Clear the Area

• If you have butcher block counters throughout your kitchen, remove the sink before staining them. If you can’t remove it completely, break the seal around the sink with a utility knife and insert toothpicks around the sink between the lip of the sink and the counter to raise it off the surface. Insert wood shims or other thin objects between the toothpicks and the sink to raise it higher, allowing you to access as much of the wood around the sink as possible. Caulk or silicone sealer around the sink and along the backsplash will block the wood stain, so scrape it off with the edge of a dull knife.
  
  

Prepare the Counter

• Butcher block is sealed with penetrating oil or wax that will prevent the stain from absorbing evenly. Sand the countertop to remove as much of the sealer as possible, but don’t use coarse sandpaper, which will introduce deep scratches that you can’t remove. Use fine sandpaper, and then switch to ultra-fine once the surface has begun to dull. Once the wood pores are revealed from sanding, the countertop will accept almost any stains, including accidental ones. Keep the countertop clear from food preparation and water until you have sealed the surface again.
  
  

Choose a Stain

• Very strong brewed coffee and tea will darken the wood, but let it cool first. You can mix red and green food coloring to make brown, or use one color alone for a primary-color stain. Apply the stain to the wood with a rag soaked in the liquid. Rub it into the wood, let it sit for just a few minutes, and then wipe it off before it dries. Apply another coat if you like, but you will reach a point where the color does not change any further. Let the countertop dry overnight. Any water splashes at this point will cause spots, so don’t use the counter until it is sealed.
  
  

Choose a Sealer

• Food-safe wood sealers aren’t restricted to paraffin wax, beeswax and mineral oil, but they are the most common and the easiest to use. Melt wax in a double boiler, dip a rag into the wax and rub it into the wood. Buff off the excess with a rag once it cools on the counter. Mineral oil works straight from the bottle, but don’t pour it on. Apply it to a rag and rub it into the wood. Alternatively, add mineral oil to either or both of the melted waxes in any dilution that you like and rub it into the counter. If you want a tougher sealer, rub Danish oil into the countertop with a rag, wipe off the excess and let it dry overnight. Danish oil is an old-fashioned oil finish that is used on salad bowls and wooden kitchen utensils. Some of the stain color will likely come off on the rag when you seal the butcher block, but that is inevitable.