Solid Wood kitchen worktop

DIY Queen

Hi there,

Trying to sort out a new kitchen & would really like a solid wood worktop but hear that they are prone to (unremovable) mould around the sink area?

Anyone got any pro's or cons to getting one?

Would I be nuts to get one (don't particularly like granite).

Cheers for any advice.

yop

Same situation DIY Queen, wifey loves the wood worktops, Iroko is a cracking looking finish. Have a look at this site for prices.
http://www.kitchen-worktops-plus.co.uk/hardwood_store.asp#standard

As for the mould I have little experience but have not heard anything

rooferPete

Hi DIY Queen,

The main thing to watch with any worktop (even granite) is to make sure the edge is sealed with a coat of sealant like varnish before the sink is fitted.

Also make sure the silicone the sink is bedded in is not the standard off the shelf one size fits all type, if any product is abused it is silicone sealant.

You need an anti mould silicone in all kitchen and bathroom situations, the rest is keeping the surface clean, using chopping boards etc to protect the surface.

yop

Pete
I spotted these "rails" that you can get and put into grooves in the worktops, I presume that they would be the solution for hot plates etc,
What worktop would you recommend?

kadman

Another thing often overlooked when fitting solid worktops is the fixing method. By their very compostion solid timber may a tendency to minor expansion and contraction, as the environment in which it is situated changes.

This movement should be accomodated by the uses of shrinkage plates when fitting. This allows the top to move if it needs to. As an example a solid teak top would have the ability to expand or contract , over a 600 mm top of 3 mm. Although this is a small amount, it is enough to cause a split in your top. So this should be accomodated during fitting. Solid tops should not be fixed without this allowance, neither should they be fitted with steel screws, as steel reacts with the tannin in , oak, ash, beech, and can cause iron oxide staining. Black stains, hard to remove, but not impossible.

Wide tops , made up of few planks, are more likely to warp, than a top made up of a larger number of smaller width boards. I would also strongely advise finishing the bottom of a top as well, so that moisture cannot enter through the bottom. Any moisture entering here would cause the top to curl upwards, so eliminate this potential problem by proper sealing. Some tops are more prone to staining than others, oak for instance if not properly sealed around the sink area, and in contact with steel and water, will stain black in a very short time. Whereas teak has a self preserving oil in it and works very well in a kitchen environment.

Solid tops are totally different to normal chipboard postformed tops, and as such have to be treated as solid timber, and fitted and maintained accordingly.

kadman

rooferPete

Hi yop,

I have seen the grids in use and yes they do protect the counter top.

The timber is a matter of taste and of course the pocket I have seen maple installed a lovely finish but a heart stopping price.

A carpenter told me the main thing to watch for is the width of the timber strips, the smaller the strips the less chance for counter to warp.

The counter tops I saw are made using the glue lam system and are very solid, I would advise you to wait for "Carpenter" to call in as he or the wood turning guys would have a better idea of what gives a nice finish at a realistic cost.

rooferPete

Looks like Kadman was typing the same time as I was with some very good info

kadman

Hi Rooferpete

Looks like you had the same teacher I did,
Its not often you beat Rooferpete to the draw.

Must be a case of great minds think alike

kadman

Finish wise, probably the easiest finish to put on for the diy'er, is danish oil, wiped on with a soft lint free cloth, a good number of coats. Gives a lustrous finish. The more coats the better. A great finish of the woodturner.:)