I need some honest feedback from people who have actually lived with wood or butcher block countertops for more than a year.
We are doing a budget update on our kitchen walls and counters, and buying stone or quartz just isn’t in the cards for us right now. I really love the warmth of wood, and the price of the birch and oak slabs at the hardware store is honestly hard to beat. My big worry is water damage, specifically around the undermount sink area.
I know you have to seal them, but I’m realistic about my habits. I try to wipe down the counters, but water always splashes when doing dishes, and pots get left out to dry.
If you have butcher block, what did you seal it with? Did you use a food-safe oil like mineral oil, or did you go with a heavy-duty permanent sealer like Waterlox or polyurethane? If you used oil, how annoying is the maintenance to reapply it every few months? I’m terrified that within six months the wood around the faucet is going to turn black from mold or start rotting out from the constant moisture. If it’s a total nightmare to keep clean and dry, please tell me now so I can just pivot to a cheap laminate instead.