In terms of finish, the only sure way to waterproof wood is with a good film finish. While epoxy finishes, such as used in marine applications, are absolutely waterproof common interior varnish is actually surprisingly water-resistant. So a good coat of oil-based polyurethane (not thin, no pinholes or missed spots, paying particular attention to cut edges) will provide quite reliable long-term waterproofing.

Thanks for that woodyoulike - there is only 1 small patch around each tap - like you say - not surprising really!Was wondering how you'd gotten on. I'd used the 1010 for mine in ash with a long 8mm shank core box bit. 3 or 4 progressively deeper passes per groove. With the length of the shank there was some chatter but very shallow final passes came good in the end. There is a wide array of plastic angled drainers on the market, and they come in a variety of styles and sizes. Whatever style you decide on, these drainers are designed to allow water to collect beneath the items you have been washing up and easily drain away. Usually, there is a narrow spout at the base, to channel any excess water directly into the sink.

I suggest you do laminate the boards and try to orient the grain to minimize expansion/contraction issues. The main challenge with this is going to be preventing cupping. We have less kids living at home now and reconfigured kitchen. We kept the Belfast sink with no draining board. I really like the way the combination performs. The oil is just a refined mineral oil and using it alone, it leaves a very oily surface behind. The cream is a combination of oil and bees wax and it imparts a very nice finish to the wood.My personal advice is to not use full width. If you look at cutting boards and other stuff like that, the real reason decades ago they were put together the way they were was to combat the whole cupping and expansion and contraction issues. I would in general dissuade you from trying to make something like this from common plywoods which have glue joints of questionable durability. It would be much preferable to make a piece like this from solid wood. Keep collections to yourself or inspire other shoppers! Keep in mind that anyone can view public collections - they may also appear in recommendations and other places. So you say that I should rub down the whole thing - do I then use the Danish oil? Any do/don'ts with that - never used it before. To keep the all-natural look flowing throughout your kitchen, you might like to add an angled drainer made from wood. Like this beautiful design from