Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Flip

Original poster

Wooden work surfaces in a kitchen

11 replies

TweetleBeetle · 10/05/2009 15:03

I'm ure there are some mn out there with them - are they any good?

I know tey look fantastic but DH is unsure as a friend has advised him against them due to the maintenance that they need to keep them from warping.

So want I want to know is how much work is involved in keep a wooden work surface in a kitchen looking good?

I'm hoping for answers of not a lot, otherwise I think I'll lose ont his one

OP posts:

flowerybeanbag · 10/05/2009 15:05

You have to oil it every so often, and you have to be really careful about water around the sink area or it does warp. We had one in our last house which was lovely, but I wouldn't have one again especially now we have DC.

sagacious · 10/05/2009 15:08

PITA (sorry)

Ours marks if you put a glass down on it for more than a milisecond. So I have to bleach it which dries it out..

It needs oiling (despite that its still going off slightly round the taps)

Does look lovely though

pooka · 10/05/2009 15:10

We've had our wooden worksurfaces for about 2 years now. They are IMO relatively low maintenance. However, I am rather precious about how they are used i.e. they aren't! We have lots of chopping boards and use these for putting stuff on when preparing meals. Don't cut on the worksurfaces and also tend to avoid washing with water.

I wipe them down with a very very slightly damp cloth and then use wood wax polish to buff and shine. It doesn't take long. We have an inset sink and if I was choosing again I would probably avoid that simply because I do have to make sure that if the wood around the sink gets splashed, it gets dried rather than letting the water sit on it. Just in case the wood is compromised.

Our kitchen and worksurfaces came via magnet and we went for the high shine custom european oak. They look beautiful IMO. Yes there are some scratches or dents, but they add to the appearance IMO. There is 1 small pen stain on a tiny bit, but I am planning to spot sand and oil that part. I suppose the advantage of wood is that you can periodically sand and retreat. I didn't like marble because is so cold and hard - not great if you drop things on it. Also, marble seems prone to water marks - difficult to get v. shiny.

BlueCowWondersAgainAndAgain · 10/05/2009 15:14

love ours - iroco, which has a naturally high oil content. And the splashback is also the same wood to a height of about 20cm. Allegedly the thing needs oiling, but have only done it twice in 3 years. The main thing in our kitchen is that we have a stainless sink and surround, a sort of 'plonked on' effect which I love which goes right back to the splashback and across draining board etc. So water doesn't get near our wood.

I wipe mine with eco spray and green scourer then leave it.

If you have high cleansing standards (I don't!!) it might not be for you.

ps our builder was very anti the wood... but it looks great still.

KristinaM · 10/05/2009 15:15

i have a vanished wood surface on my island unit and its fine.I've only had it for 15 montsh but apart from a few small dents from the kids its fine ( pictures on profile). As its varnished i don't need to treat it.

like the other posters i use boards for chopping and for hot pans. but i did the same on my old laminate worktop as well. i do wipe up spills though

noddyholder · 10/05/2009 15:27

I have oiled oak and do keep it as dry as poss if I'm honest I rub it down with wire wool and oil it every 2 months as I like it that way but could leave it.There is one section of the kitchen that doesn't get as much use and it does look better than the area around the sink but it just needs an oil and good as new.Not for the ultra fastidious but I am pretty anal about stuff like that and its fine.

mrsmaidamess · 10/05/2009 15:41

We had ours fitted about 9 months ago and apart from the initial sadning and oiling, I have done nothing to it! It doesn't mark, or need bleaching (not sure why yours does sagacious). I wouldn't let pools of water sit on it so it's OK.

PM73 · 10/05/2009 16:11

I love my wooden worktops,it looks really homely yet modern too iyswim?

I dh rubs it down & oils it say every 6mths or so.I wipe it down with a slightly damp cloth & never leave water spills to dry on there own.

The carpenter used some of the offcuts to make me lots of different sized chopping boards so nobody chops or slices on the worktop because i would kill them be annoyed.

Katisha · 10/05/2009 16:19

I have had wooden worktops for about - ooh - 6 weeks now - new kitchen. Still at the paranoid stage about wiping up water and using mats etc but I am told I will get over this and that a bit of a distressed look is not a bad thing!
I am determinded not to let it go manky round the sink though.

noddyholder · 10/05/2009 17:57

I sanded and oiled the immediate sink area today after posting here!quite satisfying and looks lovely and glossy Well worth teh effort

Original poster

TweetleBeetle · 11/05/2009 10:11

So on the whole thye are worth it then - yipee!!!!!

In our current kitchen we have hideous (well only cos its about 15 years old) formica. Water has got under that and its lifted and looks awful, but I'm sure its happened as its cheap and not looked after iykwim, whereas if we fork out for an expensive wooden worktop, even DH might clean up a bit more! [hopeful look]

I have to say I do love the look of the sink plonked in, but after reding this maybe we shuold go for the full sink and draining board thing as it seems to be around the sink thats the problem.

Thanks all

OP posts:

Flip