How to Refinish a Wood Butcher Block

Scrape the butcher block top with a sharpened paint drag-scraper or pastry cutter, as recommended by Tom Silva of This Old House. You can use a knife sharpener to put a sharpened edge on the scraper. Pull the scraper toward you as you work and always work with the grain of the wood if the butcher block is composed of lengths of wood rather than the traditional vertical blocks with exposed ends.

Sand the butcher block if there is sufficient damage to warrant it. Start with a coarse grain sandpaper if the surface damage is heavy, and work your way down to a fine grit until you achieve a smooth surface.

Wipe on food-grade mineral oil with a clean cloth and allow it to soak into the wood. Apply successive coats of mineral oil until it stops soaking into the wood, recommends Woodzone. Then wipe away any excess oil. Mineral oil keeps the wood pieces from drying out and separating over time.

Finish the wood with a coat or two of beeswax. Rub it in with a soft cloth. Beeswax prevents moisture from soaking into the wood, which will cause swelling and could ruin the butcher block over time.