Kitchen worktops come in a huge variety of materials and styles, from man-made laminate and composite materials to natural materials such as stone, granite, quartz and wood. All of these give a very specific look and feel, and while some worktops can be relatively cheap, others can cost thousands.
One of the more popular kitchen worktop materials, both traditionally and today, is wood. In terms of durability, wood is up there with the best, but unlike stone, slate and granite worktops, it’s less likely to get chipped, lose a corner or suffer from a jagged or damaged edge. Even if it does, repair is usually quicker, easier and cheaper.
When it comes to wooden kitchen worktops, there’s a wide range of woods to choose from, with the more common ones being oak and beech. Other woods such as walnut, iroko and bamboo are also available, as are other more exotic and rare wood types, but these usually come at a higher cost.
Wooden kitchen worktop care
Although wood is a great material for kitchen worktops, it does require some care to keep it looking great and functioning well. Wood oils have been used for centuries to protect and preserve wood, and although the same is true today, new types and blends of oils are more commonly used.
The pros and cons of wooden kitchen worktops
By its nature, wood is porous, meaning that if it’s left untreated, liquids, juices and bacteria from meats and other sources can seep into the surface grain, discolouring and staining the wood. More importantly, the unsealed wood can create the perfect environment for germs and bacteria to collect and breed.
A common issue with poorly maintained kitchen worktops is black mould around taps and sinks. This is usually caused by water damage and mould spores growing in the surface of the timber, encouraged by warm, damp conditions. Although this sounds serious, as long as the worktop hasn’t been varnished, it can usually be remedied by scrubbing the black areas with a mould and mildew cleaner. This will remove the black staining and kill off the bacteria and spores responsible. In severe cases, a second treatment may be required. Once the wood has been successfully treated and cleaned, it’s ready for oiling.
The great news is that wooden worktops can look fabulous, and even if they’ve been neglected and abused, left with stains, marks and discolouration, it’s usually a fairly easy process to get them looking amazing again with little more than a light sanding, some white spirit and the all-important worktop oil.
Why does oiling wooden worktops work?
Simply speaking, oiling wooden worktops works by filling the surface grain of the timber with natural oils and waxes that dry and harden in the surface fibres of the timber. This acts as an effective wood preserver and sealer, helping to prevent moisture and bacteria from entering the wood grain.
Wooden worktop oil – old v new
A question that we’re often asked is “Which is the best oil for wooden worktops?” Wood oils such as tung, linseed and Danish oils have always been used to protect and preserve work surfaces and other types of timber, and are still commonly used today. So why use a modern worktop oil? “Which is best?” we hear you ask. Traditional wood oils and the newer ranges of wooden worktop oil products differ in several ways.
Ease of use – application and drying times
The number of coats can depend on the type and condition of the wood. Many of the traditional oils may require anything from 3 to 7 coats to be effective, and with drying times of around 24 hours between coats, oiling a wooden worktop could take as long as a week. In comparison, most modern top oils require just 2 thin coats and are dry in 4 to 8 hours, depending on the oil brand and environmental conditions.
Worktop durability
In terms of durability, traditional wood oils tend to require maintenance on a more regular basis as they dissipate in the wood and evaporate from the surface of the worktop more quickly than their modern equivalents. Modern purpose-made worktop oils are made from specially formulated blends of waxes and oils that harden in the surface of the wood to form a durable, protective barrier.
Oil penetration in the worktop surface
Modern kitchen worktop oils are highly refined and are blended with solvents to thin them and aid penetration into the surface of the wooden worktop. In many cases, especially on denser woods, traditional wood oils will not penetrate into the wood as well unless they are first thinned with turps.
It’s true to say, however, that even with modern top oils, some are better suited to specific wood types than others, depending on how dense the wood is and how thin the worktop oil is. Some products such as Manns Premier Top Oil and Osmo Extra Thin 1101 are especially great for denser timbers such as beech, bamboo and walnut worktops, while Holzol Worktop Oil is a great all-rounder.
The great thing about oiled wooden worktops is that they look great and are easy to maintain and repair, even if they do become stained, scratched or worn-looking. For more on the subject, we’ve created a great video that shows how easy it is to apply a solid wood worktop oil.
An additional bonus of top oil products is that because they are completely food- and child-safe when dry, they’re perfect for rejuvenating and restoring wooden chopping boards and other wooden kitchen utensils.
Top tip
Applying a top oil to a kitchen worktop will enhance the natural colour, grain and character of the timber. If you’re installing a new worktop or renovating an old one by sanding, wipe over a small section with a slightly damp (not wet) cloth or sponge to get a good indication of how the worktop will look when oiled. See our full range of wooden worktop oils here.
Need help with your wood oil project?
For more information about wood oils and their uses, contact our team of resident experts who are always on hand to help with project advice and product recommendations.
We love to see before, during and after photos of any wood finishing project. If you would like to share your project pictures with us and our followers, you can either send us some photos or share them on our Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram pages.
86 comments
Hi,
We’ve just moved into a house that has oak worktops that look oiled, but have some areas that are clearly more worn than others. If we denib the surfaces, could we just oil the worktops instead of sanding them down?
Either way, how do we choose an oil to use if we don’t know what’s on there already?
Thanks!
