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Original poster

Everyone is telling me that we're making a big mistake getting a wooden worktop in the kitchen, WWYD?

56 replies

navyeyelasH · 25/05/2009 11:48

We have just bought our first home which needed a new kitchen which will be delivered in a week. All our friends and family members are saying that we will regret having wooden worktops?

I'm totally confused by this as I have done a lot of research and yes I know it will need oiling about every 2-3 months and you can't put hot pans down etc. But people keep saying that it will need oiling every week? That the area around the undermount sink will rot etc. It?s making me really nervy and I don?t know what to do!
We went with wood as I love it and DP can fit it. I don?t like laminate and I don?t like the sort of multicoloured-ness of granite et al.

So will I regret getting a wooden worktop? If we do get wood it will either be American oak which apparently is quite tough or American Black Walnut which is not as strong but does have strong antiseptic properties meaning it?s quite rot resistant.

Also if wood is going to get ruined what other one colour worktops can you get that don?t cost the earth? We have white gloss units, a £1500 budget and 8 meters of worktop to buy.

I?m becoming such a house bore it?s doing my brain in! I thought it would be fun

OP posts:
MrsMcCluskey · 25/05/2009 20:44

I have bamboo wooden tops, they are gorgeous, and the oiling is easy enough to do. I enjoy doing it.
Have had no probs with marks.
AM careful to mop up excess water straight away.

Original poster
navyeyelasH · 25/05/2009 20:50

Right that's it no more indecision, wood it is! Thanks all for the responses.

Now, for the upstands.... are they a must?

OP posts:
midnightexpress · 25/05/2009 20:52

I've had two - one from Howdens and current one from Ikea - the Howdens one was much better quality, and I do think that you get what you pay for.

Oiling is a pita if you have as much clutter in your kitchen as I do, but not that big a deal.

The bit round the sink is a bit of a nuisance - permanently having to make sure it's not wet. I have considered something which I saw in a magazine, painting the whole lot with yacht varnish - it comes up really glossy and is obviously waterproof. Problem solved!

(Will report back from sticky smeary mess if I ever get round to doing it).

noddyholder · 25/05/2009 20:53

I don't have the upstands as i am a tile fiend and just love ceramics so have 3 rows of huge brick effect tiles in a tomato red colour,very matt finish They look good.

midnightexpress · 25/05/2009 20:54

wossanupstand?

Original poster
navyeyelasH · 25/05/2009 20:58

Midnightexpress, Yacht paint sounds scarey, I might try it on an off cut of the wood before putting it on the worktop itself!

Noddy, I like tiles but hate grout! My splashback is going to be glass I think. I still have to see a picture of these awesome sounding tiles I'm thinking of going for a really zesty green for the glass.

The kitchen is in two sections there is one meter of worktop either side of the hob, then an external door, then the start of the kitchen again which has about 6m continuos of worktop. I was thinking of using the glass splashback all across the area with the hob and then having nothing (no upstand or glass) in the other "part" of the kitchen.

Does that make sense?!

OP posts:
PistachioLemon · 25/05/2009 20:58

NavyEyeLash Good choice! Upstands not a must but they do look nice.

Midnight Express Ours are varnished and no mess around the taps. We have to re-do it soon though but I am assured it is easy and the trick is only to put a little bit of varnish on at a time (as opposed to great big thick paintbrush fulls) so that it goes on smoothly and evenly.

Original poster
navyeyelasH · 25/05/2009 21:07

Midnight express this is an upstand

It's the bit of wood that goes up the wall IYSWIM? I'm not sure if they make the kitchen less contemporary - do you think they are a bit traditional? I might just be over analysing though

OP posts:
midnightexpress · 25/05/2009 21:12

Ah ha, all clear thank you. Yes, they do look quite traditional - I'd think more Bastide/belfast sink/fired earth than zingy green glass.

Am feeling rather of your 6 METRE worktop. Cripes.

PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 25/05/2009 21:18

i like upstands actually but have gone for tiles for a change

if you hate grout get coloured....

Lubyloo · 25/05/2009 21:22

Don't do it!! Or if you do get wood could you get a different surface for around the sink?

We have got wooden worktops which look lovely apart for the horrible black patches around the sink. I oil frequently but they still go black. I will never have wood again!

Original poster
navyeyelasH · 25/05/2009 21:28

The kitchen is quite small rectangle shaped, we're lucky in that we have managed to get the all the tall stuff and hob/extractor on the one section, leaving the other section with an ?undisturbed? flow of worktop if that makes sense? 2 meters of it will be a peninsula/breakfast bar as we don?t have scope for a table .

I?m not sure whether to use wood upstands in the second section, use glass upstands to match the glass splashback or to use nothing. What do upstands actually do? Protect the wall from splatts? If I get wipeable paint could that work? this is the green colour btw

OP posts:
muffle · 25/05/2009 21:35

Wood is great, we have solid birch from Ikea and 2 years on there's no problem round the sink. It has marked a bit in places eg where we have a tin of coffee standing on it, so if you want to avoid that you could just use trivets or cork mats. We have a large wooden chopping board next to the cooker so we can put hot pans on that if necessary. However, you can just sand down any marks and re-oil.

