Canadian Wood

The Canadian Collection countertops are made from a selection of wood species valued for their beauty and resilience. They can be constructed to the desired thickness, ranging from 0.75" to 3". The maximum dimensions without joints possible is 50" wide and 135" long. The Canadian Collection countertops are made from full length wood strips.

Depending on your needs and budget, we offer two types of construction.

End grain consists of wood strips glued together in a vertical position. The result is an elegant product, offering high resistance to usage, but sensitive to changes in relative humidity. Because this construction process is labour-intensive it will have a higher cost.

Flat grain consists of long horizontal strips of wood that are glued together. It is the most common construction type used for countertops in the food industry and in home kitchens.

Below are the most popular wood species of this collection. The photos provide examples of wood characteristics, such as knots, mineralization and color variations, that may be found in a countertop with nice appearance.

Colored Maple

White Maple

Available only in 1½ or 1⅝ thickness

Colored Birch

Black Walnut

Cherry

White Oak

N.B.: These pictures demonstrate a countertop with an oil finish. The colors in the product may vary from the screen photos.

European Wood

European colored Beech

European white Beech

European Walnut

European White Oak

N.B.: These pictures demonstrate a countertop with an oil finish. The colors in the product may vary from the screen photos.

Be aware that with this type of construction the finger joints are visible on the edges as well as the surface of the panel. 

The most popular thicknesses are 1½" and 2". For kitchen countertops, we recommend at least 1¼" or 1½". For an island, 2" is very good while a thickness of 3" gives a dramatic effect.

A choice of thickness is only available for Canadian wood species. European collection comes in 1½" only.

Bizier offers three types of finishing to allow clients to choose the finish appropriate to the end use of the countertop or butcher block. Below we highlight advantages and disadvantages for the different products.

For wood surfaces to be used for food preparation, we have a range of finishing products that should be applied on a regular basis. For wood surfaces subjected to intensive use, we recommend a base coat of polymerized oil followed by regular maintenance with Bizzz wax. A varnish finish requires minimum maintenance. However, counters treated in this way can not be used for food preparation. It is important to note that a water-based finish will give a different effect than an oil-based finish. Please consult the photos to see examples of how varnishing affects the appearance of various wood species.

Bizzz^TM: Bizzz wax is a mixture of oil and beeswax. It has a pleasant odour and is consistent with Canadian regulation. Bizzz wax can thus be applied to protect various wood surfaces (cutting boards, salad bowls, wooden toys etc.), including those used to prepare, store or serve food. This wood protector needs to be applied as part of a regular maintenance schedule (please consult Maintenance section below).

Bizzz Polymerized Oil: Bizzz polymerized oil forms a protective film when dry that provides protection against liquids and other food that can cause stains. Once dry (24-48 hours after application), treated surfaces are ready to come into contact with food. For best results, this protective treatment should be applied periodically (please see Maintenance section below).

Water-based varnish: This protective varnish requires only one application. While varnish offers the best resistance to stains and demands little maintenance, wood surfaces treated in this way should not be used for food preparation.

Difference between a varnish and an oil finish:

Varnished V/S Oiled

Jointed European Walnut

Varnished V/S Oiled

Cherry

Varnished V/S Oiled

Colored Birch

Varnished V/S Oiled

Black Walnut

Varnished V/S Oiled

Jointed White Beech

Varnished V/S Oiled

Jointed Colored Beech

Bizier will not guarantee against warping, cracking or delamination of the panel if it is ordered without any finish.

All our countertops, regardless of the type of finish, can be cleaned with mild soapy water. It is possible that after a week or two of usage, the surface may appear a bit rough. There is no cause for alarm. This is a normal occurrence caused by the swelling of the superficial wood fibers after coming into contact with water. A light sanding will readily restore the surface. (Please see the maintenance sheet for roughened surface). After a few treatments, it will no longer be necessary to do this maintenance. Countertops with oil or beeswax finish require occasional re-application of the protective treatment. When water rapidly penetrates the surface of the countertop, it is time to re-apply the protective coating. Following a cleaning or disinfection of the wood surface, the wood must be allowed to dry for 12 hours before application of the protective treatment. Our products are non-toxic but it is recommended to use latex or vinyl gloves, available in most hardware or department stores, when applying the protective treatment.

For the Bizzz beeswax finish, a coat of the product should be applied with (0000) steel wool and polished with a soft cloth.

For the Bizzz oil finish, the protector should be applied with a soft cloth. After waiting 5 minutes, the excess product should be wiped off followed by a vigorous polish using steel wool (0000). Following the polish, the surface should then be wiped with a soft cloth. It is important to remove all of the excess product not absorbed by the wood. Otherwise, the excess oil will form a sticky layer on the surface. If this occurs, it is necessary to repeat the steps described above.

ATTENTION:
It is important to note that cloths that have absorbed polymerized oil can be a fire hazard. Oil penetrated cloths should be immersed in water before disposal. Please also be aware that this product contains oil of the tung nut and could cause an allergic reaction to people sensitive to nuts.

Disinfectant:
From time to time, it would be advisable to disinfect countertops used for food preparation. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recommends cleaning with bleach using the process below:

• » Mix 5 ml (1 tsp) of bleach with 750 ml (3 cups) of water and place it in a spray container, clearly labeled.
  » After having wiped your countertop and accessories, spray the bleach mix and let it sit for 10 minutes.
  » Rinse thoroughly with water a let it air dry (or use a clean kitchen towel).

To avoid cross-contamination, always clean your counter after preparing raw meat. Never place food ready to be consumed on a counter that has not been cleaned after it has been used to prepare raw meat.

Please download the PDF files here:
Maintenance 
Warranty

If you have questions, contact us at 1-877-959-1211 or 819-459-1211 or by email at info@bizier.ca.

To get a quote in realtime (individual)

To get a quote in realtime and order (contractor)

Whether it is a question of normal wear or an accident such as dropping a boiling liquid on the countertop, eventually it will be necessary to restore the finish on your countertop. We have prepared a series of PDF files covering common issues surrounding wood surface restoration.

The type of finish determines the ease with which restoration can be achieved. A general rule is that the more a finish is resistant (e.g. catalyzed varnish), the easier it will be to maintain but more difficult to restore. For example, if the varnish is deeply scratched, it will be necessary to sand with a powerful sander and re-apply the finish over the entire surface; a very laborious task. However, wine left under a glass for several hours will not leave a trace after being wiped off. A finish with low resistance (mineral oil) will be easily stained by wine but the overall finish will be easy to restore. A  simple hand sanding will remove  stains or scratches and a rapid application of the wood protector will restore the original beauty to the surface

» A surface stain

» A rough surface

» Scratches and marks from knives or sharp ustensils

 Consult our document on restoration here

Bizier offers installation services in the Outaouais and Ottawa regions. If you choose to do the installation yourself, please consult the technical documents and the video below: 

•  Installation Instructions for a Wood Countertop

•  Warranty

•  Maintenance