Worktops are where everyone prepares their food, but it doesn't mean that should be the only thing they should be used for. Worktops enhance your kitchen, depending on the material you choose. However, there are some pros and cons to having a wooden worktop installed.
While many believe that natural stones like quartz are in trend, they can be expensive. however equally, wooden kitchen tops come with their own inherent set of issues - such as maintenance. We’ll explore a few of these issues
The Good:
Uniqueness
Every section of wood gives a different appearance to the worktop. The surface of the wood usually depends upon the species. This in itself is impressive, making your kitchen entirely unique.
Fully Customisable
Wooden worktops can be cut into any shape and size of your choice. They are glued together from the staves so you can choose your worktop from a variety of available sizes. If you have an oddly shaped kitchen, it's probably the best solution for you.
Environment friendly
Wood is highly eco-friendly than other materials. It means mother nature can accept and digest it quickly when disposing of it later on. For hygienic people, wooden worktops can be their best match as wood possesses antibacterial properties to eliminate germs.
Inexpensive
Wood is cheaper than natural stones, marble, quartz, and granite. It's friendly to your pocket as well as easy to install, functionally durable, and stylish.
Timeless elegance
Wooden worktops are renewable. Their elegance doesn't tear with time, providing you with timeless beauty. Due to the patina development with time, the wood colour deepens, giving it a more matte finish.
Cheap to Fix Imperfections
Don't worry at all if your worktop got some scratches, dents, and scuffs. These imperfections can be easily fixed at cheaper rates with sanding and polishing. Wood is softer than other hard and rigid materials like laminate and quartz absorb more sound and reflect less. This feature eventually provides you with the quitter workspace.
Different types of finishes
A variety of finishes is available, unlike other materials. You can have a polished finish, honed finish, leather, or heat treated.
The Bad:
You're probably thinking, which worktop doesn't demand too much maintenance? Well, the reality is every material needs care. However, it is worth considering that you will need to be a bit more cautious with the wooden worktops to keep them in good condition.
High Maintenance
Oiling of wooden worktops is a necessity before and after installation. You also need to seal the wood to avoid staining it and protect its grains and texture. Oiling every six months is essential to keep the wood looking new. For this, you can use Danish oil or polyurethane coatings. Some wood species demand oiling every week until they are mature, oak wood is one of them.
Softer surface
Granite worktops and natural stones are dense. This means they can easily be broken if hit by a solid or hard object. So you'll have to put a hawk eye if you have small children around the house or even clumsy adults. Unlike granite, wooden worktops can be sanded down meaning in the long run, cutting and chopping marks are much easier to remove.
Hot pans can scorch your work surface
If you are used to placing hot pans on the worktop, you should probably drop this habit very quickly if you choose to install a wooden worktop. Hot pans can scorch the wood, so it is advised to use a trivet to help protect your kitchen. This will ultimately save you both time and money in the long run.
Water spills can cause wood to swell
The wood needs to be sealed well otherwise water spills around the sink or anywhere else would make the wood swell and leave some black marks.
Installation is a vital key to keeping your worktops in good condition
Wood requires some space to expand and contract during its maturity, so some extra space should be allowed while installing the wooden worktop. If you have had laminate installed in your home previously, you'll be quite familiar with this process.
Wooden kitchen worktops can be the best choice to embellish your kitchen. However, this is only the case if you're capable of keeping on top of the maintenance, and they do require a lot of care! Ultimately it comes down to you as an individual and how much time you have to spend on maintaining your kitchen. If you're looking for a more straightforward solution that's less hassle, it may be worth considering a stone worktop. For more information on stone worktops, why not check out EuroStone.