mcerd1
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 posted on 16/11/12 at 12:49 PM |
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OT - Solid Wood Worktops ?
I've been searching kitchen and bathroom places for months and not finding what I want 
so I'm hoping someone here will have some answers / advice....
long story short, I'm putting in a new bathroom and need a worktop 470mm wide and ~2000mm long, after long discussions with SWMBO we
recon that a nice rich walnut is the answer
obviously a half decent laminate would be easier, cheaper and more water resistant, but the trouble is all the ones we've seen have been quite
dull or almost grey'ish (and we much have looked nearly everywere)
so I'm starting to think about real walnut, but how to protect it from water damage ? (I'm convinced that oiling it will last more than
5min...)
any thoughts ?
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watsonpj
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| posted on 16/11/12 at 01:31 PM |
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We have solid Oak kitchen worktop and they are always getting wet and sometimes don't get wiped down for sometime. We haven't had any
issues (18months) but we do oil them regularly. I don't know if this would be different in a bathroom where it could be much damper however.
regarsd Pete
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INDY BIRD
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| posted on 16/11/12 at 01:47 PM |
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Have u tried Ikea ?
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swanny
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| posted on 16/11/12 at 02:10 PM |
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i have walnut ones in our kitchen and am utterly sick of them. (three years in) maybe i'm using the wrong oil, but the sadolin stuff i've
used of late seems to last about 1 week in the kitchens high use areas before it starts looking milky white rather than nice dark brown, and that
seems to be anj improvement on the ikea stuff we had before.
when they are just done, they look amazing. but at the moment we are seriously considering ripping them out and replacing with laminate stuff.
recently sanded all of them back and re sealed with 6 coats over several days. two weeks later already looking pale and cr*ppy
if anyone can recomend an oil that wont do this PLEASE tell me what it is.
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mcerd1
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| posted on 16/11/12 at 03:07 PM |
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yes we've looked in Ikea already
quote:
Originally posted by swannyif anyone can recomend an oil that wont do this PLEASE tell me what it is.
my mum uses rustins 'Danish Oil' on her oak worktops, is not too bad, but does go a bit black if it stays wet for more than a few hours
(the black scrubs off easily enough and a little bit extra oil has it looking good again, but its more hassle than I want)
a mate of mine gave up and painted his with yacht varnish, it looks ok, but I'm tring to find a better answer...
[Edited on 16/11/2012 by mcerd1]
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JeffHs
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| posted on 16/11/12 at 03:26 PM |
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Our oak worktops still look as new# after 5 years, and we do a lot of cooking. Currently using Heartwood Oil from timber merchant. It's a bit
sticky for a few hours then fine - best done before you go to bed, then it's ok for the morning
# apart from the one that I used for kneading dough - got a bollocking from SWBO for that!
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Bluemoon
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| posted on 16/11/12 at 04:18 PM |
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Seem to remember my parents sealing there wooden worktop with an clear (epoxy?) coating, hard as nails very gloss like but stopped the oiling issue
and seemed to last for many years..
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nick205
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| posted on 16/11/12 at 04:18 PM |
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There's no beating real wood, but I just couldn't be doing with the grief. My parents had real oak for a few years and go so fed up with
it they pulled it out and fitted granite instead, looks good and maintenance free.
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mark chandler
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| posted on 16/11/12 at 05:35 PM |
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The one I had was a bit of a pain, you soon lose interest in oiling the bloody things
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PSpirine
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| posted on 16/11/12 at 06:30 PM |
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I have oak in my kitchen - love it.
I oil it with whatever oil is to hand (vegetable/olive) once a month or so after wiping it down. Yes, mine has some marks from leaving wet cups on it
etc. but it sands out easily if it bothers you and in general I'd never swap it for a laminate. Well worth the (marginally) additional effort.
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JoelP
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| posted on 16/11/12 at 07:06 PM |
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I fit lots of real wood tops for work. We use rustins danish oil to protect. Monthly for first year and 6 monthly thereafter.
My favourite wood is zebrano, i intend to make a large dining table out of this stuff sometime soon:
http://woodworktops.com/zebrano-worktops.html
looks gorgeous when oiled.
Using real wood in a bathroom, you'd need to love it and take good care of it. Id say if you have kids in the house, dont bother. Needs drying
off promptly, the room needs to be well aired, and you'd need to leave decent expansion gaps.
