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  • Woodsmith

    Food-Safe Finishes

    Mar 10, 2020 5 minutes
    Written by: Bryan Nelson

    With the carving board in this issue, one of the key discussions we had was what type of finish to use on the surface. And the reason is simple — you want to be sure to use a finish that’s considered safe for food contact.

    IT’S ALL SAFE. The reality is that all finishes sold today are safe for food once they’ve fully cured. This is the position of most finishing experts and one that’s shared by a large majority of woodworkers (myself included).

    However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all finishes are created equal. Here’s a look at some of the pros and cons of the various “food-safe” finishes that you’re likely to come across to help you make your choice.

    NO FINISH

    The simplest option for a food-safe finish is to skip it altogether. With no finish applied, there’s nothing for the food to make contact with. And another

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    AN ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA PUBLICATION EXECUTIVE EDITOR Phil HuberSENIOR EDITOR Erich LageASSISTANT EDITOR Rob Petrie EXECUTIVE ART DIRECTOR Todd LambirthSENIOR ILLUSTRATOR Dirk Ver SteegSENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Bob Zimmerman, Becky KralicekCONTRIBUTI

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