Replies

1. 
   aimless | Nov 18, 2003 05:47pm | #1

   Carol,

   There are many kitchens that have lasted decades with a wood counter. On the other hand, I have 2 bathrooms with wood counters and they don't look so good (black and white where water has been allowed to sit). It just depends on what kind of people are using the space - in this case my husband and his friend (who lived with us for a while), never wiped up after themselves. It's to the point now where I don't either - I just want to replace it.

   So I wouldn't say a wood counter in the kitchen is hopeless, I'd say it depends on what kind of person you are. But I probably would not do an undermount sink with wood or laminate counters (which are on wood). I think that is just asking for trouble with wood as moisture is trapped on the underside of the counter and rots it out. If you want an undermount sink, then you are better off to choose a non-rotting material such as stone, steel or solid surface. Why not do wood counters around the majority of the kitchen, and have a different surface around the drip area of the sink - that would alleviate the problem of having too much moisture on your lovely wood counters. There's nothing wrong with having more than one surface for countertops.

1. 
   carolp | Nov 18, 2003 10:02pm | #2

   I'm heading in that direction, having more that one material. It makes more sense to have slate around the sink and stove, then switch to wood for the serving area. That will hopefully give me the visual satisfaction of warm wood. I'm not sure how I'll like doing my meal prep on that hard slate surface though. And will I chip every dish I own on it. Like you say, it probably depends on the user. I'm still hoping to use wood in the bathrooms though with many coats of finish and reasonable diligence.

2. 
   flangehead | Nov 19, 2003 06:09am | #3

   I've installed a few kitchens with wood tops. We used teak tops from a company in finland. The only maintainence I remember was to keep them oiled.

1. 
   PeterDurand | Nov 19, 2003 11:48pm | #4

   How food safe is teak oil I wonder. The chemicals that make teak (and most tropical woods by the way) resistant to rot and insects are quite potent.

   Cheers,

   PeterI am at the age where food has taken the place of sex in my life. In fact, I've just had a mirror put over my kitchen table  -  Rodney Dangerfield

1. 
   flangehead | Nov 20, 2003 04:42pm | #5

   I do not know how food safe these materials are. The ones I've used are imported into this country clearly labeled as to their intended use. The people for whom I've installed these products are intelligent, educated, and well off financially and I leave it up to them and the designer/salesperson to ensure the suitability of the top. Teak tops, or any other wood top for that matter, is a large investment in both initial cost and long term maintainence. My feeling is that these products are fully compatible with their use in food prep, serving, and cleanup but I have nothing in writing stating that. We don't use teak or tung oil on these tops, the manufacturer supplies an oil for maintainence and we stress to the client that this is the only product to be used on the tops. I have installed these tops up to 4 years ago and have never had a complaint.

3. 
   LisaWL | Dec 06, 2003 07:35am | #6

   We put maple "butcher block" counters into our kitchen just over a year ago, and they are doing fine.  They don't look brand new - the first edge ding will take care of that.  But they still look beautiful.  They do get hard use, as we have 3 boys (ages 7, 12 and 12) and do a lot of cooking.

   We wipe up spills pretty consistently.  But we're far from perfect!  I keep mineral oil (cheap, non-toxic, recommended by the manufacturer) sitting on the counter in a oil shaker bottle (the kind people usually use for olive oil).  When I wipe the counter I shake a little oil onto any place that's looking dry and rub it in with a rag or papertowel.  Seems to work fine.

   Most stains, like red wine, are easy to handle with a spray bottle of bleach and water that I keep under the sink.  The only challenge I've had was black hair dye that sat in a puddle overnight.  I just hand-sanded the spot out (surprisingly it didn't soak in very far at all), oiled, and it's good as new.

   I would not put an undermount sink under a wood counter.  The edges cut against the grain will soak up a lot of water and will rot too easily.

   If you're the kind of person who appreciates the patina of worn traffic patterns on hard wood floors, the one who feels no compulsion to rent a big sander and finish up with three coats of poly, then you'll be a great candidate for wood countertops.

