Wood has and remains a hugely popular choice for a worktop material and it’s easy to see why. There is a huge variety in the timbers available and wood can work well in nearly any kitchen alongside nearly any material. Wood also offers excellent longevity and you can expect, if well looked after, your wooden worktop to last a lifetime.
As an organic material wood is not immune to changes in the environment in which it is placed. Excessive heat or moisture can damage some woods which can lead to marks or splits. This is easy to avoid however, wood is an extremely hard wearing and forgiving surface. If a few simple steps are taken before, during, and after installation damage like this can easily be avoided.
- Planned placement in the kitchen
If you are planning to butt the worktop up to an Aga you may need to consider cleating the worktop on that end. The high heat that these churn out means the wood may move excessively. A cleat is a small piece of timber that runs in the opposite direction and sits on a loose tongue. This way the cleat moves, not your worktop.
- Preparation before installation
Make sure the worktop is stored in a room that is up to living temperature. Store it flat in its protective packaging and keep it raised from the floor supported by evenly spaced blocks. If you’ve got more than one worktop, they can be stacked vertically, but there must be space for air between each one.
- Oiling before you install
Every edge of your new worktop should be oiled before installation – unsurprisingly it’s much easier to do this now than after it’s installed! Pay special attention to end grain edges and the sides that will be hidden after final installation. Carry out this pre-installation oiling twice over.
- Installation and fixing
Your worktop is a natural material and will move, even after installation, with changes in heat and humidity. You can affix your top in such a way that it can happily deal with this movement. Drilling oversize holes from the underside of the carcasses and then using a washer between the screw and the fixing point is an excellent way to achieve this. Failing that, “L” shaped brackets can be used to achieve the same thing. Place this fixing at 200mm front to rear and 600mm lengthways.
- Dealing with dents and scratches
Even with all the above steps, and copious oiling after installation (every day for the first week), accidents do happen. Any marks can be dealt with by gentle sanding with 240 grit sandpaper. Oil the affected patch after sanding. Dents from drops (an errant tin of beans or saucepan lid) can frequently be removed using a damp cloth and an iron. Simply place the cloth over the dent and heat the cloth with the iron.
Look after your worktop and your worktop will look after you. Wood is a stunning material and the great thing is that it gets even more beautiful with age. Looking after your investment will see you proudly running your hand across its gracefully aged surface well into your dotage.
