Kitchen work tops

[parker1158]

Hi All

This has got absolutely nothing to do with caravanning so all you purists will have to forgive me but I could not think of a better place to ask this question given what a helpful bunch you are.

My wife and I are in the process of re-fitting our kitchen and are considering a solid wood worktop. We have had a couple of people say that they are not that hardwearing have any of you lot got such a surface in their kitchens (at home or van) and like to comment.

Thanks

 

[Damian]

Martyn,

We have a solid wood worktop in our kitchen.

As for the comments you have had regarding logevity, there are a few things you have to take care with, which you do not have to be quite so careful with on laminate tops.

Firstly, wood tops are more likely to suffer from denting, if you drop anything on them.

Secondly, you CANNOT chop or cut anything directly on them, always use a chopping board, or bread board.

Thirdly, care of wooden tops is different to laminate in as much as you cannot safely use strong cleaners on them, as they will, if you have any imperfections in the finish, stain the wood, or bleach it.

Lastly, you must make absolutely certain to get a good waterproof seal along the edges as any water seeping past, such as against the wall, will eventually rot the wood.

Other than that, they look nice, feel warm to the touch, unlike laminate, and age gracefully, unlike laminate.

 

[VIP2006]

Martyn,

We have a solid wood worktop in our kitchen.

As for the comments you have had regarding logevity, there are a few things you have to take care with, which you do not have to be quite so careful with on laminate tops.

Firstly, wood tops are more likely to suffer from denting, if you drop anything on them.

Secondly, you CANNOT chop or cut anything directly on them, always use a chopping board, or bread board.

Thirdly, care of wooden tops is different to laminate in as much as you cannot safely use strong cleaners on them, as they will, if you have any imperfections in the finish, stain the wood, or bleach it.

Lastly, you must make absolutely certain to get a good waterproof seal along the edges as any water seeping past, such as against the wall, will eventually rot the wood.

Other than that, they look nice, feel warm to the touch, unlike laminate, and age gracefully, unlike laminate.

Martin - I have had a wooden top for more years than I can remember, and there are few people who would to hit it with a lsrge chopper!!

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

Martyn,

We had solid wood worktops fitted in our new kitchen last year. Ours are beech, and are beautiful - you cannot cut anything other than on a chopping board as they mark, but they are absolutely fine for hot pans. You do have to be careful with some cleaning fluids, I have found that soda crystals are the only ones that leave a mark - saying that I don't suppose many people use them nowadays.

We "feed" ours every three months with Danish Oil, this gives a lovely surface when dry. Do be careful when putting in a sink top, it must be well sealed.

We have had ours for twenty months and they improve as the time goes on. IMO I think they are equally as hardwearing as formica.