wooden kitchen worktop.... what to do?

[Dupont666]

I have a cheapo ikea kitchen that im revamping to keep me occupied and have something different for the next few months before I remove said kitchen and get new one.

so far I have repainted the orangy varnish/painted cupboard doors with a Jasmine white (done via varnsih/paint remover, then sanding and cleaning) the paint seems to be ok in the most but some parts are cracked/flaking. Its official cupboard paint and I have enough for another 1-2 coats on them all. I need to find something that I can spray on to seal the paint so that knocking it doesnt scuff it or leave a mark, it needs not to be shiny to, so what can I use?

now on to the main part:

http://www.barncrest.co.uk/worktop_range.php
http://www.topworktops.co.uk/?gclid=COzp_7P2_5oCFW...

This is the style of worktop ikea (thin 1" strips of wood) have tried to replicate on the cheap, the previous owner has done fk all in the way of preserving it and its now stained to buggery.... so I plan on getting an orbital sander and cleaning it up and then I need to find something to go on it to seal it... now with the white cupboards I was thinking of darkening the wood (its a beech colour/lightness at the moment to do the contrast (would give me an idea of the gloss/matt white cupoboards and dark walnut wood surrounds with granite worksurface that I will be replacing it with).

What can I use that isnt going to get ruined by water/heat/cold/scratching that a normal worktop goes through and what is easy to maintain say once a week that doesnt mean the kitchen is out of action for a few hours whilst the substances dries/evapourates.

Cheers for help.

[GreenDog]

Sorry I can't offer advice but I'd interested to hear about maintaining wooden worktops too.

My current worktops could do with being replaced but the thought of having to oil wooden worktops on a regular basis is putting me off and making me thing that the old placy topped jobs would be a better bet. Am I wrong, is it easy to keep the wood ones looking tip-top, spic anf span ?

Edited by GreenDog on Wednesday 10th June 16:09

[Stu R]

The barncrest stuff is ace, just had a big 1 piece island and a kitchens worth of worktops from them (cherry).

When ordering we were told it needed nothing other than a lick of stain / oil or whatever else is suitable that they supplied with the wood, applying once in a while. After 2 months it's had all manor of stuff dropped and spilled on it, and regularly gets used as a panstand, and it's still unmarked so I'm inclined to believe them.

[Dupont666]

strange as all the waxes that I saw in B&Q, including the oils, stated not to be used where there will be heat/cold/water splashed on it, etc...

So was a little miffed as the beeswax or the darkening wax would have been good to use and later the colour of the fake beech I have.

[Simpo Two]

You'll definitely need to sand the existing stains out, but it might take more sanding than you think.

A surface finish can be either natural (eg teak oil or wax) or synthetic. Oils and waxes need to be recoated every so often to keep the worktops looking good, and if you need to get grease spots off (eg from a spattering frying pan) then the Jif etc that you use will also affect the finish.

Have a look here and see what you think: www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/wood-finishe...

[Dupont666]

Simpo Two said:

You'll definitely need to sand the existing stains out, but it might take more sanding than you think.

A surface finish can be either natural (eg teak oil or wax) or synthetic. Oils and waxes need to be recoated every so often to keep the worktops looking good, and if you need to get grease spots off (eg from a spattering frying pan) then the Jif etc that you use will also affect the finish.

Have a look here and see what you think: www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/wood-finishe...

I like the look of, but not wanting to spend that much as this is a quick tidy up to keep my occupied for a few weekends and is only going to be around for a few months before the new kitchen is bought.

what about a sealant for the painted cupboard doors to stop themnd getting stained?

[allegro]

If the worktop is stained by food etc i would be very surprised if you can get it out with a sander to a satisfactory level. If it hasn't been sealed/oiled properly the stains would have soaked into the wood. In short goodnight vienna

[shirt]

for the worktop: sand with 60grit to a clean surface, then 120 to smoothen/refine the surface. wash down with white spirit and dry, then apply worktop oil such as sadolin. apply each night with a sponge/rag and wipe off the excess after 20-30mins. it'll be dry by morning but needs 3-4 applications.

i fitted one of the ikea ones you describe but then used the kitchen as my workshop when working on the rest of the house. i started using a waxy wood treatment but it was st. oil is the way to go. you just have to watch spills, as if you leave them unattended they will still create watermarks.

PS - if you can, this is a much quicker job if you can remove the worktop and do it outside on a workbench.

[Dupont666]

allegro said:

If the worktop is stained by food etc i would be very surprised if you can get it out with a sander to a satisfactory level. If it hasn't been sealed/oiled properly the stains would have soaked into the wood. In short goodnight vienna

The wood is going to be replaced by a new granite worktop kitchen, Im just having a laugh and playing with the old one at the moment, so if it doesnt completely come out, then I dont care, just dont want to pay £50 for the oil/wax when I can do it for £20 and get a nice effect.

[Simpo Two]

If you're going to change the whole kitchen in a few months then frankly I'd leave it as it is. I certainly don't see cupboard doors getting 'stained' in that time. Save time and money and ignore it

[Dupont666]

Simpo Two said:

If you're going to change the whole kitchen in a few months then frankly I'd leave it as it is. I certainly don't see cupboard doors getting 'stained' in that time. Save time and money and ignore it

Felt like doing some DIY and playing with power tools and this was a good excuse

[benmc]

From Barncrest

Repairs & Refurbishment
Surfaces that have been neglected, become a bit tired and lifeless or accidentally damaged by cuts, burns or stains can usually be sanded and re-oiled to fully restore them to their original splendour.

When sanding, it is best to start with 100grit sandpaper and build up to 120grit or 150grit. Work surfaces should never be sanded finer than 180grit. To do so will prevent any future applications of oil from penetrating the surface.

Dents to a wooden worktop can easily be steamed out. Sand the damaged area and then apply a small amount of water into the dent. Place a damp tea-towel over the area and run a steam iron over the tea-towel around the affected area. This method will slowly raise the dented area of the wood back to the surface. Afterwards, finely sand the repaired area and apply as much Danish oil as is necessary.

Being a natural product, wood can occasionally crack or split. In these instances it is best to fill the affected area with a good wood filler. For best results in achieving a near-invisible repair we recommend that you purchase the appropriate wax filler pack from us. Each pack contains three colour wax sticks which are all specially selected to match the varying colour shades of your worktop.