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I recently installed some Tasmanian Oak benchtops in the kitchen. Prior to installing them I cut them down, sanded them and treated them with 3 coats of Cabot’s Benchtop Clear. They’ve been in for 2 months and we’ve noticed that they are staining through the treatment when they get oil on them. I’ve contacted Cabot’s but they couldn’t help.
I’m going to sand them back again to get rid of the staining. Any recommendations on a different treatment I can use that is food safe?
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @BJC. It's fantastic to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about coating a benchtop.
I'm sorry to hear you've experienced an issue with your benchtop coating.
I've also spoken to the Cabot's technical team and this isn't something they come across regularly. Being a water-based coating, it is typically resilient to oil spills as oil and water don't mix well. However, oil from high-protein foods such as chicken can break down the coating and this staining is likely a result of it.
Another food-safe coating you could consider is Bondall 500ml Monocel Timber Bench Top Oil. Unlike the Benchtop Clear, it's a penetrative oil. It can still suffer the same staining issues as a hard coating, but it is also susceptible to staining from food items like beetroot.
The other option is to use an oil-based Cabot's CFP, though it's not food-safe. You'd just need to ensure you prepare food on the chopping boards and not the benchtop coating.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
