Why Does My Wooden Board or Utensil Feel Rough After Its First Wash?

You unpack your new board or utensil, admire how smooth it is, give it its first wash… and suddenly it feels a little rough.

If this has happened, don’t stress.

This can happen with natural timber products and is usually just timber being timber.

Why does this happen?

Wood is made up of natural fibres.

During the sanding process, the timber surface is smoothed by cutting, smoothing and flattening those fibres to create that silky smooth finish. Some fibres are completely removed, while others can remain compressed just below the surface.

When the timber comes into contact with water for the first time, those flattened fibres can absorb moisture, swell slightly and stand back up again.

In woodworking this is known as raised grain.

The result can be a board or utensil that feels a little rougher or slightly fuzzy after its first wash.

It doesn't mean your product is faulty, damaged or unsafe to use. It's simply a natural characteristic of real timber.

Why this can happen with low tox timber products

At Rustic Designs, our boards and utensils are made from real Australian timber and finished with our own low tox board oil, applied by hand using a cotton cloth.

We deliberately avoid thick synthetic coatings, heavy sealers and unnecessary treatment chemicals.

Many mass produced timber products use commercial finishes or coatings that create a heavily sealed surface finish straight out of the box.

We choose a different approach.

Our products are designed to remain as natural and low tox as possible, allowing the timber to look, feel and behave like real wood.

One of the trade offs of avoiding heavy coatings is that natural timber can react naturally, particularly during its first exposure to water.

For us, that’s part of using genuine timber rather than timber sitting under a thick surface coating.

How to smooth your board or utensil back out

The good news is this is usually a quick and easy fix.

Sometimes continued use and regular oiling will naturally smooth the surface back down over time.

If you'd like the smooth finish back straight away, here's what to do.

You'll need:

• Fine sandpaper around 320 to 400 grit
• Low Tox Board Oil
• A clean cotton cloth

Step 1

Make sure your board or utensil is completely dry.

Step 2

Using fine sandpaper, lightly sand with the grain. You only need a gentle pass over the raised fibres.

Step 3

Wipe away any dust using a clean cotton cloth.

Step 4

Apply a light coat of Rustic Designs Low Tox Board Oil with a cotton cloth and allow it to soak in.

That’s it.

Your board or utensil should feel smooth again and be ready for years of use.

Looking after your timber products

A little care goes a long way with natural wood.

To help keep your board or utensils in great condition:

• Hand wash only
• Don’t soak them
• Dry promptly after washing
• Re oil when the timber starts looking dry
• Keep them out of the dishwasher

Real timber has character

No two pieces of timber are exactly the same.

Grain, colour, movement and texture are all part of genuine handcrafted wood products.

At Rustic Designs, we make products from solid Australian timber using natural low tox finishes because we believe people should know what their kitchen products are made from.

That means you're getting real timber that behaves like real timber.

And honestly, we think that's exactly how it should be.