Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Are wood worktops a bad idea?

78 replies

Marylou2 · 07/06/2015 21:32

I'm planning a new kitchen as part of an open plan extension. I love the whole ivory shaker look, i know it's not to everyone's taste but I have my heart set on it. Would oak worktops be a huge mistake?I think they look so beautiful and DH is willing to oil and sand as necessary. We're pretty careful with hot pans but I'm concerned about the area around the sink. Any advice would be much appreciatedSmile .

OP posts:
marriednotdead · 07/06/2015 21:51

My DD has been renting a property with this type of kitchen and wooden work tops.
Even with the best housekeeping in the world, they are a huge PITA and she has not been able to completely avoid causing water stains. You will regret it!

TalkinPeace · 07/06/2015 21:55

I have bamboo : pic on my profile
I've had it 6 years and still utterly love it.
I'm horrible to it - one proper oiling in all that time Grin -
and it still looks lovely and gets compliments from visitors.

lavendersun · 07/06/2015 21:55

You won't regret it a bit if you use Osmo oil on them. Our current ones are two years old (old ones turned into shelves).

We are so not careful and they look like new still. Honestly do a search on here for Osmo oil - first class stuff.

museumum · 07/06/2015 21:57

Terrible idea. Don't do it.
The idea of kitchen work tops that shouldn't get wet?? Ridiculous!

Ours were here when we moved in and are a pain in the arse. Honestly I would never ever choose wood.

Onthescrapheap · 07/06/2015 21:58

I have oak and I don't regret it at all, it looks beautiful and is easy to look after. Maybe the ones with the water stains weren't properly oiled to begin with.

TalkinPeace · 07/06/2015 21:59

My worktops get wet on a daily basis.

But once a week they get a swift wipe with olive oil and all the stains vanish into the grain

no idea what normal wood is like though.

Original poster
Marylou2 · 07/06/2015 22:04

Fantastic feedback, both the positive and negative. I'll research bamboo now and also google Osmo oil.Sounds like fabulous stuff.Thanks all so much.

OP posts:
LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 07/06/2015 22:10

Had our wooden worktops for 9 years, still love them and they are not marked.

summerlovingliz · 07/06/2015 22:15

Worst decision we ever made! Need so much time and effort to maintain

TalkinPeace · 07/06/2015 22:24

Those who spend hours on their worktops presumably want their kitchen to always look new rather than lived in and used.

My worktop (like my floor) has dinks and dings and scratches and some scorch marks but that is another story
but that is because its 6 years old, not just because its wood.

Laminate got marked after a while as well
and friends who have stone have to clean it every single day as well

it comes down to what you want your worktops to be for

didireallysaythat · 07/06/2015 22:24

Best things ever. Oiled once a year. I guess those who hate them didn't use the sane kind of oil....

bilbodog · 07/06/2015 22:24

My second kitchen with full stave iroko which U.S. The most beautiful colour. We have also used osmo oil which is brilliant. It does suffer a bit more by the sink but that's because we're not very good at cleaning up - so you could use granite around the sink areas and then wood elsewhere. I think it is beautiful

christmasmum · 07/06/2015 22:30

Love mine, even have it near the sink, and there's been absolutely no marks or stains so far - we oiled it really well when it was put in and haven't bothered since... We do have one wooden side and one composite stone thing side and I really like the combination of two different materials. Makes it look modern and country at the same time (and I can chop away and put hot pans down on the stone side without batting an eye lid...).

Hassled · 07/06/2015 22:32

Mine are stained to buggery. If you don't like stains, don't do it. But they look lived in and loved and used, and I'm fine with that.

ColdCottage · 07/06/2015 22:35

I hate mine. They are a real pain. Especially around the sink.
They are easily scratched and discolour around the sink where they get wet.

Also when revarnishing unless you do the whole area they can look slightly different colours.

Azquilith · 07/06/2015 22:38

Had mine for 3 years. Oiled well when they went in, then every year or so. Once or twice sanded down a dodgy bit but looked fine.

Cabawill · 07/06/2015 22:43

We had oak worktops when we did our kitchen 4 years ago. We really made sure to oil them properly before they got fitted and used. We also sand them gently and re-oil them once a year to keep them looking great.

I am careful not to leave water standing on the tops though.

Bunbaker · 07/06/2015 22:47

We had wooden worktops - notice had. They were in the house when we moved in and we spent quite a lot of time and effort trying to make them look nice. They went black round the sink and were badly marked. In the end we gave up and changed them for something more forgiving.

I would never have wooden worktops again.

meadowquark · 07/06/2015 23:03

I moved in the house with wooden worktops 2 months ago. Looks nice, but hate them. Already varnished once around the sink (2 layers), it seems like will need varnishing again soon. Don't do it.

RaisingSteam · 08/06/2015 00:15

Oak is particularly susceptible to going black when wet/ in contact with metal - it's not mould but some sort of chemical reaction with tannins. You might want to look at other timbers.

I have heard of anyone who's used Osmo (hardwax) oil and had a problem with worktops, it's very durable and waterproof explanation I have not personally used it on oak though. You might have to ask for it specially from the supplier - don't get fobbed off with any "we use 5 coats of Danish oil etc etc". Decent product won't need that many coats. Better to get your tops unfinished and Osmo them yourself.

Ours are teak, they were tricky to oil as it's an oily wood to start with but I love them and they seem impervious even around the sink and kettle. I think wood is very forgiving of dings and dents as it just gets "character" - someone hit a sharp knife on the edge of the worktop this week making a centimetre wide cut across the corner - I didn't blink, but that would have been laminate ruined.

cerealqueen · 08/06/2015 00:21

NEVER AGAIN!! Despite many coats of oil, ours look rubbish, especially round the sink.

PigletJohn · 08/06/2015 00:23

They're absolutely perfect in Kitchen Showrooms, and in rooms that don't contain kettles, sinks or taps.

Original poster
Marylou2 · 08/06/2015 07:11

I'm waivering now! Seems to be a love it or hate it product. It's just that I have such a clear picture in my mind's eye of what "my kitchen" will look like. Particularly emotive as I've never chosen a kitchen just had what was already there. DH just says have what you like and if it doesn't work out we can change it.

OP posts:
controlaltdlete · 08/06/2015 08:11

I've had Iroko in the past. It was OKish though a PITA to maintain.
My bugbears were black circles where recycling cans were left to go out and discolouration by the sink.
I wouldn't have it again, gone for Silestone (with a painted kitchen) this time, but the idea of a combination upthread is a good one if you really want it.

lavendersun · 08/06/2015 08:20

It is a marmite thing OP. I have never worried about water, still looks like new - Osmo is the answer. I buy it in a pro decorator shop near me, they told me it wouldn't need re-doing before two years and they are right.

Two years and counting, I can see us leaving it three at this rate.

We did move into a house with black round the sink though so I understand where people are coming from.

Will try to take a photo in a bit (when you can actually see the worktop which you can't at the min.