boos. Wow! Nice tops. 10" thick end grain. Interesting.
It's a treat walking through the Boos showroom. It made my mouth water. Expensive, though.
I belong to the West Australian Apiarist Society and we have local bee buddy groups, mine being Fremantle and a couple of our members brought along a range of their bee products that ranged from wax food wraps (reusable) instead of cling film plastics, lip balms, hand scrubs, skin moisturisers and also leather and wood preparations and polishes and tool protection creams. All using bees wax, honey and propolis all provided by our bees and often by productsof the hive. Local bee clubs and associations may well be able to put you in direct contact with people collecting the raw materials.
I see some discussion of NO finish on a work surface. Never would have considered this but I guess wood is antimicrobial. I'd think it'd get stained pretty bad without any finish. But now I guess that's one other option to consider.
It's more than just about staining. Food juices that soak in can spoil in the wood grain. Without a finish, knife marks can get a little jagged and throw up tiny splinters. These aren't show stoppers but keeping the finish refreshed mostly prevents them.
It seems to be true that some woods become antimicrobial, but I don't know how true that is about all woods that might be used for cutting boards and butcher block surfaces. I've read some claims that after long enough use the surface will stabilize and not allow other microbes to grow. Again, I don't know if or when that's really the case.
Off topic - kinda - think bamboo. I've had one for over 10 yrs. Antimicrobial and the cuts are minimal - for that many years anyway. Enjoy!
In this case, the only work on this top will be dough processing. No knives or metal tools. I'll probably even make a rule of plastic dough scrapers only.
I have had 2 maple butcher block counter tops over the last 25 years. They might get 2-3 coats of food-safe mineral oil most years. I just apply and rub down with paper towels to remove any excess, then let sit overnight or for a few days as we’ll often oil them before we leave on a trip.
Any time I make a batch of bread and use the counter for shaping or kneading, I clean up by scraping down the entire surface with my metal bench scraper, spritzing with water, using the bench scraper again, then mopping up the puddle of gunk. A second pass of spritz, scrape and wipe generally yields a less gunky puddle. After that, the counter is ready for all the other food prep that happens in the kitchen. Counters still look great. The oil treatment seems to do a good job of protecting the wood for months No failed glue joints or raised grain issues.
Good luck,
Phil