You have to make sure you wipe up around the sink and don't leave water standing there, and oil every few months which is easy - just like wiping it really.

I love the look and feel of it and I love the fact that it can't peel or blister or have the edging come off because it's just a solid lump of wood. If you want wood, have wood!

SazzlesA · 25/05/2009 21:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

kd73 · 25/05/2009 21:47

We have solid wood worktops and agree that it s a pain to keep them oiled. Not sure I would buy again and certainly would not buy a sink without a drainer.

We tried yacht paint a few years ago, however as it took 3 days to dry our kitchen was pretty much out of action for that period which was just as bad!

Wheelybug · 25/05/2009 21:52

We had wooden in our old house - hated it, split everywhere etc. vowed never again. Moved house, put in new kitchen ended up with wood again - much better this tme. We keep it oiled - although not as often as probably should and have a sink with drainer (didn't in old house - big error).

Do have to be careful with water sitting on it and mothers and mother-in-laws being too zealous with wiping down (with too much water).

hoxtonchick · 25/05/2009 21:56

we have just got rid of our wooden work surfaces. ikea. had them for 7.5 years. they aged really badly. we oiled them at least twice a year. the bit round the sink was revoltingly mouldy, it upset me every day. we have granite now & i love it. it will never ever rot.

Sycamoretree · 25/05/2009 22:09

DON'T DO IT! We bought ours and were SO chuffed with ourselves as they were in the sale, a great price, looked FANTASTIC when they were first put in.

BUT - yes, they need oiling every 2-3 weeks ideally. They mark, they are a bugger to clean as gunk sticks to the surface more than marble or formica and I just never have that feeling that the surfaces are totally clean.

We also have a small kitchen and they have definitely warped or swollen very slightly where they get hit by water from the sink and then are heated from underneath by the tumble dryer.

Don't be seduced by the look in the shop - you will most certainly regret it.

And I wouldn't have listened to anyone if they had told be this before hand!

I would NEVER buy wood block again - and we spent so much money elsewhere on the kitchen - super swanky fired earth tiles etc. We've only had the kitchen a year and already I want the surfaces out, OUT, OUT!

KristinaM · 25/05/2009 22:14

sorry have not read whole thread so sorry if repeating

we put in wooden worktop ( elm) and granite 18 montsh go and they are both fine. teh wood is sealed so doesnt need oiled. photos on my profile

our wooden worktop was made locally and the granite came from diapol and was excellent value for money. why don't you get a single coloured granite?

muffle · 25/05/2009 22:14

This is weird that people have such different experiences of wood. Ours is a joy, honestly and it was not expensive. I suppose if you will have a heat source like a tumble dryer right under it that might be one reason to reconsider.

We rarely wash or scrub ours, just wipe down and don't get it very wet so that may be why it's lasted. We don't oil it often, it's been maybe every few months and it looks fine.

PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 25/05/2009 22:27

Kristina i have said this before but your kitchen

what colour is it painted?

HerBeatitudeLittleBella · 25/05/2009 22:29

I have a beech worktop. Had it for 7 years and have only just got round to oiling it.

It's fine.

Enjoy it.

mrsmaidamess · 25/05/2009 22:30

sycamore I can't believe the trouble you have had with your wooden work tops!

We are totally neglectful of ours, never sand or oil and they still look as good as when they were put in. Where were yours from?

KristinaM · 26/05/2009 10:04

paula - the walls are a johnstone's colour which is the same as farrow and balls "skylight", as F&B dont do a washable emulsion!!

Dh says it looks like undercoat!

we painted most of the units white but it was too stark as there was already a lot of white woodwork in the room - three internal doors, a large window and french doors

so we stippled the light grey/blue over the units to soften the white and wiped it off the beadings to highhtlight them. and the top coat of varnish slightly changes the colour too, so they dont look exactly the same as the walls

cupboard handles were stained

thnak you for your kind comments about the kitchen. t'was not expensive for the amount of cupboards we have and they were all custom sizes. just under £5K

i think we were about £1,600 for teh granite worktops and upstands, as they are 700mm deep. diapol had excellent service and price

Sycamoretree · 26/05/2009 10:38

Mrsmaidamess - Ikea....maybe that explains it!

I'm not too worried - our grand plan when we bought the place 2 years ago was always to knock the pint sized place into our dining room and extend back, so this little kitchen was always going to have a max 5 year life span. tbh if it wasn't for global economic meltdown and sky high mortgage we'd probably have the wrecking balls in already

And double swoon at Kirstina's kitchen. I would have to ban the children and lie myself across those work tops all day gazing up at my beautiful china in its beautiful display shelves...>