Watco Butcher Block Oil Sticky [How to Fix]

Watco butcher oil is a great finisher on any wooden surface. However, it comes with a risk. It can either enhance the elegance or ruin it. Watco butcher oil turning sticky after the application is one of the scenarios of it.

So, what to do when Watco butcher block oil sticky?

Watco oil becomes sticky when you use an excess amount that fails to dry. So, always remove the excess oil after 30 minutes of the application. If it doesn’t dry properly try raising the temperature or use a dehumidifier. If nothing works, remove the sticky oil patch with white spirit.

That was the highlight of our discussion today’s discussion. Need more details about them? Then stay with us until the end.

Let’s begin!

Watco Butcher Block Oil Sticky: Reasons & Solutions

Having a wooden worktop comes with a lot of maintenance. Among those having a water-resistant surface with a shiny top is the first priority. And both of them could be achieved by Watco butcher block oil application.

It’s a compound that has 65% mineral spirit, 7% varnish, and 22% linseed oil. Instead of curing it’s supposed to dry on the wooden surface.

So, you can expect a smooth, dried, and shiny wooden top. However, many things can go wrong and you may end up with a sticky surface.

So, if you have encountered such an unfortunate outcome, then the following discussion might help.

Excess Use of Watco Butcher Oil

In most cases, when having a sticky surface turns out the reason is overuse. If you use an excessive amount of Watco butcher block oil it won’t dry well.

The important thing is to remove the excess oil after you’ve applied it evenly. Also, understanding how much will be excess.

In the beginning, most of us pour down the oil on top of the surface. Some call it flooding the wood with Watco oil. Although it’s not always necessary to flood the top.

Rubbing it on the top in an adequate amount is ideal. It doesn’t always have to be poured on. Because it leaves an excess amount of oil to remove later on.

Also, there’s a time limit when it comes to removing the excess oil. It has to be removed within 15-30 minutes after you apply it. The instruction section of the user manual label should contain this information.

The problem appears when you keep the excess for too long. So, make sure you’re using an adequate amount and removing the excess on time.

Watco Butcher Oil Not Drying

Watco butcher block sealer is made of 65% of mineral spirit. That means it’s supposed to dissolve pretty quickly. But that is not the case. It takes 6 to 8 hours of rest to dry it off properly.

But if it isn’t drying even after that, chances are that the product is defective. It happens in cases when the oil goes bad due to bad storing conditions.

Watco butcher block oil from old cans can become tacky. Such a product may not be dry properly. So, make sure the product is in good condition. Otherwise, the result would be a sticky wooden surface.

To deal with this issue you can try drying it off in the sun. Sometimes rising up the temperature does the work for sticky or viscous Watco oil.

You can try it indoors as well by raising the temperature of the room. Raise the temperature for both finish and block up to (15°-20°)F. Other options are using a dehumidifier or an oscillating desk fan.

Incorrect Application Of Watco Butcher Oil

A common reason for Watco butcher oil being sticky is its incorrect application of it. Maybe the amount you’re using is not right. Or maybe you’re just not doing it right.

For the amount, remember the ratio of 1 litre of oil per 3m of woodblock. Although the ratio may differ a little depending on different brands. So, make sure to read the instruction label on the can.

As for the application, do a little test on a small piece of wood first. If the experiment comes out successful then proceed to apply it to the main project.

Always sand the surface of the woodblock before proceeding. Start with 150-grit and then proceed with 180, and 220-grit sandpaper. Brush off the dust before applying oil. It’s important.

For the rest of the procedure, follow the instruction label on the container. Also, never use disinfection spray on newly coated woodblock. Disinfection spray makes Watco danish oil sticky.

How to Remove Sticky Watco Oil

If the above tricks worked for you that’s assuring. But if nothing works that leaves you with one option. You’ve to remove the sticky oil patch from the woodblock.

To do this you’d require a white spirit. Don’t know which one to use? These are our recommendations for you-

• Winsor & Newton Artists’ White Spirits

Take a soft cotton cloth piece and wet it with the white spirit. Now, rub the piece in a circular motion over the sticky area. Cover a small area at a time.

This will remove stickiness from wood by dissolving the oil. After it’s removed, polish the woodblock with a polishing pad for a better outcome.

Special Tip

Sometimes, Watco oil needs a helping hand to dry off the surface. In this case, the helping hand could be any type of basic oil. But it must be food-safe mineral oil.

Olive oil could be a great choice. Apply some olive oil over the surface where you’ve applied Watco oil. You can apply it the same way you’ve applied the butcher oil.

This will help finish your woodblock without any stickiness.

FAQs

Here are a few more interesting facts related to our today’s discussion-

Conclusion

That’s all about the watco butcher block oil sticky problem. Hopefully, our post will be of help to deal with the issue. Apply the Watco oil from time to time for proper maintenance.

And never use any type of soap to dissolve it. It may result in an adverse effect. Wishing you all the very best on your wood project.

See you soon!