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Stott
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| posted on 16/11/12 at 08:40 PM |
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I have oak and use liberon finishing oil as supplied to me by Norforlk Oak, it's very good you can leave it gloss or scuff with 0000 wire wool
for satin finish.
I left the sink surround lip in gloss (under mount) just the edge and its still glossy and waterproof and I haven't oiled that bit for a year
last June.
You need to leave the house for a bit once you oil it though as it makes you high.
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martyn1137
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| posted on 16/11/12 at 10:44 PM |
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Osmo oils are the bees knees, but natural wood will need a high level of general care in a bathroom as stated earlier.
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owelly
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| posted on 17/11/12 at 02:40 AM |
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To those wanting to rip out their wooden worktops..... Can I have a bit? Just 1400x500mm. Not bothered how thick....... ;-§
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk
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MikeCapon
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| posted on 17/11/12 at 07:32 AM |
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I've used solid oak in in both the bathroom and the kitchen protected with two coats of water based varnish. It just gets wiped down from time
to time and that's it. Still looks like new after two and a half years.
Not dear either. A 40mm thick, 2.5M long x 80 cm (minimum) wide slice of seasoned oak costs 40€ or £32 at my local woodyard. I does take a bit of
cutting and sanding to tidy it up though...
www.shock-factory.co.uk
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Jasper
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| posted on 17/11/12 at 10:55 AM |
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Why not use granite or marble, looks fantastic as is tough as nails?
If you're not living life on the edge you're taking up too much room.
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Krismc
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| posted on 17/11/12 at 03:34 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Bluemoon
Seem to remember my parents sealing there wooden worktop with an clear (epoxy?) coating, hard as nails very gloss like but stopped the oiling issue
and seemed to last for many years.. [/quote
dont use expoxy, SHALAK is what i used and its a natural product (Ant Spit), ours is super glossy and child proof in our bathroom.
Built, Ivaed, Drove and now Sold - 2011 MNR VORTX RT+ 2000cc Zetec on R1 Throttle boddies.
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YODI
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| posted on 17/11/12 at 04:20 PM |
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I work next door to a wood worktop factory, let me know if I can help 
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mcerd1
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| posted on 19/11/12 at 09:06 AM |
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granite, marble or even those man made 'stone' ones would be easier, but we just can't find anything that goes with the rest of the
bathroom
I'm very interested in altenatives to oil for solid wood, was considering a satin yacht varnish (~5 coats on all sides of the wood) but if there
is a better solution I'd love to know
also where to buy the worktop from ? (and maybe 2 or 3 small shelves too)
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roadrunner
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| posted on 19/11/12 at 10:18 AM |
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For a continuously wet area, you need to use Teak or Iroko which is a Teak alternative.
Ioko is used as a draining board for the old Belfast sinks . You can get away with not oiling it and it has a lovely rich darkish colour.
If you do oil it up, Danish or Teak oil is very good, and easy to use without odours.
Brad.
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swanny
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| posted on 19/11/12 at 10:54 AM |
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Iroko:
(from Wikipedia)
The tree is feared in some cultures where it originates and hence is shunned or revered with offerings.[3] Yoruba people believe that the tree is
inhabited by a spirit, and anybody who sees the Iroko-man face to face becomes insane and speedily dies.[4] According to the Yoruba, any man who cuts
down any Iroko tree causes devastating misfortune on himself and all of his family.[4] They also claim that the spirit of the Iroko can be heard in
houses which use Iroko wood, as the spirit of the Iroko is trapped in the wood.[4] There are other trees in Nigeria which have the same claims by the
Yoruba people.
Blimey! I'll stick with Walnut 
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mcerd1
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| posted on 19/11/12 at 10:59 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by swanny
....Blimey! I'll stick with Walnut
lol
I'm safe though, SWMBO has already decided Iroko is the worng colour (and I can't argue as I'm actually colour blind.....)
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roadrunner
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| posted on 19/11/12 at 05:15 PM |
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If your quick, you can check the pictures at the top of the home page. You will see Iroko and Walnut. Both are very similar in colour.
Brad
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mcerd1
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| posted on 20/11/12 at 08:11 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by roadrunner
If your quick, you can check the pictures at the top of the home page. You will see Iroko and Walnut. Both are very similar in colour.
Brad
sorry should have said, its the darker / black walnut's we've been looking at
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JoelP
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| posted on 20/11/12 at 06:52 PM |
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black american walnut at the bottom of this link?
http://woodworktops.com/walnut-worktops.html
ive not found a cheaper supplier of wood worktops, so please let me know if you do!
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