Solid oak worktops-help urgently-please?

toozie_2

We just have ordered a new kitchen from MFI. The only worktop we liked (and looked good with the units) was solid oak. Obviously this is very expensive, but 3/4 of the price of the whole kitchen is being paid for by Tesco Deals, so I could afford to get what I liked for once!

We have now heard from various people that they would never buy this sort of worktop, as it looks used, messy and marked very quickly, and its a complete waste of money.

We know it needs oiling every few months, which I was prepared for, and although I have teenagers in the house, they would never put hot pans etc on the worktop.

I am worried now that if we make a cup of tea, and spill hot water, will it mark the oak, or if a warm (not hot) plate is put on it will leave a ring, or what if i serve the dinner, and say spill the curry? What will happen to the top, will there be a curry stain? What about splashes of water from the taps around the sink?

Not sure if we should cancel the worktop, and buy a nice ordinary one from the builders yard? Then I would have a 'free' kitchen through Tesco Deals, although I do love the look of the oak tops, with the cream units we have chosen.

Has anyone out there got solid wood worktops that still look nice after years of use (and oiling)?

Thanks for your help in advance.

ozskin

dear toozie have sold solid wood worktops for years. you first have to accept any natural material will mature over time, if you dont like this idea then dont go there. generally beech is the cheapest but dont like it esp round wet areas. Oak as a hardwood as well as iroko is generally good. however it depends on the quality of the oak and how its constructed. I can not speak for mfi oak tops but generally the quality of kitchens is so so. also the maintenance isimportant but looked after good oak tops imho look better and better over time

toozie_2

I do like the idea of maturing over time, I am a shabby/chic sort of person. What I don't want is 'rings' from wet glasses etc all over the place.

Oak is the one we've ordered, and i loved it in the shop, maintanance is no problem, OH is good with DIY, so they will be cared for, but I don't want to have to get the oil out every few weeks either.

Thanks for your help.

babyblooz

we have wooden worktops from ikea, that were sealed with tung oil. Looked good to start with, but I was surprised that using detergent, as you do with hand washing clothes in the sink, as I do occaisionally, the splash marks turned the worktop a sort of dull grey where the sploshes hit the worktop. Hubby wanted the wooden tops, so says that the answer's simple, just make sure you wipe up the spills straightaway (I say its not that simple, he doesnt do much handwashing so doesnt know what I mean)

Also the oil drizzler bottle left a similar mark.

Suppose if you have a kitchen that is for looking at rather than actually cooking and washing in, then it would be ok.

I don't get the whole wooden thing, it was hubbys thing. Trouble is now, we have to sand the marked areas back to the wood and go over it again with tung oil.

We are having a small utility room knocked out later this year, and original kitchen extended. Hubby built his own kitchen units, so can make more to match up, but I think at this point we will go for black laminate worktops, to go with the cream shaker style units and then recycle the wood elsewhere.

in_my_wellies

Our floors are oak and have improved with age. Need very little care from day to day but polish up beautifully for special occsions.

montrose5

We got a wood worktop from Ikea, its been fine despite the kitchen flloding. Stains scrub off fine and you've got the option of sanding it down if any really bad marks. Local joiner said he'd never seen such a solid worktop,went through 3 jigsaw blades cutting out hole for the sink

toozie_2

babyblooz wrote:

we have wooden worktops from ikea, that were sealed with tung oil. Looked good to start with, but I was surprised that using detergent, as you do with hand washing clothes in the sink, as I do occaisionally, the splash marks turned the worktop a sort of dull grey where the sploshes hit the worktop. Hubby wanted the wooden tops, so says that the answer's simple, just make sure you wipe up the spills straightaway (I say its not that simple, he doesnt do much handwashing so doesnt know what I mean)

Also the oil drizzler bottle left a similar mark.

Suppose if you have a kitchen that is for looking at rather than actually cooking and washing in, then it would be ok.

I don't get the whole wooden thing, it was hubbys thing. Trouble is now, we have to sand the marked areas back to the wood and go over it again with tung oil.

We are having a small utility room knocked out later this year, and original kitchen extended. Hubby built his own kitchen units, so can make more to match up, but I think at this point we will go for black laminate worktops, to go with the cream shaker style units and then recycle the wood elsewhere.

Thanks for reply, my kitchen is worked, and is the hub of the house, but hardly ever hand wash. as I said I like the shaker/shaby/chic look.....to an extent!!

Still in two minds

BobProperty

Recent discussion about solid wood worktops:
http://www.trustedtradesmen.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10191&PN=1
most of the comments are by joiners.