Kitchen Worktops - is wood any good?

[GemBean]

We are just in the process of getting a new kitchen and have picked a lovely cream wood for the units. I really like the look of wooden work tops but are they practical? Do they scratch easily or do they go mouldy if wet etc etc? The alternative is granite which is bound to be child/dh proof. Any experiences greatly received.

I have wood for part of my worktops - it's fairly new so early days yet to see how durable it is. Think the trick is to oil it regularly and never put hot things on it, etc. Tbh I have stainless steel for the prep area where I do chopping, etc. The wood does look lovely and gives the kitchen a warmer feeling....

They go minging round the sink and you need to work at keeping them nice. I love the look but hate the faff. I'd not choose wood given the option - my fave is that granite stuff you sort of shrink wrap on, or something.

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Like an old scrubbed wooden table, I think the odd scratch and burn mark would add to the character of the wood, or maybe that's just me?!

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I can't stand granite worktops, particularly black ones. I'd be tempted to go for a really good quality laminate that looks like wood but 'performs' better.

Wooden worksurfaces are a thing of beauty and a joy forever. BUT I am anal about keeping mine dry and even had the plumbers anxiously wiping away invisible water droplets. TBH they are not that practical if you like to use your worksurfaces and still have them looking nice. I would have them in my next kitchen though.

It doesn't go like a nice old antique table though Phoenix, it just warps and goes slimy and black and the strips start to separate...

Defo don't do tiles - vulgar germ trap.

As long as you're careful, I think wooden worktops are fine. The biggest risk is repeated exposure to water around the sink, but as long as you wipe it up asap and if you put stuff to dry on the worktop (as our au pair did!), put a tea-towel under it (which she didn't do!), then it should be okay. To protect it, it is best to oil every 6 months or so.

Granite has its own problems with staining and I can't remember how heat-proof it is, I believe.

We were going to replace our wooden worktops with granite eventually, but now I'm not so sure.

We have a wooden worktop in the utility room which has been a doddle for cleaning. I periodically oil it. And that's it. Has the plusses of being able to sand out any marks, and reoil. Also softens the whole look of the room.
OUr kitchen worksurface is being made as we speak - also wood (oak this time). It has a high sheen from the factory and we'll see how we manage keeping it clean. Have a dishwasher so not much use of the draining board (have gone for undermounted sink like in the utility room, with grooves carved).
I don't like granite. Too hard, too cold, and a bugger to keep clean (used to have to buff it up after wiping because water marks really obvious).
Like corian, but feels a bit space age for our house.
So wood it is!

I have had granite and wood. For selling-on a house, granite is good. For living with, I prefer wood.

We have the extra thick staved oak from ikea which just looks better and better the older it gets. I oil it a few times a year which is a very therautic and luxurious thing to do. It has held up through many scratches and burns that just sand-paper away. I have never suffered with blackness around the taps and I am the least twitchy-houseproud person imaginable.

wE HAVE WOOD, PUT HOT THINGS ON IT ETC AND STANDING UP REALLY WELL, JUST SCRUB IT OCCASIONALLY AND IT HASN'T GONE MANKY ROUND SINKS AND THIS IS 2 YEARS ON

We're going for wood, but getting a small amount of granite around the sink. I realised I could never have granite while staying with DHs cousin last year and I was cleaning up after brekkie. I tried to get a shine on the granite, and realise it'd be easy to become obsessive about it and constantly have a tea towel in your hand !
Rx

pooka, whats corian??

www2.dupont.com/Surfaces/en_US/products/corian/index.html