Author Topic: Wood and the smell of varnish?  (Read 2687 times)

Col68

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Wood and the smell of varnish?
« on: July 07, 2017, 11:26:26 PM »
Hello dear artisan cheesemakers, I searched in the forum but not found, I made pine wood shelves for the cheese fridge, so it resists
moisture I used polyurethane varnish (contact The problem it has to a smell of "new furniture" or Wood varnish, I will not put the cheeses directly on the shelves, I will use small boards "spruce", my question, the smell of varnish Will be a problem in the fridge? In your opinion this smell of Vernis could go on the cheeses? (I put the shelves in the open, the smell is still strong) Thank you in advance for your help

*(Sorry for mistakes, uses a translator)


5ittingduck

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2017, 01:37:41 AM »
Wood boards for aging cheese are left unvarnished.
The boards are meant to absorb moisture from the cheese.
Varnish will taint the cheese and is not recommended.

Offline Gregore

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2017, 03:33:15 AM »


If I understand you correctly you are using pine for supports and spruce for the shelves ?

Even the wood parts of the shelf supports should not have any coatings , the wood  absorbing moisture is good for stabilizing humidity . 

And yes I would assume that the cheese will smell of varnish . Try to sand it all off .

Col68

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2017, 09:01:25 AM »
Hello 5ittingduck and Gregore, thank you for your answers, I understood that the varnish on the wood for support is not good, I will scratch everything to remove this varnish, thank you with all my heart for your help, a cheese for you, I respect you, good weekend.

Col68

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2017, 02:38:12 PM »
I managed to sanding to the maximum, I have the details to finish, despite the scratching, the smell is less but still present, thank you for your help and advice. That is the result.


Offline awakephd

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2017, 03:08:52 PM »
Col, I think you are going to have to get rid of ALL of the varnish. That may mean making the shelves over again. :( But that is better than getting the varnish smell/taste into your cheese!
-- Andy

Col68

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2017, 05:59:30 PM »
Col, I think you are going to have to get rid of ALL of the varnish. That may mean making the shelves over again. :( But that is better than getting the varnish smell/taste into your cheese!
Awakephd thank you for the advice, I scratch the wood so the smell gradually takes off, it gains its natural smell, the error here is that I opened the post after varnish wood, I had to write and Ask the question before starting to use the varnish, nothing is lost, the experience is winning, I hope that it serves me as a lesson for mo and can this post will serve other friends who would use varnish on The support of the fridge or cheese board, finally No to Varnishes on wood in cheese dairy, message received and share :-) thank you for your advice a cheese for Awakephd.

AnnDee

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2017, 10:32:22 PM »
Col, if you have solid planks of wood that will work even better. I have been using solid wood planks and there is no going back ever since.

Offline Gregore

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #8 on: July 09, 2017, 03:15:59 AM »
if you sand deep enough the smell will go away in a week or 2

Offline awakephd

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #9 on: July 09, 2017, 06:12:04 PM »
As others have said, natural wood is the usual and preferred approach for cheese. But if a person really wanted or needed some sort of coating on the wood, I suppose you could use shellac - since this is considered an edible finish. I personally wouldn't, since I don't know what sort of flavor(s) might be imparted, but then again, there are also some types of wood that I would not consider using - for example, though I do not know from personal experience, I would guess that walnut or oak would impart bitter flavors (tannins) into anything in contact with it. Olive wood likewise, not that many people have access to planks of olive wood - at least in my one experience with it, liquid served in a small olive wood cup was okay if consumed immediately, but if more than 15-20 minutes passed, it became incredibly bitter.
-- Andy

Col68

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #10 on: July 09, 2017, 08:45:24 PM »
Great thanks for the help, the smell disappears more and more, I washed with "Bicarbonate de soude" mixed with a lemon can, I will follow your advice and keep you informed, what amateur adventure :) thanks .


John@PC

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #11 on: July 16, 2017, 10:31:57 PM »
Polyurethane is a cross-linking plastic resin and not a varnish in the traditional sense.  If you are using a true polyurethane and if you allow it to cure several days before putting it into use it shouldn't impart a off-flavor.  Once the resin's volatile components have "departed" you should have a hard, inert cheese-friendly surface.  That said I agree that a "natural" uncoated wood is better but it does take more maintenance :).   

Col68

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2017, 07:27:56 PM »
Hello dear nice people, thank you everyone for your help and advice, the product used was wood varnish with polyurethane, I used soda ash lightly moist, rubbed the wood with brush and left to act 5 Minutes and wash with water jet, scraped with glass wool, wash, dried 1 week outdoors, I am very satisfied with the result, it no longer smells the varnish, only the wood, later I would like Made of oil with linseed to protect it, this is my adventure that ends well, great respect and thank you to you cough, good continuation.


gstone

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #13 on: July 23, 2017, 09:54:39 PM »
Linseed oil is pretty pungent stuff; I wouldn't want it around my cheeses. I tried aging a few cheeses in a cool room in my basement once and they absorbed a distinct rose scent from some soaps that were also being stored there.  You could barely smell the soap in the room, but the cheese soaked it right up.

What are you feeling you need to protect it from?  To the best of my knowledge, old-school cheese makers age their cheeses on bare wood, and then every year or two scrub them down with brine and leave them in the sun for a few days to dry off and kill any unwanted bacteria. 

This page might give you some ideas.


AnnDee

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Re: Wood and the smell of varnish?
« Reply #14 on: July 23, 2017, 10:56:20 PM »
I agree with NW Fromager, bare wood from a non reactive wood is better.