Wood worktops - would you?

[Gazelda]

I'm sure this has been discussed many a time, but I've searched and can't find a recent thread.

We've got a Victorian cottage and are extending to create a smallish kitchen/diner/family area. We have a separate sitting room. We love the shaker style of unit. We're probably going for a cream or sage. Porcelain wood effect floor tiles.

We can't decide on the worktop. Wood looks so lovely, and we can't find anything else we like. But I know that we'll regret it as soon as the first water drop or hot pan marks it. And either we'll forget to oil it regularly, or DH will take weeks to sand/oil/sand/oil to get a perfect finish, meaning that my worktop is,out of use for 4 months every year. We've been recommended Rustin Plastic Coating, but not sure how durable that is.

Anyone got ideas, suggestions, thoughts etc?

Nooooo. Had them in our last house. They were bloody awful. Never again. We have granite now. I like the look less but they are so much more practical.

We have one and love ours. It really makes the kitchen tbh. DH prepared the wood,well, before fitting it and does re oil and sand it from time to time.

If you like things perfect it 's not for you. Ours has imperfections and marks but I like those.

I’ve had wood before abs loved it. We just kept on top of piling it once a year and had no problems

I’d have it again

It’s softer and feels nicer and I’m clumsy so would probably break glasses on a stone worktop by putting them down too hard

Bit of discussion on this thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/a4233274-Has-anyone-regretted-getting-a-white-kitchen-floor-Has-anyone-regretted-anything-they-chose-for-their-kitchen-actually?msgid=106987508#106987508

I think I am going too and use Osmo hard wax oil.

We have solid oak and whilst beautiful they have to be oiled or they get marked and stained. Ours are oiled about once or twice a year.

We have had it and varnish it with yacht quality varnish. So far so good we don’t put pans on it of course but other than that looks great still !

EcoCustard can I ask what oil you use and when you spill something on the worktop how does liquid behave ie, does it sit on top of the worktop showing no trace when you wipe it off? Thank you.

We have it, looks lovely but no other advantages. I'd change it if I could afford it.

This is part of mine,just been oiled. My kitchen is nearly 14 years old, and as you can see the wood is not perfect but has held up really well.

Nope. My friend has them and she's pretty fastidious but her kids aren't and it doesn't look good around the sink at all.

Ours are 10 years old and I'd get them again as I like the look. I would say, though, get a sink that goes all the way back rather than one that has a bit of worktop behind it. Like this one. Ours do have some marks on but we've never re-oiled them in 10 years.

No idea why there are 3 photos 🤷‍♀️

No. Had a large kitchen renovation in my last house and chose walnut. It looked gorgeous, for a year, then my Husband re treated them and ruined them (too dark)

I did have granite fitted around the sink though.

Actual wood is a pain in the arse to maintain. I have bespoke laminate though which is really nice.

No! We have a safe shaker kitchen with laminate light oak worktops. They look great! Today's laminate is far better than it used to be...

I was really hoping this would be one of those elusive MN threads where everyone agreed one way or the other, thus making the decision for me.

Bum.

We had them in a previous house (we didn’t install it) and it was generally fine and I liked the look of them overall - except around the sink area. It had obviously taken quite some wear and tear with water over time and wasn’t really salvageable.

I wish someone would say they are dead easy as I love them. I have a wooden breakfast bar and it’s been no bother at all. I’ve only oiled it once in 8 years. But it doesn’t have a hob or sink on.
I just can’t find anything else I like. I refuse to pay quartz/granite prices and have the ugly big joins. Laminate looks a bit naff and corian feels odd. I might try a wooden island but stick something else near the sink

We have them in a family property that we’re using between selling our property and completing on a new one.

They look lovely, and are my absolute ideal aesthetically, but goodness me they are a PITA. DP has spent most of the last year sanding and re piling them, meaning all the stuff from the worktops (aka his foodie clutter) spends a week at a time covering the dining room table 😡

My dad has granite, which I do not like the look of at all, but it has survived a family of six with zero marks.

Weve got solid oak worktops and the kitchen is 8 years old this year

We oiled all of it but have two boards made out of the same oak which we didn’t oil

I find it quite interesting seeing the difference between the two

We oiled every day for a week, every week for a month and every month for a year, now its once a year or so

A friend of mine had oak effect laminate from ikea which i was very impressed with (not as nice as mine though)

I wouldn't. Ours were already in place when we bought the property 4 years ago. Didn't know about oiling etc, behind the sink is completely black, and stains everywhere! I'm getting granite worktops in my new house.

I had them up until we got our kitchen renovated. Never again. Such a PITA.

We are either moving or extending our house

If we stay here then I’ll be reusing some of the oak in the new kitchen

We have solid oak.

In its 3rd year, oiled it a few times in Y1 (which is pretty easy as maintenance jobs go!). Once a year since then. It's lovely. Looks great still. No stains or marks.

Have a ceramic sink that goes all the way back as PP said.

Could probably do with a sand and re-oiling soonish. But I don't find it a pain at all.

We don’t sand very often, think maybe once 😳