The Baking Steel Griddle arrives ready to use, right out of the box.
You should oil the smooth side of the Griddle regularly. To do this, add a quarter size drop of oil onto the smooth side of the Griddle, wipe it across the surface, and turn your burners on medium. Once the surface of the Griddle has absorbed the oil and dried, you can turn off your burners. Watch the step-by-step tutorial here.
After its first use, you will notice discoloration on the surface of your Baking Steel Griddle. This is normal. You can scratch the Griddle but you can't damage it. The more you use the Baking Steel Griddle, the more it will it darken and develop spots. Over time, the surface will become a uniform dark gray, almost black color.