How to Finish a Wooden Butcher Block

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	There are several options for finishing a new butcher-block counter top. The one you choose will depend on how you are going to use it. If you plan to prepare food directly on the wood, then you'll want to use an oil finish. Use a mineral oil rather than vegetable oil, which can turn rancid over time.
One of the best ways to apply this finish is to spread the oil on the surface and then work it into the wood using wet/dry sandpaper. Make sure that you always go back and forth with the grain of the wood.
If you don't plan on carving directly on the surface, apply a clear coating like a polyurethane varnish, which comes in oil or water based varieties. The advantage to polyurethane is that it seals the wood very well, it resists almost any kind of staining from liquids and, it is relatively easy to apply.
Apply 2 or 3 coats with a foam brush using long, straight strokes along the grain of the wood. In between each coat, sand the varnish with wet /dry paper, once again following the direction of the wood grain. Dip the sandpaper in water to act as a lubricant.