Care Instructions

Ok, seriously though……..Congratulations on your purchase/gifting of a custom cutting board/serving tray from The Celtic Workshop!  Your board will provide many years of service and should last forever, however it does require a minimal amount of maintenance to maintain that like new beauty.

Your new board has already been “seasoned” with a food grade conditioner.  Once your board starts appearing “dull” or “dry”, it’s time to re-oil.  Celtic Workshop recommends Howard Products Butcher Block Conditioner, available at your local Lowe’s/Home Depot, but your board should have also come with a free extra supply of my own food grade conditioner, with more available for purchase if desired.

The penetrating quality of food-grade mineral oil along with the water-resistant traits of beeswax rejuvenates the wood and prevents drying and cracking. The natural waxes help repair knife marks and protect the wood by keeping the mineral oil in and the moisture out.  If you ever would like to purchase more of my board conditioner please contact me via e-mail or through the Wood Lube Button above, e-mail chris@mycelticworkshop.com or through facebook.

Care & Maintenance

An end grain or face grain cutting board is a natural wood product that will warp or crack if not properly maintained. Please follow the instructions below to help ensure that your cutting board lasts for years and years.

How To Maintain Your Butcher Block Cutting Board

Your cutting board has come with a food safe mineral/conditioner oil finish applied during finishing. I would suggest giving it a quick hand washing with hot soapy water before the first use. Dry with a towel. Never put it in the dishwasher! For REALSIES!

It is best to store the board along one of the longest edges so that air can flow along all major surfaces of the board, which helps prevent warping.  From time to time, all boards may warp slightly, particularly due to seasonal change in temperature and humidity.  Also, not all counters are perfectly flat.  If your board is rocking slightly, it likely just needs to acclimate to the environment and store it on a large flat side for 24 hours, as if you were using the item, this should make it better or fix it completely.  After it has acclimated, store it on end.  If there is still rocking it may require another day of being flat or the counter may not be flat.  You can put a towel underneath if this is bothersome to you and this can also be a trick to make the board stay put if you find it slides around the counter some.  Dampen a kitchen town or a paper towel slightly and place it under the board and it will grip the board better than the counter.  Just be careful, as forgetting about that damp towel or allowing it to be in contact with the board for too long could cause the board to start feeling slightly rough or even warp, in extreme cases.  If none of these methods work, please contact me and I can provide other methods or potentially resurface and re-flatten the board for you, though there would likely be a cost associated with shipping and resurfacing. 

Extremes of humidity and dryness can swell and shrink hard wood enough to cause small seasonal checks to appear, usually around the edges of end grain cutting boards. This possibility, although remote, is an unavoidable condition of enjoying the character and beauty of a living material. You can help preserve your cutting board by keeping your home humidified in the winter, and by frequent applications of mineral oil/conditioner.

You will need to apply a food safe mineral oil/conditioner regularly to properly maintain your cutting board. Never use corn, olive, or vegetable oil as they will become rancid in time. I recommend at least a once a month application. Apply a generous coat to both sides and let set at least 30 minutes. Wipe off the excess with a rag, and it is ready to use.

Keep your cutting board clean and dry. Scrub your board after each use with hot soapy water, and dry with a towel. You will notice that most of the moisture will evaporate off the surface quickly. If it doesn’t, it’s time to apply more finish. Do not let the board sit with water on it for an extended period of time or be completely submerged in water.

If your cutting board becomes gouged, you can sand the surface until smooth. Apply an oil finish and your cutting board will look brand new! I completely stand behind the items I make and will not send them out unless they are of the highest quality.  If you have ay concerns or questions, please never hesitate to contact me. 

Thank you so much for choosing the Celtic Workshop for your product.  Be sure to check out my facebook page and feel free to let me know if you have any questions or would like another product.  I also LOVE to see pictures of the boards being used and shared on facebook.  To tag, simply type @CelticWorkshop in a post after you have liked the page and it should pop up for you.