Wooden Worktop - should I?

milliebear00001

Hi there

I really want to change a kitchen worktop and sink and am really keen on a solid oak worktop. I am concerned though, after reading a fair bit about these not being water tight, so that the area (especially) around the sink eventually starts to rot.

Is this necessarily true, and if not, what would I have to do to stop it? I am thinking of a standard steel sink, rather than a butler sink if that makes any difference.

Welsh_Totster

I love wooden worktops but they need looking after, we give ours a light sanding every 6 months and a coat of linseed oil. In 6 years of having wooden worktops they look as good now as when they were first fitted. We had a Belfast sink and the wood around it was neither duscoloured or rotting, we have recently moved house and gad a new kitchen fitted with wood worktops again as I really do love them but thus time we have a stainless steel single round sink that sits on top of the worktop rather than under it. Again when if as fitted the worktop gad at least 5 costs of oil and us totally watertight again in 6 months we will lightly sand and oil again to make sure it looks good and remains waterproof

Kavajo

There were wooden worktops in the house when we moved in and while it looked good, I found it an impractical surface. It soon lost its sheen despite being careful and only cleaning with soapy water and j-cloth. There was unsightly black mildew around the sink, which is almost impossible to keep dry if you actually use the sink. I love my cooking and the kitchen gets a lot of use. I don't have time or money to get it sanded every six months and reglazed, and seeing as I actually use the kitchen for preparing food and cooking, laundry etc, the wooden surfaces just couldn't take normal wear and tear. In the end we changed it all to laminate. I would never recommend wood - unless you eat out all the time and are OCD about cleaning and caring for it.

LEJC

I'm afraid I'm firmly in the camp for granite worktops.....Love wood to look at...but you cant beat the durability of granite...expensive...yes...but so hard wearing

milliebear00001

Kavajo wrote: »

There were wooden worktops in the house when we moved in and while it looked good, I found it an impractical surface. It soon lost its sheen despite being careful and only cleaning with soapy water and j-cloth. There was unsightly black mildew around the sink, which is almost impossible to keep dry if you actually use the sink. I love my cooking and the kitchen gets a lot of use. I don't have time or money to get it sanded every six months and reglazed, and seeing as I actually use the kitchen for preparing food and cooking, laundry etc, the wooden surfaces just couldn't take normal wear and tear. In the end we changed it all to laminate. I would never recommend wood - unless you eat out all the time and are OCD about cleaning and caring for it.

But you can sand them and oil them yourself can't you? Don't need to get them done by somebody. I'm assuming it's the oil that stops the water taking hold - is that correct? What I want to know really is if I look after it, oil it, sand it etc, can I guarentee it won't rot where it gets wet around the sink?

I don't like the look of granite, and have heard that it's actually a very unhygienic surface - but don't know the ins and outs.

donna-j_2

We are about to put them in our new kitchen (this will be the third time we've installed wood). We are going for oak this time (previously we had birch).

They are really not that much bother to look after. Yes we did give them a light sand and oil every few months but it took maybe an hour at the most.

I too use my kitchen a lot. I did get nervous about the kids splashing the bit in front of the sink (iyswim) but am having an Belfast-style sink this time so it is not a problem.

I would have liked granite but it was £1000 more, which I don't have.

I wouldn't ever have laminate. It is not necessarily more robust anyway - my Mum managed to chip hers with the hoover handle the week she had it installed.

leveller2911

If your going for a wooden worktop ,IMO you can't beat American Black Walnut, I think its much nicer than Oak.The grain in places can look 3 dimensional and have real depth.Its about the same price as Oak too.Oak is slightly more hardwearing ,but if any moisture gets into the Oak then you will get black streaks which is the Tanic acid in the oak reacting with the water.

Like others have said its very easy ro re sand and finish with oil, personally I prefer using a good quality Danish oil, but its just my preference.Don't go for Beech as its one of the least durable timbers you can use for a worktop, although its very hardwearing.

Another option is Iroko, it can be pale in colour to begin with but ages quickly to a chocolate brown colour...

leveller2911

milliebear00001 wrote: »

can I guarentee it won't rot where it gets wet around the sink?

If you maintain it and have an insert sink rather than a belfast,underslung sink then it should last years..The main area for concern is the end grain around a Belfast sink, end grain,timber and water is not a good mix long term...

I made a kitchen about 3 years ago, 2 small circular stainless steel insert sinks fitted, American Black Walnut worktops and its looks as good today as it did 2 years ago....No signs of any moisture at all

If you can go for worktops constructed from wide boards rather than narrow staves as you get look.....

aprp1999

Am currently in the same boat as OP. We are plumping for wooden worktops - same concerns - but love the look. As cost is an issue I have persuaded DH that as I have found wooden worktops the same price as laminate then I'd rather go for something I like for same price as laminate, which I don't. Website by the way is /woodworktops/. I got a quote for custom island piece of oak (2metres x 1m20cm x 4cm deep) for £205. Lots of others for similar price too. Hope this helps anyone. They send samples free of charge too and are quick on email. Honestly, I don't work for them!
Ordered white gloss kitchen from B&Q yesterday (fingers crossed it arrives!) and hoping that the wooden worktops help make it look more expensive??!! Opting for ordinary sink to cut down on possibility of staining but also going for Iroko tops as advised they are the most hard-wearing and need slightly less oiling and are more resistant to staining after spills. Also sink wise making sure tap is placed in metal frame of sink so that drips do not collect on wood.

leveller2911

aprp1999 wrote: »

Am currently in the same boat as OP. We are plumping for wooden worktops - same concerns - but love the look. As cost is an issue I have persuaded DH that as I have found wooden worktops the same price as laminate then I'd rather go for something I like for same price as laminate, which I don't. Website by the way is /woodworktops/. I got a quote for custom island piece of oak (2metres x 1m20cm x 4cm deep) for £205. Lots of others for similar price too. Hope this helps anyone. They send samples free of charge too and are quick on email. Honestly, I don't work for them!

Are you sure, coz youve only made one post on the site and already your recommending a company for worktops, given out the website address (not rocket science to work it out) ......Normally people recommend a company when they have received a product, used it for some time and have been happy with the results.


TBH its looking like spam to me.........actually yep definately spamming.......

kitchencrazy

It may have been spam, but does anyone know what topworktops.co.uk are like? Just seen they have very good prices on real wood so wandering if anyone has used them?