How do I seal a wooden sink?

by Cari
(Asheville, NC)

I have some dead locust trees on my property from which I want to build a farm sink, of my own design, for my kitchen. This wood is very hard and should last at least as long as a manufactured sink. I have been trying to find the right finish for the inside that will allow me to keep it clean and mildew and mold free, while maintaining a food safe environment. I am not very concerned about the wood's ability to hold up, as locust does a very good job of that on its own.

After reading the article on finishes for wooden utensils, I am considering using walnut oil and/or bees wax and/or citrus oil. I am thinking that I could clean the sink on a regular basis with vinegar or HO2/vinegar combo to disinfect and reapply the oils as it seems appropriate.
Does this sound like a viable solution?

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Arbutus Ron here...

Why not use a high gloss varathane for the sink? You can use several coats to achieve a tough finish and waterproof. Since you are not cooking or serving food directly this is what I would do.

In fact you may find some super high tech gloss finishes for this purpose.