Is this item waaay over-priced?

You can get the Clark’s brand from Amazon for 7.00 dollars less.

why would I use both products? how?

per the instructions, you should apply the oil first and let it soak in overnight to penetrate the wood fibers, then wipe off any excess. the oil protects the wood from drying and cracking as well as stopping water and food juices from soaking in. the board cream is applied similarly. it's a mixture of mineral oil and beeswax. i'm not 100% sure, but i believe the idea is for it to provide a sort of seal to keep the oil in and further keep other stuff out.

How many squarefeet of butcherblock counter would this cover? I will be installing a new one and wondered if I would need more than 1.

I use both the oil and board cream to maintain my 5' by 2.5' butcher block topped center island. I use both liberally, as that space supports a lot of food prep and wiping down. While product recommends monthly maintenance I tend to treat when the wood starts to lighten up and look dry- my best estimate is 8-12 weeks. I'd estimate both products last me approximately 6 months. To your direct question , I estimate I used approximately an 1/8 of the tube & bottle during the last treatment.

Do you use one of these to apply both the oil and cream or will I need two applicators, one for each? Do I need to wash the sponge in between uses?

I use just one applicator for both oil and cream. No need to use two... And there is no need to wash the sponge..It is Antimicrobial.... When I am on my last piece to oil I just press all the cream or oil onto the wood. If always wash it you are actually just wasting precious cream or oil.

Brand	John Boos
Model Number	APPLICRND-W
Color	Walnut Wood
Product Dimensions	6.35 x 6.35 x 6.35 cm; 45.36 g
Material	Walnut Wood
Special Features	Specialized Applicator Tool
Item Weight	45.4 g

APPLICRND-W Butcher Block Oil & Cream Applicator, 2.5x2.5x2.5, Walnut

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