I am in the midst of a home rennovation am researching kitchen countertops. Has anyone had experience with wood countertops? The price makes it an intriguing option, but not many people I know have installed wood.
Please share your experiences. I appreciate it.
WEIRROX
Replies
Hi there,
Don't know if you've seen it, but our premier issue (November/December 2003) has an article on kitchen countertop materials and includes a section on wood options, pros/cons, etc. You can read the entire article online. You can also check out links for wood countertops in our online resources department.
-Samara Rafert
Editorial Assistant
Thanks Samara -- Can you provide a link to the article?
Sure, here you go:
http://www.taunton.com/inspiredhouse/pages/ih00001_01.asp
We archive two articles for each issue in their entirety. To browse them for back issues, go to "Previous issues" at http://www.inspiredhouse.com. You'll see a page for ordering back issues. The title of each issue is a link to the web page that was up when it was on the newsstands, and the full articles are marked.
Thanks for reading!
Samara
I have a large (almost 7ft x 4ft) central island in our kitchen. I found a local company that would build and thickness the slab and ship it to me for less than $500. It's made of hard maple, face glued (not a true 'butcher block' which has end grain exposed).
It's been in for about 9 months of consistent use, and while it took some getting used to not keeping it pristine, the intention was always to use it like a work surface. It's unfinished except for periodic (about 1x a month) applications of mineral oil. This is food safe and protects the top - but let it go too long and it'll dry out. We cut on it, prepare food on it and it hold up well. Any deep scratches or marks sand out (if you care that much).
If you never (and I mean never) intend to bring a knife in contact with the wood, you could finish it with some time of food safe poly finish, but if you break that seal and water gets in it could be more of a problem than an unfinished top. We have a prep sink in our island, and the area around it has (thusfar) held up well.
The rest of the counter tops are laminate. There are some great ones out there (if you look beyond big box stores). I couldn't afford solid surface, so the wood top and laminate was a good compromise.
Good luck !
We have a large (7x3.5 ft) island in our kitchen, with a maple top....made on site by the guy who built the cabinets. It has a bar sink in it for washing vegetables and getting drinking water (this one sink has a filter on the cold water line for flavor removal).
Like you, we treat with mineral oil once in a while, and like you, the first cut was the hardest. My wife finally chopped vegetables on it, and FORCED me to do the same so that she wouldn't feel guilty.
If this worked, pic is attached. (Day before move in day. It's a lot messier now).
I've installed and repaired wood countertops. Maple is the premier choice. It's hard, durable but does need regular oiling(mineral). It's also attractive. Do not apply any poly or varnish film to it.
Drawbacks are, if a hot plate or pan sits atop it, it can leave a burn mark. Because wood is a naturally porous surface, bleach or other disinfectant is required periodically, whereas laminate, granite or corian will not hold bacteria.
I remember reading of a study that found that because wood has to fight bacteria in nature, in order to be able to grow and remain strong over the years, it cont5ains natural antibacterial properties, more in some species than in others, but they found that wood harboured far fewer bacterium than plastic cutting bnoards commonly sold as washably safe etc.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
In my last two kitchen renovations, I have added a 2-foot section of maple butcher block as a counter top directly to the right of the stove (I am right-handed) -- instead of formica or stone. It has been fantastic to have a built in cutting surface right next to the cooktop; however, we do not cut any meat on this, only vegetables, and keep it wiped up and dry.
And in the present kitchen, I added a second 2-foot wooden surface at the far end of the counters, where we set up for parties, in order to have a second work space for things like salads when someone else is cooking.
There is no pretense that these will remain unscratched. Once in a while, I oil the surface with olive oil and a cloth, to keep it from drying.
Good luck.
Nan
I see your comment on the olive oil. Note that the oil build up on the surface will turn rancid when exposed to heat and oxygen over time. Mineral oils are the prefered choice.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
If you use maple, keep in mind that it moves quite a lot a humidity changes over the year. That means you need to have a fastening system to your base that allows the top to move. Washered screws in oblong holes are one way of achieving this.
Seen the just-out FHB Kitchens and Baths? Looks good to me.
ShelleyinNM
Is there something in there on wood countertops? I just checked out the table of contents on the website, but couldn't tell by looking.
New Kitchen from Old Chesnut....pg 90.
