Will I regret getting wood workflow and a butler sink?

[PetiteMum]

will the sink chip? Will the workflow need constant policing for foodie stains?

[nocake]

Yes.

We had this when we moved in. The sink was difficult to use as it was so deep and it was impossible to keep the area around it dry so the wood was stained and rotting.

[cyb]

what's a workflow?

[Haberdashery]

I have a butler sink and wooden worksurface and it's fine, assuming that's what workflow means.

Nothing is rotting or chipped and I only have a couple of small stains from when I put something super hot on the side one time. But that was entirely down to my own stupidity, and it was so hot I think it would have looked tons worse on anything other than granite!

[PetiteMum]

Oops, meant worktop! Bloody iPad sorry

[ChristinedePizanne]

I have a butler sink and I hate it (was here when we moved in) - it's just way too deep which mean that it's really uncomfortable to use for any length of time.

Everyone I know that has wooden worktops has regretted them after a while - they don't look good for very long.

[Fayrazzled]

I have a butler sink and wooden worktops and don't regret them at all. You do need to be prepared to reoil your worktops every 6 months or so though. If you do that, (and it's not difficult and doesn't take long) then they are very easy. No stains on mine.

[MollieO]

When I moved here the kitchen had a huge butler's sink and oak work surface.

The sink got moved to the utility room and the worksurface got changed for granite. The wood was oak and when it got wet it went black (due to the spores in the wood). I was so so careful to dry it but it still happened.

I have a kitchen island which is topped with maple. Looks lovely but is a nightmare as the wood is soft so shows every mark.

[SazZandASparkler]

I love our butlers sink but our oak worktops round the sink are black now. We will remove the black wood and put granite round the sink, but keep the rest of the surface as wood.

[gaelicsheep]

Very easy to keep a wooden worktop looking good if you oil it properly and wipe up water.

[MooncupGoddess]

I have a butler's sink (at least, a deep square enamel one which is what I presume you're talking about - never knew it had a name!). It's a reclaimed one put in by the previous owners and it is v. chipped and hard to keep clean so just looks grotty all the time. But, it has lots of room for saucepans when I can't be bothered to wash up!

[PigletJohn]

A useful tip for a deep sink, is to stand upright, and extend your arms forward a foot or so. The height above the floor where the palms of your hands are, is where you want the bottom of the sink to be. Otherwise you will be stooping.

Rember that in the old kitchens where they used to be fitted, the woman might only have been five foot tall.

[Swedes2]

LOL at five foot tall.

I have wooden worktops and a deep ceramic butler's sink in my utility room. I oil it every 3 months or so and it's fine.

I have Oak. But I think if you aren't good at re-oiling (sloppy) Iroko would be a better bet, longer lasting wood worktop, as it contains more natural oil.

[NotAnotherNewNappy]

I had to resurrect this thread as I've been near seduced by the modern style double ceramic sinks and wooden worktops in Ikea. One question, where do you put your washing up to drain?

[MaxineQuordlepleen]

Yes, our oak worktop is all black and rotten and having to be replaced after only 4 years and the sink. It looked beautiful at the start...

[rupert1]

Butler sink great in the garage for washing garden things flower pots &car parts etc even with wooden worktop.In the kitchen no! its like washing things in a fish tank,and a wooden worktop is like putting decking in a bath it becomes slimey stained and is unhygenic.On to something different a nutcase neighbour of mine a couple of years ago asked why i wasnt fitting my kitchen with a wooden worktop like his mainly to be enviromentaly friendly instead of Stainless steel and granite.Well his was always soaking wet and stained and mine didnt involve cutting down lots of trees.

[Beamur]

My Mum has this - already in the house when she moved in. Butlers sinks are nice and roomy but the wooden worktop doesn't have a proper draining area so it's a bit crap for washing up - but on the plus side, it does mean you dry up and put stuff away quickly so it's tidier. Personally I wouldn't have a wooden worktop by the sink but agree that if you look after them they are fine - my Mums is in good condition.

[MrsJAlfredPrufrock]

I'm just about to have an oak worktop and ceramic butler sink put in my newly formed utlity room. I mostly use the utility sink for soaking garments prior to washing. No washing up. I think it will be OK.

[Mammonite]

draining for those without a drainer

[Beamur]

Ooh - nice drainer - thanks for the link.

[Mammonite]

I think the Ikea sinks are a bit better because IIRC they are full depth/width and so there is no vulnerable bit of wood under the taps that constantly gets dripped on.

[ninah]

too right you will
avoid wood

[piggleiggle]

I have the Ikea double sink too with oak worktops. It has been ok but I am going to replace the kitchen soon, will go for a similar sink style and granite. Wood is hard to look after, needs to be oiled and cannot be cleaned as vigorously as I would like. I use this drainer basket over one of the sinks to drain, fits perfectly and looks good too.

[PigletJohn]

Mammonite "I think the Ikea sinks are a bit better because IIRC they are full depth/width and so there is no vulnerable bit of wood under the taps that constantly gets dripped on."


I didn't know that was an Ikea thing. I saw a sink like that recently on a display, it was a very solid-looking stainless one with an upstand at the back and a lip at the front, no worktop showing at all. Never seen one before.

I think I'd like one.

[teta]

Do get a sink that has lip/ledge at the back for taps.Don't get oak worktop.Ours is a nightmare in the utility and marks with the slightest thing.Iroko is brilliant and doesn't mark ,but does scratch [4 dc's and a dog who is now long enough to rest paws on surface plus grandparents who leave hot teapot on surface].If you get wood treat straight away with Liberon Worktop sealer before any usage.

[Agapanthii]

I have just installed a butler sink, but went for granite around it instead. Oak seemed to be a bad idea. I love it. ( but it's only 2 weeks in... ask me again in a year!)