Wood worktops add a very nice character and feel to any kitchen. It is hard to beat the natural beauty and charm of a worktop constructed of wood with the many colors and grain styles which are available. Once the wood is coated with natural, durable finishes it will bring out the characteristics of the wood for years of enjoyment.
Kitchen wood worktops are usually referred to as solid wood worktops but this is really a misnomer. Due to the structure of wood and how it grows a wide plank will tend to split as it dries so constructing a worktop or wood countertop out of one big piece of wood is just not practical. A tree is very strong and the grain structures help to hold it together but only if we actually work with grains strength and not against it. The grains have longitudinal bonding but they do not do well across the width or face when the piece is very wide. Because of this, many pieces are actually glued together so that we get the wood look and feel but the we also have the needed strength.
Types of Wood Worktops
There are many different styles of solid wood worktops that are available and each has its own characteristic. The classic style, which has been used in meat shops for ages, is the butcher block. With this constructions technique the wood pieces are cut short and then stood up on end and connected together. This gives a very nice checkerboard or parquet look and has a very traditional feel.
The plank or wide face style has the boards laying down with their widest sides showing. This is becoming more and more popular as the ability to lay up wider plank becomes available. Currently, the standard plank top is constructed of boards which are 3” to 5” wide and edge glued together. A new wide plank with boards that are 4” to 8” wide is also now available and is becoming very possible. The plank face allows you to see the large flat grains of the wood structure plus any dips and swirls that are ingrown in the wood.
The third style is the edge grain method. When the wooden worktops are constructed in this manner the individual boards are laid on their sides face to face and then glued together. This gives a very nice view of the grain structure that is found when a board is cut out of a tree. These grains are usually close together, in fact, with a Douglas Fir old growth tree you can easily see 20 to 30 individual grains per inch. Each grains represents a year of growth for the tree so you can tell how long it took for this wonderful specimen to produce your worktop made of wood.
Lastly, we have a combinations of styles. One combination which is very popular is to have a edge grain or plank face interior with a border of butcher block. This allows the natural structures to show through and also gives an appealing trimming.
Installing Wood Worktops
The biggest thing to remember when installing a wooden worktop is that the material is naturally elastic to a certain extent and it will want to move a shift slightly during normal use. For this reason, you can not fasten the top down with screws that do not allow the top to expand, contract, and shift or you will have a cracking problem. Normally, the wood worktop is glued down with a high quality, 100% silicone. This keeps it down but also allows it to expand or shrink slightly as atmospheric changes occur.
The first step in securing the wooden countertop is to clean the subsurface very well to enable the silicone to adhere. This is usually done with alcohol to remove all potential grime and dirt. Next, place a bead of silicone on the tops of the subcabinets then lay the worktop directly on the silicone. Move the top back and forth slightly to ensure a good bond. Once the solid wood worktop is down you can secure it at all corners with a screw but this needs to be a loose fit. Drill a whole of about 15 mm or so in the subsurface and then install a screw with a washer on it. Snug the screw but do apply it tightly. This will allow the worktop to shift slightly as it expands and contracts. This is very important if you want to alleviate the possibility of cracking.
Remember, the worktop is constructed of material that has not had time to fully cure so it need time to rest before heavy use. For the first month do not set heavy items on the worktop and watch for any movement. The manufacturer will give you instructions on sealing the worktop which will need to be followed. Usually, it will have been coated already but you may need to do a follow up in the near future.
You can easily enjoy your wooden worktops for years to come if you take care of them with sealing and you have a good installation.