Wooden kitchen worktop choices

Oak Worktops
Oak is the first choice for those looking for strength, durability and classic traditional elegance. Oak's rich colour and fine markings lend grace to any kitchen, maturing over the years to add character & warmth.

Beech Worktops
Beech is the most popular and versatile of all the hardwoods. The light tone and soft grain produce a bright feel that complements any style of kitchen.

Walnut Worktops
Walnut is a dark wood of immense warmth, with a rich grain and strong character. Walnut wood contains natural exotic patterns that set it apart from its contemporaries.

Cherry Worktops
Cherry is an elegant and colourful wood, fast becoming one of the most popular choices for today's kitchens. Cherry worktops have a subtle autumnal red appearance that darkens gracefully over time to a rich maturity.

Iroko Worktops
The dark hues of this rich African hardwood produce a stunning effect when used in the right kitchen environment. Often called 'African Teak', it is a most durable worktop due to its high resistance to staining.

Kitchen Worktops - Which to choose?
Both colour and cost are the main factors when choosing a wooden worktop. Bear in mind however that some woods are more durable than others. You may get the price you want but regret not investing in a tougher top when the battle scars start to appear. Consider what colour your worktop doors and how bright is the room? These two questions both help define if the kitchen worktop should be a light, medium or dark wood. Do you want the wood to be a passive element of the overall project or a focal point requiring lots of character?

What is the best value for money hardwood?
The cheapest kitchen worktop would be a rubber wood. This is an entry-level hardwood for a kitchen Worktop. The best wood by way of character, durability and price would be Rustic Beech. A tough and very well priced worktop that with five coats of oil would create a fine warm and welcome focal point in your kitchen.

How often should I oil my Kitchen hardwood worktops?
Three coats on the flat surface of high grade Danish wood oil will make most kitchen tops thoroughly water repellent and provide a tough durable preparation work surface. Five coats around the edges will further protect these more exposed areas. Further coats on the flat surfaces will only serve to increase protection and enhance the character and the grain of the wood.

The benefit of this is more evident on character woods such as Rustic Beech, Iroko, European Walnut and solid oak. Ongoing maintenance of your worktop can be via three monthly regime or simply by judging the worktop and re-oiling when it looses its sheen effect and become matt in appearance. The areas most vulnerable are usually sunspots where the sun is more focused on a particular area of the worktop. Other areas to look out for are around cooking appliances, at the back above you fridge, at the front above dishwashers and below kettles and toasters.