Beech in particular. Heard a few stories of high maintenance for wooden kitchen worktops, maintenance which never stops. I havent got a problem with a weekly/fortnightly application of oil (or whatever you use) to maintain them. Pros and cons?

I know nothing about them so any info and experiences of wooden worktops appreciated, thanks.

some info and views here;

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/wooden-kitchen-worktops

Have a search on the forum, I asked the same question only oak worktop about 6 months ago and got loads of good advice. Have had them for 6 months now and they are great. Have used this oil http://www.agwoodcare.co.uk/prod/Osmo_Top_Oil.html which came very highly recomended on STW and I think it is great. It takes quite a lot of work early on coating every few days for the first few days and then weekly, fortnightly etc. but after a couple of months it should be down to a coat every couple of months. I think we are now at a point of maybe 3 coats a year so not to bad. After the first few coats you can tell when the water around the sink stops beading fully and it needs a new coat.

We did go for an undermounted sink which I think works well with wooden worktops but we do stack all our dirty washing up on the worktop and it seems ver resiliant to water and stain.

Yes, I hear they do need maintainance, not sure how much though.

We’re currently fitting a new kitchen and we looked at wood and there’s a couple of other things you need to know: Mrs PP makes a lot of cakes and does wedding cakes. Wooden worktops are no good for this as the texture of the wood ends up on the icing when you roll it out. Also a cold worktop (Wood is warm) is a lot better for rolling icing/pastry out on too.

We went for Quartz, based on a few things – It’s glassy smooth and cold and it’s not porous like wood is (and to a lesser extent granite as well) Porous worktops hold germs easier and need resealing, (including granite) From the research (quite a bit of it!) we did, quartz is just about the best performing worktop surface right now.
That moulded stuff (Corrian) is not held in very high regard by the trade at all, by the way: It looks good sure enough, but it stains and melts if you put hot things on it! It’s for people that don’t actually cook, it seems to me….

Have a look here as well, lots of good advice.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/wooden-worktops-great-or-a-silly-idea

Loving ours.

We put a new kitchen in out old house, with a laminate worktop. It got scratched and chipped and looked a mess.

The wooden worktop we put into our new house before the summer is already scratched and marked, but it just looks like a well-used kitchen worktop.

Wabi-sabi, innit.

Wabi-sabi (???) represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent and incomplete”.[1] It is a concept derived from the Buddhist assertion of the Three marks of existence (??? sanb?in?), specifically impermanence (?? muj??).
Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include asymmetry, asperity, simplicity, modesty, intimacy and the suggestion of natural processes.

Much appreciated info and pointers, thanks. I dont think anything beats the look and warmth of wood but this has obviously got to be weighed up against the practicalities. Wedding cakes wont be getting made on it but there will be home baking (not as much as Mrs PP above!) so I reckon a ‘baking board’ will suffice for that. Two teenage daughters who desperately want me to choose wood who have promised to wipe up spills instantly so that shouldnt be a problem either??

Kitchen fitter was saying I should have a look at Earthstone worktops….anyone had any experience with this?

Thanks again

I have two young kids and a messy wife. And wooden worktops.

I like to use danish oil to my oak worktops. Makes a very durable water and heat resistant surface.

Usually 6 coats intially and then two or three coats once a year. Applied with a sponge and scourer pad.

We use Danish oil on our wooden worktops. Now 6 years old and looking better than new as the wood colour improves with age. When they were new they soaked up several coats of oil but now we probably oil them once a year, if that, so pretty low maintenance imho. As others have said, if you scratch it or make marks on it it just gives the surface a nice “worn” look but if you’re really fussy most marks can be sanded out and re-oiled. We’ve used it to roll out pastry and similar things but tbh if you’re doing a lot of that you probably want a sheet of stainless steel or something similar.

Ours have been oiled maybe three times in the 7 years they have been in. Areas around sinks seem to need most attention. As said above they seem to get better with age. Also knocks and scratches etc seem to add to the appearance rather than detract as does for laminate worktops.

Just get laminate and spend the rest of the money on bikes.

Once you’ve made the decision you’ll never think about it again.

Danish Oil +1

Don’t be tempted to use Ronseal’s wooden worktop sealant. Its sealing qaulities last a matter of weeks rather than months after each application. Nowhere near as effective or long-lasting as Danish oil.

Danish oil – you know it needs doing when it goes dull. ours needs doing now. put it in 6 months ago and since the old wooden worktop had never been looked after and was really grotty round the sink I was dead paranoid therefore put about 7 coasts on and then one a week for a few weeks. It’s been fine since. We are careful round hte sink to wipe up.

http://www.osmouk.com/osmocolorinterior.cfm?page=1&chapter=1#TOPOIL

Osmo TopOil +1. nice stuff, easy to apply, no fumes and non-toxic.

It takes quite a lot of work early on coating every few days for the first few days and then weekly, fortnightly etc. but after a couple of months it should be down to a coat every couple of months.

???? I think we did three coats when they were brand new.
After that we’ve just done a quick coat maybe once or twice a year as they need it.

We have literally just had a new kitchen (should be finalised on Sat when the fitter comes back to “seal” the floor tiles). We spent weeks umming and ahhin about the wood versus laminate debate and decided to go for Oak in the end. We got our work tops from here:
http://worktop-express.co.uk/

The fitter has put on 3 coats and basically said that’s fine and it will need a coat every 6 months or so. But basically the more coats you put on the more protective the wood will be come. He said that it’s okay to get wet, just don’t LEAVE it wet. Be careful about putting metal on it and leaving it. He had a friend stay at his house and left a metal biscuit barrel on the top and went away as it was slightly damp it left a nice ring! But advantage you may (I believe) be able to said it down but will take a lot of work.

In other words I have been told they don’t take huge amounts of work, coat of Danish Oil every 6 months and just be careful not to use the top as a chopping board. I am LOVING my new Oak work top..it is superb!!

chakaping – Member

Just get laminate and spend the rest of the money on bikes.

Once you’ve made the decision you’ll never think about it again.

Agree, we spent ages looking at a range of expensive work tops, £1500-£2500, ended up with a quality laminate for £350 & decent holiday 😉

Jeepers £1500-2500 for work tops!! Our solid oak was £355 including postage, after care kit, installation kit etc. Phew..