Timber bread shelves for bakery - finished or unfinished?

[chriscrofty]

Just a quick one for you, I have been asked to make some slatted bread shelves/racks for a bakery... and I wanted to check about what finish would be best.

I'm tempted to go with unfinished, as it will softwood from sheds...possibly strip wood for the slats, but I have to assure the owner no sap will leech into the bread etc.

Alternatively I would use olive oil, or something akin, but I don't imagine they will remember to re-oil over the years anyway...

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Harbo]

Leave unfinished, oils can go rancid.

Rod

 

[sunnybob]

The bread should NEVER be in contact with the wood. Tissue paper or wicker bread baskets, but any food against bare wood in a shop is a recipe for Environmental Health.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

This year the EHO will tell you to leave them bare so they can be bleached, next year he will tell you they must be painted. The year after, he'll come back and tell you they need to bare, and the year after he'll want them painted. The year after ...

Been there, done that.

 

[ED65]

Unfinished is certainly an option and it just simplifies things for you so much. But the wood might look a bit dry/blanched to the customer. If you think they might think so you could oil initially, this will fade away slowly with use and they won't really notice the change. Eventually the wood will look just as if it had never been oiled but they'll be used to the appearance by then.

If you oil there are numerous vegetable oils you could use but as much as I hate the idea personally liquid paraffin is your safest bet.

The bread should NEVER be in contact with the wood. Tissue paper or wicker bread baskets, but any food against bare wood in a shop is a recipe for Environmental Health.

Does not compute. Wood is verboten but wicker is okay? ;-)

 

[sunnybob]

Wicker baskets have tissue inserts.
have you never been to a bakery? :shock: