Solid wood countertops – a unique feature in your kitchen
Wood is a magnetic material and immediately draws the attention towards itself. Choosing a kitchen countertop faces many people to make a hard decision – granite, quartz, recycled materials, marble, tiles – all these have their indisputable advantages.
Solid wood countertops are absolutely stunning and offer the warmth and character of wood. Wood works great with any design style from rustic, traditional, French, Mediterranean, modern or eclectic.
What wood species can be used for wood countertops?
To begin with, you need to know how you want to use the wood countertop. If you need a wood countertop for cutting and chopping or for food preparation you will need a high quality hard wood.
In case you cherish the aesthetic value and you need more beauty in your kitchen then you can opt for softer wood species.
Nowadays there are all kinds of options, including butcher block, salvaged wood, exotic species, etc., so you need to know the pros and cons of wood countertops before you order one for your kitchen.
While maple and bamboo may be the most popular species, but oak, cherry, walnut and teak are also good options and are the most popular wood species for 3D cutting board plans as well.
Wood countertops – pros and cons
The biggest advantage of wood countertops is their visual appeal. The warmth of wood is not only visual, it is quite physical, as the wood is warmer to the touch than any other material.
Wood is environmentally friendly and recyclable material which is greatly important to many people.
Wood is not vulnerable to acids like other countertop materials and most wood species are naturally heat-resistant.
When properly sealed, wood offers natural, anti-bacterial benefits. Wood will not damage your cutlery and will develop a beautiful patina over time.
Among the cons of wood countertops is the necessity of sealing. The surface requires regular maintenance with mineral oil or other wood treatment.
If not sealed and maintained properly wood can be damaged by water. Wood countertop surface will dent, scrape and chip more easily than other surfaces.
