So we have had word we are getting some dough for a new kitchen 🙂

Have decided on Ikea, and when looking at the worktops, they do a normal worktop with a layer of real oak bonded on top, so looks like a real wood worktop, but without the faff at delivery / install etc.

What are people’s opinions about caring for a real wood worktop? Can you use normal spray cleaners etc like flash anti bac?
Don’t want to buy something thats going to be hard work to keep, but love the real oak look, what are people’s experiences?

Apart from an annual oiling, we treat ours exactly as we treated the laminate we had previously. Marks add character to wood, but look crap on laminate.

Ours are from Wren Kitchens, which I’d recommend. Similar price to Ikea, but the carcases come ready built.

coincidentally I re-oiled my oak worktops yesterday – three years after I installed them.

I use Danish oil. Builds up well. Pretty easy to apply – need a day of access to prep/oil and then let it dry, with a second coat.

We use normal kitchen cleaners, bleach based often as not. Never bother with anti-bac bollox Im afraid. Doesnt seem to do any noticeable damage, but over time the grain just starts to feather and lift a bit, usually from water I guess. A quick knock back and a re-oil and its smooth and tidy again.

I wanted them but am careless in the kitchen and Mrs SE said in couldn’t be truted! 😳

Hurumph, she lets me sire a child but not get a wooden work top.

We only redid ours because my wife got oven cleaner on them, which rather ‘dulls’ the finish 🙂

Don’t know about modern stuff but I bought an old butcher’s block in a junk shop – at 3″ thick if anything ever stains it I can just sand it out. I’ve used various cleaners on it but water and washing up liquid works as well as anything. Nicks and stuff just add character.

I had it fitted instead of the usual work surface on top of standard wooden units. Looks great.

Had a solid wood worktops in our old house, and as they state above, just use danish oil on them and use as you would any worktop.

One tip, if you have a large section cut out of the work top for the sink and drainer, i turned that bit of wood into a large chopping board just by putting an attractive edge along the sides, rubber feet on the bottom and oiling it with olive oil on regular basis instead of danish oil.

we had the oak ikea work tops in our old house. oiled them regularly and they looked great. I did have to sand out a couple of rings where folk had left wet cups for days (when we were on holiday) but other than that they were OK

Had ours for about 4 years now they have stood up well . We got them from Ikea . I do recommend the official stw oil . They look ace and are easy to clean . Dints are rare and add character stains if they occur can be sanded out.

We got our kitchen from ikea but worktops from worktop express as ikea didn’t do the length we needed.

I was hesitant as we’d had some worktops in a a place we rented that were very badly stained/marked but we treated ours well initially and they’ve been pretty much maintenance free (kitchen’s been in just under 2 years)

The issue is water. IME, if it’s to go round a sink or tap, I’d definitely have a second think about it. Even with good oiling, if the wood gets wet, it can expand, and cause real issues, such as pushing into attached full height cupboards etc.

If it’s not round a sink, though, go for it – real wood counter tops are awesome; supposedly better for things like kneading dough, too, as they’re warmer than stone/ metal

I have wood tops and they can look pretty.
However they’re a total pain to maintain and require more oiling than i’m prepared to give them!

We’ve got wooden ones. We’ve been in the house for 4 years and haven’t touched them. Don’t know if the previous owners ever oiled them either.

A few scuffs and bangs add a bit of character.

However, I had black granite in the previous house and that, in my not so humble opinion, was far superior.