Solid surface around the sink, reclaimed popular for the rest of the counters. Remodel is 8 years old. Polyurethane.
ShelleyinNM
Just wanted to let you know that the first issue of Inspired House (Nov/Dec 2003) had an article about Choosing Kitchen Countertops (including wood). The full text is available online: http://www.taunton.com/inspiredhouse/pages/ih00001_01.asp
Good luck!
- Anne
In 1999 I went shopping for Saop Stone for the new shaker style kitchen that I was in the process of building. When I got home the $8000.00 quote hit me like a ton of bricks. Like any true Yankee my brain went to work. I was in the final stages of a major complete house restoration and wasn't exactly bursting with cash.
I decided to go wood for most of the surfaces and Fireslate, the stuff they use in chemistry labs, around the sink area. I built the wood sections out of Randon Width Hard Maple.... 5/4" thick....glued on edge....and installed "Bread Board Ends" to give them more of the "shaker look". For a finish I used 4 coats of semi gloss "Waterlox". After more than 5 years and lots of complements I am very happy. The Maple boards cost $305.00 and the fireslate about $700.00 (including all fabrication).
If you are not a woodworker I would suggest purchasing Maple workbench tops from a place like "Woodcraft Supply". I didn't go with those because they were too thick (2") for the look I wanted. .....Be sure to mount the tops so they can "float"....seal all 6 sides with what ever you choose to use. My counters move as much as 1/2 Inch in 8 ' of width and they ave 4 coats of finish on all sides....
Also, Mineral spirits are a good choice if you want to cut directly on the counters or if it the wooden counters are limited to a small area of the kitchen. If you are doing the complete job in wood you may want to think twice about mineral spirits...Areas in the back of the counters that don't get used will have a tendency to get gummy and colect sticky dust. Also, Mineral spirits will require constant upkeep for a few years untill you get some build up. Waterlox is very durable...istbeen almost 6 years and they arn't ready to refinish yet.
Mike,
Are you sure you don't mean mineral oil? Around here we call paint thinner 'mineral spirits' and I sure wouldn't want to put that on a surface that was going to be used to prepare food.
Also, you mentioned lab counters - most of those are soapstone. Fireslate is a Johnny-come-lately alternative today, but the traditional surface for a lab counter is soapstone.
sorry for the typo. mineral oil is correct.
I installed a large island butcher block counter 10 years ago, it is still in a-1 condition. I highly recommend. Maintenance required, bleach to deep clean. Approximately once a year a very very light sanding. Seal with olive oil. The color has maintained and if anything become even richer in depth.
My husband has installed wood countertops in a couple of our houses. The one we're in now has been in constant use for 15 years. It's cherry with two coats of polyurethane, but doesn't come in close contact with the sink. It's in excellent condition. We always use cutting boards.
The house we're about to move into has the same cherry countertops all the way to the sinks, which are top-mount style sinks that have been undermounted. He put many coats of urethane varnish on the ends of the counter near the sinks, so we're hopeful there won't be water damage.
I love the idea of the undermounted sink. How did your husband do it. I am thinking of wood or even cork for a countertop and we want an undermounted sink.
My wife and I have used butcher block on an island in every kitchen we have had since 1974 (5 houses), and are currently planning the same in our next house. The islands have been various sizes up to 3 by 7.5 feet and have served as great work surfaces and were the only place any cutting was done. All other counter tops can then be whatever looks best and fits the budget. They will always look good because the work is always done on the wood surface. The other counters in our last two homes were very attractive laminate that looked new when we left. The butcher block can be cleaned easily, and if necessary can be replaced. We have been in our last two homes twelve and ten years and the butcher blocks in both also looked great when we left. My wife is a very meticulous homemaker. I hope this helps.
AlP
We went with wood countertops in our kitchen when we remodeled it. The prices for 'real' butcher block counter tops were shocking to me. We found that IKEA sells butcher block counter tops for a super reasonable price and we just love them.
We however do not cut on the counter tops-we just use good ole cutting boards. We sealed the counter tops with a food safe sealer (poly is not until like 30 days later) called quite simply Salad Bowl Finish. We put down three coats (its really thin) and probably should have done another. Its been three years now and I am thinking about giving the wood a light sanding and applying another 4 coats. I am including a pic of our finished kitchen.
Daniel Neuman
Oakland CA
Crazy Home Owner