   "A completed home is a listed home."

1. 
   bobhallsr | Dec 20, 2003 06:44am | #7

   I find that it is handy to keep a cabinet scraper handy near the maple butcher block top.  It will take out skellet burns much faster and easier that sand paper.

   BJGardening, cooking and woodworking in Southern Maryland

4. 
   Piffin | Dec 24, 2003 05:25am | #8

   Ity doesn't amtter to me if it is over or undermount. And rot is not your first concern. If the endgrain at the sink absorbs any moisture, the wood will swell and then shrink, likely breaking the glue bonds. Rot comes far later, after it already looks like ****.

   But there is no reason to avoid wood if that is what you like.

   Oak, Maple, Teak or Ash all do well.

   I use epoxy to seal the end grain against moisture absorbtion.

   I refinished a wood countertop with Behlins Salad bowl finish for a hard non toxic finish.

   I have used polyurethene on a few.

   I have used Tung oil, mineral oil, and waer based finishes

   disc 16 is one that is over sixty years old and was probably done with spar varnish several times.

   36 and 15 are ash tops I made about five years ago and finished with oil based poly. They are like new but admittedly don't get much hard use.

   I don't have digital photos available of all the other ones.

   I plan to push a wood kitchen top on the job I'm building now.

   Done right, and maintained, they are great!

   The only one I have seen fail suffers from the owners' neglect and abuse. They leave dirty slimy dishes all over it and one of those plastic dish drain things never moves and never dries out under it. I had coached them on proper care and when they called me to come look at a separation joint and stains, I turned right around when I saw the living conditions for that poor piece of wood.

   .

   Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   cari | Nov 05, 2004 02:42am | #9

   I saw your old post re: wood counters.  I am wondering what the best way to finish a wood countertop.  I used mineral oil so it would be food safe.  The buyers' painter told them that it needs to be "redone".  I haven't talked to that painter so I am not sure what he is talking about.  I think it just needs another coat of oil.  It is not right at a sink.  I just sanded it smooth and oiled it.  Did I miss some step?

   Thanks

1. 
   Piffin | Nov 07, 2004 02:04am | #10

   IMO, there are three ways of finishing a wood countretop.

   You did what is right for a utilitarian, user friendly, maple countertop. but mineral oil and other rubbing oil finishes do need to be renewed every six months or so, according to usage. If it has been awhile and there are water and juice or food stains, it needs to be sanded and redone, instead of just rubbing more oil into it. The one I just finished and about which i believe you were reading, is a mineral oil/linseed oil mix and leaves the wood looking natural.

   Another heavier bodied rubbing oil is "Salad Bowl Finish". I'm not sure the source, because the company doesn't disclose other than to say tropical nuts, but it is a food safety choice, entirely green and non-toxic. It will build a sheen but also needs to be refreshed occasionally.

   I ahve also done a high gloss polyurethene counter finish, for a customer who is totaly out of their minds about everything being clean, bright, and washable. They cannot use it for cutting, from fear the surface will be marred, which contradicts the reason for a wood top - so you have a cutting board anyplace. Of course, they hada friend as a houseguest who wanted to show them how to cook, and I haad to go in a refinish the whole top again after wards, because he used it hard. Looked like a combination of satanic sacrifice and Texas chainsaw massacre...

   anyway, one of the beauties of wood is that it is possible to "redo" it 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   cari | Nov 09, 2004 12:34am | #11

   Thanks for the info.  The counter was done only 3 months ago and hasn't been used yet.  Maybe I didn't put enough coats of oil on.  Will go look at it and plan to apply another coat.

1. 
   Piffin | Nov 09, 2004 08:22am | #12

   could be that this painter wants to make an extra buck or he doesn't understand wood countertops, or his prejudice is to always use high gloss poly

   none of the above make him right

   But a plain oil finish once had the recomendation to oil i once a day for a week then once a week for a month, then once a month for a year...all of which I think is excessive, but a good tghree or four coats early on is good. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!