Choosing the correct finish is always a tough job, and when it comes to food safe finishes, that decision can be even more difficult. Try some of these classics as well as some newer options on the market.
Wood Finishes That are Food-Safe
Updated on Jan. 27, 2025
When you make something out of wood, whether it’s an interior piece or one that’s going to live outside, you’ll give it a longer life and prevent its natural colors from fading by giving it a finish. That’s also true for wood pieces that come in contact with food, such as countertops, tabletops and cutting boards.
Many wood finishes are toxic before you apply them, and in that state, you wouldn’t think of combining them with food. However, once a finish has settled onto the surface of the wood or penetrated the fibers and hardened, it’s a different story. Here’s our take on what constitutes a food-safe wood finish.
Which Finishes are Food-Safe?
The short answer is, all of them, but with a caveat. They have to fully cure, which can take up to 30 days for some products. Some wood finishes used to contain lead as a drier, and that would definitely make them toxic, but lead was banned years ago.
There are essentially two types of finish: oil, which penetrates the wood, and films, which lie on top of the wood. Check how to choose the right oil to finish wood.
FAQs
Can I use regular polyurethane or varnish on food prep surfaces like cutting boards?
It’s fine to use a film finish like polyurethane, varnish or lacquer for an item that isn’t used for cutting. Film finishes develop cracks with heavy use. These cracks allow water to get into the wood but don’t allow it to escape, and that degrades and discolors the wood. Refinishing is a big job that involves sanding the whole piece back to bare wood, so you probably want to avoid that.
If your wooden bowl or cutting board gets rough treatment with knives and utensils, use an oil finish like tung, mineral, linseed, or even an edible oil, such as olive or walnut oil. Just refresh the finish as needed with another coat of oil, and if you don’t use an edible oil, be sure to give it lots of time to cure before using it.
Is linseed oil food-safe?
According to the Safety Data Sheet for Sunnyside Boiled Linseed Oil, the product is not considered hazardous, although there is a warning that it may be harmful if ingested. That’s a weak warning, and it applies to the oil before you apply it. After it has cured and hardened, there’s even less chance of ill effects.
Source
Sunnyside Boiled Linseed Oil: Material Safety Data Sheet; 2010.
