Worktops consist of a flat area which is often heat-resistant and very durable intended for food preparation and other similar tasks. As worktops are constantly subjected to prolonged exposure to water, heat and force, they are necessarily made of very durable materials like solid wood worktops.
Solid wood worktops are preferred over worktops made of other materials for the following reasons:
• They come in a variety of finishes such as Oak, Beech, Walnut, Iroko, Rubberwood, Bamboo, Wenge and other top-quality woods.
• They make sturdy and naturally tangible surface to work on.
• Their surface can easily be repaired at lower costs and often by simple means such as sanding out burn marks and other damaged surfaces/blocks.
Given these factors, solid wood worktops seem pretty good to work on but what about its downsides?
• They require high maintenance necessitating the regular application of oil.
• They are mostly incompatible with under-mounted sink bowls or Belfast / Butler sinks.
One may naturally think that oiling wooden worktops simply protects their surface from staining but this measure is taken to keep them from drying out which makes them vulnerable to exposure to water and moist. Most wooden worktops are made from a series of small overlapping blocks (called staves) glued together to form a rectangular solid surface which when allowed to dry out, contracts and becomes loose allowing water and moist to permeate and eventually rot it.
With solid wood worktops, it is advisable to steer clear of using under-mounted bowls or butler sinks as they allow water ingress to get through the cut end of the worktop. Water tends to puddle around these sinks and if the cut edge is not properly sealed, it will allow water to seep through it and eventually rot the worktop, requiring you to replace it sooner than expected. These sinks also require cuts to be made through the surface into either side of the worktop to accommodate the drainer grooves which can increase the chances of the worktop getting exposed to water.
With all these things you need to be wary of when using these worktops, do you still think they are worth buying? Naturally, manufacturers won’t continue to produce such type of worktops if there are no obvious reasons for doing so. If you can fit it properly with the sink you plan on using and are willing to take maintenance measures to keep it in good working condition then solid wood worktops will serve you on your purpose as well as any other worktops.