Reply to Ami:
Good Morning Ami,
Its always difficult when you move house and adopt someone else’s projects. I always think home owners should leave a little list of helpful tips, such as previous products used and how to deal with temperamental heating systems or taps, or what the creaking is at night.
In general oils can be patch repaired or over coated with a very similar product with out issue, however because you do not know what the current oil is this may cause issues. Many people still use soft oils such as Danish oil for kitchen work tops, whilst other are using Hard Wax Oils and the two are not really compatible.
My best advice would have to be to sand back to bare wood, this would ensure you the best and most even result for sure and if you need any help or advice on how to do this our team of advisers are on hand to help with this, just call in or email via our contact us (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/pages/contact) page. And we may also be able to point you in the direction of some oils to consider if you decide not to sand back to bare wood.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi I be just bought solid maple worktops for my kitchen. I want to keep them as natural as possible with a Matt finish. Could you recommend the best oil/product to use , thank you Rebecca
Reply to Rebecca Davies:
Hello Rebecca,
Thank you for getting in touch with your question. You could take a look at the Osmo Top Oil (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-top-oil) Natural 3068 this is a penetrating oil that is designed to leave the wood looking as untreated as possible, whilst still giving great protection.
You will need to apply very very thinly on Maple and I would recommend a test areas first to ensure the oil is able to absorb well into the wood. Maple is a slightly more difficult wood to work with than some and so the test area is important.
If you do find there are any issues with the the oil absorbing then I would recommend the Osmo Wood Wax Extra Thin (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-wood-wax-finish-extra-thin) as an alternative, better suited to hard woods it will darken the wood slightly, but will offer great protection.
Sample sachets are available for test areas and if you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to get in touch via our contact us (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/pages/contact) page.
Kind Regards Samantha
I currently have solid oaks wooden worktops which have become worn and have a few marks on them. After sanding them down, what are the best products to use? They are a dark walnut colour which I’d like to keep so would I have to apply a dye – if so which is best?
Also would a top coat be required?
Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Reply to Lucy Elliott:
Good Afternoon Lucy,
Thank you for getting in touch with your enquiry. If you have taken the worktops back to bare wood and want to achieve a walnut finish, I would recommend the Fiddes Hard wax Oil Tints (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/fiddes-hard-wax-oil-tints) as a really good option. I actually have this on my own worktops and have had no issues for 3 years now. And on oak it gives a lovely warm walnut finish.
Two very thin coats applied to the well prepared bare wood is all that is needed and I would also recommend the Osmo Wood Protector (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-wood-protector) for sink areas as this gives an extra level of defence against moisture ingress. This should be applied before the oil. And always try test areas first to ensure you like the result achieved.
All the Best Samantha.
Hi, we have Ikea oak wortops and they are forever getting dark water marks on them, even if you leave a food can that is wet on there for a few seconds it leaves a mark. I want to strip them back and oil them but I want something that is going to be durable and I am not going to have to sand back and re-treat if I get another water mark. What is the toughest wearing worktop solution that you know of?
Reply to Matthew Bowen:
Good Afternoon Matthew.
Is your oak worktop solid oak or veneered? Is it bare wood or does it have an existing finish? From what you are saying it sounds like it is bare wood or that the original finish has worn off.
If your worktop is solid oak, sand the surface of your worktop with a 120 grit sandpaper to remove all surface marks and stains. Take care to remove all traces of sanding dust with a vacuum cleaner or slightly damp, lint-free rag or microfibre cloth. Once fully dry, the worktop can be treated with a worktop oil (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/collections/worktop-oil). A standard, clear worktop oil will darken the wood and enhance its natural colour, character and grain. The appearance will look similar to how the wood looks when slightly dampened.
If you wish to keep the lighter, untreated look of the wood or how it looks when freshly sanded, use either Osmo Top Oil (3068 Natural) (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-top-oil) or Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Natural (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/fiddes-hard-wax-oil-oak-lightening). These products have been specifically designed to better retain the natural, untreated look of lighter coloured timbers such as oak and pine.
When applying these products, all that is required is 2 thin coats. Apply the first coat working the oil into the surface of the wood with a clean, white (uncoloured) lint free cloth or microfibre cloth. Remove any excess oil from the surface of the wood. Once fully dry, apply the second coat again removing any excess oil from the surface of the wood.
Worktop oils and Hardwax oils are durable, easy to apply, maintain and repair. when the surface starts to look tired or worn, simply clean and apply a thin maintenance coat of oil to the surface to restore its appearance and moisture repellent properties.
Oiled surfaces should never be cleaned with household detergents or cleaners such as washing-up liquids as these are designed to break down and dissolve grease and oils. Always use a dedicated wood surface cleaner (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/collections/worktop-cleaner).
Good luck with your project.
Kind regards,
Hi, I’m about install oak worktops with routed groves toward the sink to act as a draining area. Would it be wise to use the Osmo wood protector and then a top oil or would the Osmo top oil be sufficient? I don’t expect water to be stood on the surface for long periods.
Reply to James:
Good Afternoon James,
My apologies for the delay in getting back to you. I would absolutely recommend you apply the Osmo Wood Protector (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-wood-protector) first as this will give a greater level of protection from moisture ingress in these areas. And then follow with two thin coats of the Top Oil.
This combination will give a long lasting and durable finish for your wooden worktops. For further advice please do not hesitate to get in touch with one of our friendly team via our contact us (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/pages/contact) page.
kind regards Samantha.