FINISHING OPTIONS

Hand Rubbed Waterlox Satin Finish 

Recommended for Tops with Sinks installed

All of our finishes are hand rubbed and applied by our craftsmen. If you choose the Waterlox finish for your top it can not be cut on.  It is a durable finish and is FDA approved for food prep and also protects your top from water marks and most stains.  You should think about your wood top as a piece of furniture and it is important to understand the Waterlox finish so that you can make sure your top stays protected over time.   Realistically how long the finish lasts is really determined by you and how you maintain and treat your top. Like your wood furniture your wood top will antique over time but If you properly care for your top and have not penetrated or worn through the finish it will last many years without re-coating.  The general rule of thumb is you should add a coat if you notice the finish is starting to get excessively worn looking or has been penetrated.  It is also OK to just touch up the tired areas of your top but it can be hard to blend and re-coating the entire top is sometimes easier. Please visit, www.waterlox.com for complete information on the Waterlox finish.  Check out our Care and Maintenance page for information on cleaning and maintaining your top!

Zar Oil Based Polyurethane

Recommended for Bar Tops, Island Tops, Built-Ins, Bench Tops, Table/Desk Tops, Multi Use Areas

The Zar Oil based Polyurethane that Sprague Woodworking utilizes is a market front-runner for wood furniture. It has a durable coating similar to the Waterlox, with just a hint more hardness. Zar's incredible ease of application is a perfect finish for surfaces that will see increased activity- Islands, bartops, bench tops, etc.  It has many of the same maintenance requirements as the Waterlox.  As an Oil based finish, the Zar protects well against most liquids and sweat ring from glasses will not appear on this finish. The Zar poly has no trouble with spills or standing water, however we only recommend the above Waterlox finish for sink areas primarily for its track record of high durability in those areas over time. 

Staining Your Wood Countertop

Although most countertops we build are finished in their natural color,  on occasion we do stain our countertops.    We use two different wiping stain brands,  ZAR Premium Oil Based Stains and Old Masters Premium Oil based stains.   You can choose from any of their stock colors.  If you are thinking of placing an order with us and would like to see color samples we will send pictures of wood color samples to you electronically.  After picking through those we would gladly make up several real wood samples upon request for $25.00 each.  We will credit up to $100.00 in samples back too you if you purchase a top.

***WE DO NOT COLOR MATCH*** Since stain is not a solid color and looks different on every wood species we do not color match as there are thousands of combinations of finishes and wood tones.  

Mineral Oil 

Recommended for Cutting Boards, Cutting Blocks or for a more rustic, natural appearance (regular reapplication of the mineral oil is necessary)

This is a finish we recommend as an option for our cutting boards, because they are easy to refinish on a regular basis. This finish can also be applied to your counter top, but is a finish that requires a great deal of maintenance and your countertop with this finish will need to be oiled every 3 - 4 weeks.  

To maintain the finish, simply apply this mineral oil on your board with a cotton rag or you can even use a paper towel.  We recommend you do this reapplication every couple of weeks so that your cutting board or counter top does not completely dry out.   We use Howards Mineral Oil and Beeswax natural finish, http://www.howardproducts.com/product/butcher-block-conditioner/.   If you choose this type of finish you can expect that your wood surface will feel slightly rough and the grain of the wood may raise a bit after wiping it down with water.  This mineral oil finish needs to be reapplied on a consistent basis.