Well, we treated ours with waterlox, though I'm not sure that's as dark as you're looking for.

Here is a link that might be useful: waterlox page

The ikea BB isn't normally oiled when you get it. Don't oil it if you plan to waterlox it.

Do you have Ikea oak? What color did your wood turn out?

No, but my neighbor has the beech, and waterloxing that produced that nice warm glow that you want. Beech starts off a bit darker than the oak.

I recently bought the oak IKEA butcherblock top. When I told the IKEA salesperson that I intended to stain it a dark color, he said to be sure to sand it first to remove some sort of coating that was applied by IKEA. My countertop will be used in a laundryroom, not a kitchen. I sanded it and then applied boiled linseed oil (a sealer recommended by another GWer) and then stained it. Later, I learned from GWers that I should have done it a bit differently. Instead, after sanding to remove the coating, you should wet the surface to raise the grain and then, when it is dry, to sand again (thank you, ci lantro) and another GWer sent me the link to the Waterlox website which says to mix stain into the first coat of Waterlox. Also, apply the Waterlox with a foam brush (a fresh one for each application)---I learned that from pharoah. The foam brush and light coats are the trick. This may not help with achieving the amber color you desire, but these tips will help with preparing the surface for staining and Waterlox.

I vastly preferred using a black bristle brush to waterlox our bar to the sponge thing, even factoring in the mineral spirit fumes to clean the brush.

But I'm pretty sure Waterlox is average-idiot proof (nothing is ever completely determined-idiot proof)- I finished our bar top in a cat/cat-fur filled basement with absolutely no issues. I really wish I had known more about it when we refinished our hardwood floors.

So, is the consensus that oak butcher block, even treated with oil, even waterlox, won't turn reddish unless it is stained first?

The counter is sitting in my garage and my cabinet-maker is on the way to pick it up. She seems to think that it will darken and turn red simply by oiling it.

I need to figure this out fast!

Mona, do you have a picture of a counter with the color you have in mind? That would help quite a bit.

I'm not terribly picky. I just don't natural oak color, which I think will be yellowy.

Here's one I found on this site:
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg071937592845.html

Unfortunately, the great kitchen island post has disappeared from this forum. There were great shots of butcher block islands.

Here's another:
http://www.devoswoodworking.com/images/MesquitePhotos
/Mesquite%20Island.JPG

Here's another:
http://www.hamptondesign.com/images/resize_folio/kitchen12_437a.jpg

Well, the glossy shine makes me think it's Waterlox. Our counter is somewhat glossy, but since we started with the Beech, our final color was different. Oiled wood is nice too, but definitely a different look -- not the warm, glossy depth you get with the Waterlox.

This page has a picture of both an oiled and a waterlox counter, so maybe you can figure out which look you're trying to get.

Here is a link that might be useful: butcherblock countertops

She seems to think that it will darken and turn red simply by oiling it

Not.

Mona, your first link is walnut, not oak. The second is mesquite, not oak. Don't know about the third. Jenswrens has beautiful waterloxed counters, too, but again they're beech, not oak, I think. Aren't they?

Oiling the oak butcherblock darkens it a little, but it's kind of a grayish darkening. I personally find it very unattractive, although I know a lot of people like it.

Yes, my counters are beech, not oak. But oiling alone, even oak, still will not produce the deep color I believe she's seeking. You could always oil a bit of the underside of your counter, and Waterlox another portion of the underside and see if either of those is what you want. If not, then you'll need some type of stain. Someone stained their IKEA BB and it was gorgeous (shelayne?) - I'll see if I can find that thread for you. I think I have it in my Clippings.

Here are some of those lost threads:

Butcher block thread

Butcher Block thread 2

This one shows the difference in an oiled BB and a Waterloxed BB:

Butcher block thread 3

And I think this is the Island thread you mentioned - posted below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Islands thread

Here it is. It's reshals. This is IKEA oak (numerar). It's stained dark like walnut (not the orangey-red you want - which you may be able to achieve with just Waterlox alone) - but it gives good info on the staining process.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dark Numerar BB stained

ReshalÂs is gorgeous  isnÂt it? But I believe it is Beech. We want to copy this too.

Oops - you're right. It is beech, not oak.

So maybe the key here is to trade in the oak countertop for beech, monakitchen! ;-)

Assuming it does not fit your kitchen exactly, why don't you saw off an inch of the shortest side and do some tests with various products? That way you will see exactly what will be closest to your vision without ruining the whole thing.
And I would suggest trying a wash of watered-down food color--they now make brown food color, you could mix it half and half with red to get an umber-ish color. Plus it would be non-toxic!

Carla in Sac

Mix a bit of an aniline dye (nontoxic, and has no smell like regular solvent-based wood stains) in with the first coat of Waterlox. I use these dyes regularly for matching wood colors in my old house, and love them. They are totally inert and won't affect the Waterlox consistency like other wood dyes -- they're like food color for wood, Carla! ;-)
Alternately, you can mix them with plain water for a first color wash before Waterloxing, in order to bring out the grain - just sand gently with 220 sandpaper to get the raised nubs off before using the Waterlox.

You can get Transtint in all sorts of colors including a Medium Brown or Dark Vintage Maple that might achieve the color you want. I think you're going to have to experiment a bit first, no matter what you do. Have fun!

Here is a link that might be useful: Transtint dyes

CircusPeanut  Those dyes sound very interesting. And easy! I love easy :-)

Since you have experience, could you recommend one that would look like ReshalÂs color???

Jeri -- it's so hard to tell from online photos, but I'd probably start with Reddish Brown and add Dark Walnut until it was dark enough.

Although, to be honest, reshal's color looks almost exactly like a Rockler Gel Stain I used on unfinished oak, called Mission Cherry. That might be the simplest method of all? You can Waterlox on top of it.
Mission Cherry on cheap unfinished oak chest (only waxed, no waterlox to bring out the depth):

Here is a link that might be useful: Mission Cherry gel stain

Thank you so much for all the advice.

My cabinetmaker was here today with my island and the butcher block which she had cut down to size for me. She happened to have some stains in her truck. We tried one and it was pretty close to the colour for which I was looking. It's a mix of red mahogany and dark walnut.

I also ran across town yesterday to the one place in the whole city that sells waterlox. They seem to think that by applying waterlox, I will create enough of a barrier that the stain touching the food won't be an issue. Anyway, I don't plan on cutting directly on the butcher block, so I am pretty confident...I think.

Our kitchen is near complete and looks wonderful. I'll post photos of the whole when it is finally done!

This thread makes me want to go buy some IKEA BB just to play with!

Thanks for the info CP!

Mona  your mix of red mahogany and dark walnut sound beautiful  I canÂt wait to see your progress.

Monakitchen, how did your bb island turn out? I'm on my way to Ikea today to pick up the same counter for our island. Just curious if you're happy with the oak?