Oiling olive wood: which oil and how often
Which oil suits olive wood, which doesn't, and how often should you re-oil? A clear, step-by-step guide.
In short: oil olive wood with a food-safe care oil such as pure linseed oil, hard oil, food-grade mineral oil or walnut oil, not with olive oil. Oil new pieces once a week for the first two to three weeks, then about once a month or whenever the wood looks dull and pale.
Oil is the only thing an olive wood board really needs, and it's also 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 to use, and which never to use
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 does not belong on the board. After a few weeks it smells old and turns 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
- The board must be clean and completely dry, because oil will not soak into damp wood.
- Put a little oil on a lint-free cloth and rub it thinly along the grain, including the edges and underside.
- Let it soak in for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Wipe off excess oil with a dry cloth. No film should be left standing on the wood.
- 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 with 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.
Which pieces this applies to
This guide applies to everything in olive wood that comes into contact with food: cutting and serving boards, bowls, plates and platters as well as spoons, ladles and mortars. All our pieces arrive hand-oiled and ready to use. The first re-oiling is only due once the wood turns matte.
Frequently asked questions
Can I oil olive wood with olive oil?
Better not. Olive oil is a cooking oil and turns rancid over time. The wood then smells stale and feels sticky. Using it once in a pinch does no harm, but it isn't suitable for regular care.
What is the best oil for olive wood?
A food-safe care oil. Pure linseed oil and hard oil cure and protect the longest. Food-grade mineral oil is odourless and very easy to use, but needs applying a little more often. Walnut oil works too, just not if anyone in the household has a nut allergy.
How often should you oil olive wood?
New pieces once a week for the first two to three weeks, then about once a month. Boards that are washed daily need oil more often than a bowl that's only used now and then.
How long should the oil soak in?
Let it soak in for 20 to 30 minutes, wipe off the excess and ideally let the piece dry overnight before using it again.
My board feels sticky. What now?
That means too much oil or a cooking oil. Wash the board with warm water and a drop of dish soap, let it dry well and oil more thinly in future. Stubborn spots can be smoothed with fine sandpaper (240 grit) along the grain and then re-oiled.
Can oiled olive wood go in the dishwasher?
No. Heat and constant moisture strip the oil and make the wood crack. Read why in Can olive wood go in the dishwasher?
