High-heat finish for wood?

[sjb209]

Hello all,

 

I am making plates for a restaurant.  These plates will be used to hold hot cast iron skillets.  Is there some kind of clear coat finish that can stand up to that kind of heat?

 

Thanks,

Steve

[EdgewaterWW]

I have used mineral oil, but have not tested with real high heat. (Edit: like microwave or casserole hot I have used a wood hot pad/trivet with)

 

This should help.  Heat resistant finishes (for a trivet)

Edited April 16, 2014 by Doug-EdgewaterWW

[Coop]

Steve, I think regardless of what you use, it will only look good the first few times it's used. A new Mexican food restaurant opened up next door to my office and within two weeks, they all were almost as dark as the cast iron skillet.

[wtnhighlander]

Use some heat-treated wood. https://www.finewoodworking.com/tool-guide/article/heat-treating-makes-wood-dark-all-the-way-through.aspx

Already darkened, but evenly all the way through. Supposed to be really tough.

Any finish I have ever heard of for wood will either burn, melt, or turn dark when exposed to tbe kind of heat you are talking about.

[wdwerker]

The inside will darken quickly in contact with the cast iron. The outside will eventually darken depending on how thick the wood is and how hot the skillets are. If there are gaps or air pockets between the skillet and plate that will protect from heat transfer, also the charring of the inside will act as an insulating layer.

The mineral oil is non drying and a food safe finish. Easy to apply and easy to refresh when they are in use. Anything else will dry , crack , peel or melt.

[Dave H]

Maybe you could inlay a material onto what your referring to as plates but, sounds like trivets for setting hot dishes on. It could be metal inlay or natural stone of some kind that would stand proud of the wood that would keep the hot pans or dishes from making contact with the wooden parts.