Oiling olive wood: which oil and how often

Oil is the only thing an olive wood board really needs — and the spot where most mistakes happen. The wrong oil turns the wood rancid; oiling too rarely lets it dry out and crack. Both are easy to avoid once you know two things: which oil belongs on the wood, and how often.

Which oil — and which never

The key distinction is between cooking oils and care oils. Cooking oils turn rancid. Olive oil of all things, along with sunflower or rapeseed oil, therefore do not belong on the board — after a few weeks they smell old and turn sticky.

Well suited are oils that cure or stay neutral:

• Pure linseed oil (not boiled linseed oil varnish with driers) — it cures and seals from within.
• Food-safe hard oil or a special cutting-board oil — the most straightforward choice.
• Refined coconut oil as a stopgap — it stays stable a long time but does not properly cure.

To be completely safe, choose an oil labelled “food-safe” or “for wood in food contact.” It says so on the bottle.

How to oil properly

1. The board must be clean and completely dry — oil will not soak into damp wood.
2. Put a little oil on a lint-free cloth and rub it thinly along the grain, including the edges and underside.
3. Let it soak in for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Wipe off excess oil with a dry cloth — no film should be left standing on the wood.
5. Let it cure overnight before you cut on it again.

How often to re-oil?

A new board is thirsty. In the first two to three weeks it can take oil once a week until the wood is saturated. After that, about once a month is enough. The most reliable cue is on the board itself anyway: if the wood looks dull, pale and matte or feels dry, it is time. If water no longer beads but soaks in, all the more so.

The most common mistakes

• Too much oil at once — several thin coats are better than one thick one that stays sticky.
• Oiling onto damp wood — the oil stays on top and the wood takes up nothing.
• Olive oil “because it's olive wood” — an understandable thought, the wrong result.

Oiling is only one part of care. How to clean, dry and protect an olive wood board from cracks in everyday use is covered in our complete care guide.