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House and home

Kitchen worktops

(86 Posts)
Anya Tue 10-Nov-15 08:59:16

I'm going to have to have a new kitchen. The 'old' one had wooden worktops which looked good but were high maintenance.

I'm looking for some advice, based on your experiences, about what works and looks good and what to avoid.

CariGransnet (GNHQ) Tue 10-Nov-15 15:19:31

jingl - we have wood. I wanted corian but it cost exactly ten times the amount the wood did so we went with that on the basis that if it got trashed we could replace it cheaply if we ever wanted to sell. I think in nine years we have remembered to oil it twice but it's fine grin

Haven't burned or marked it badly yet but the advantage is you can always sand it if something does happen. I would def go for it again

Bug180 Tue 10-Nov-15 15:31:49

Terribull I was glad to read your post as after quite a bit of research Quartz seemed be coming out with the best results. I will look further.

loopylou Tue 10-Nov-15 15:43:33

That's interesting Cari, no brainer here then grin!

tanith Tue 10-Nov-15 15:57:00

Mines a laminate in a speckled turquoise colour and goes with the tiles its been in probably 10yrs but I have a thick teak breadboard and many cutting boards which I always use , the only tiny mark is by the sink where I stupidly put a hot pan instead of on the draining board. Its worn very well with no cracks or lifting . It looks great when its just wiped down with flash and buffed up with a dry cloth.

loopylou Tue 10-Nov-15 16:02:24

I like the sound of speckled turquoise tanith, I've got very dark grey porcelain floor tiles (and simply hideous green and gold wall tiles inherited not chosen!) so.......
<wanders off to Google new kitchens>

rosesarered Tue 10-Nov-15 16:05:39

No idea what corian is! our last house had wood, which marked and needed oiling, I think we have some kind of laminate here ( just been to check) in a tabby cat fur kind of colours, it hasn't marked in the eight years we have been here, and I just wipe it over.Brilliant.

rosesarered Tue 10-Nov-15 16:06:52

The cupboards are all a rich cream shaker style, so the tabby cat colours contrast well.

SusieB50 Tue 10-Nov-15 16:13:02

Watching with interest as we have JUST ordered a new kitchen with wood effect laminate - seems I have chosen well !

Bellasnana Tue 10-Nov-15 16:51:50

Very interesting thread. I am in the process of choosing a new kitchen for the property I will be moving into early next year, and am totally baffled by all the various options available.confused Interesting and helpful to hear your ideas on work tops, I shall bear them in mind.smile

Anya Tue 10-Nov-15 19:39:03

A friend who had a lovely new kitchen fitted a couple of years ago has something called Duropal fitted. Didn't like to ask the cost, but have sent for a few samples.

While our house is sorted we're living in rented accommodation and the big-standard laminate fitted here is so easy to clean and looks pretty good hmm

Any I over thinking this?

M0nica Tue 10-Nov-15 19:39:22

For me it is laminate every time, easy clean, no maintenance. I have had mine nearly 20 years and they are still in perfect condition.

I would not have granite or marble for environmental reasons. As I understand most of the granite and marble used in worktops is imported from India. This means huge quarries and few health or safety rules to protect the health and safety of workers. Sooner or later granite or marble work surfaces will go out of fashion and what will happen to them? How can they be recycled or re-used? Will this natural irreplaceable resource just be put into landfill sites?

Anya Tue 10-Nov-15 19:39:54

PS are we missing some phot opportunitues here?

Anya Tue 10-Nov-15 19:41:06

big standard bog standard.

Juliette Tue 10-Nov-15 20:10:35

This is mine, after eight or so years it still scrubs up well.

merlotgran Tue 10-Nov-15 20:19:00

Work on the new kitchen came to a grinding (literally) halt this afternoon because the router DH borrowed from a friend to cut out the bit where the Belfast sink will go, turned out to be old and not up to the job.

Off to hire one tomorrow.

#shouldhavedonethatinthefirstplace

Anya Tue 10-Nov-15 20:26:36

Juliette what kind is it?

rosequartz Tue 10-Nov-15 20:26:36

Like coolgran I also use glass cutting boards.
I was told that they would blunt the knives, so I use wooden ones (and scrub them well afterwards). I just use the glass ones for putting hot dishes on.

I would definitely have a quartz surface again.
I suppose I should! grin

I would love a new kitchen but it is such a good solid one that we couldn't afford to replace it with anything of similar quality.
My friend has just had a lovely new kitchen with wooden work surfaces but, after reading this thread, I really don't think I want the upkeep of them or granite.

Katek Tue 10-Nov-15 20:53:26

We have laminate iroko wood block effect. Needs a bit of a buff up with tea towel after cleaning but that's all. Goes nicely with cream gloss slab doors.

kittylester Tue 10-Nov-15 20:59:36

There is no need to scrub wooden chopping boards - wood is naturally antibacterial!

rosequartz Tue 10-Nov-15 22:31:36

I didn't know that!
You learn so much on GN grin

I do keep separate ones for veg, bread and meat.

merlotgran Tue 10-Nov-15 22:38:55

I do keep separate ones for veg, bread and meat.

I don't blush

GillT57 Tue 10-Nov-15 22:40:11

Second kitchen with black granite (we moved) and would never have anything else. It really isnt hard work to look after and we are in a very hard water area. All it needs is a wipe over with method granite spray and a glass cloth, no harder to look after than laminate and far easier than wood.

GillT57 Tue 10-Nov-15 22:44:10

glass boards put my teeth on edge, like chalk on a blackboard. Wooden board for bread, plastic for meat. I really don't see where the high maintenance comes in with granite........but marble is not recommended for kitchens as can be porous and may stain.

kittylester Wed 11-Nov-15 07:23:54

I use a dishwashable red plastic board for meat but don't use separate board for anything else.

Nananolife Wed 11-Nov-15 10:11:56

I have a wooden work top (light oak) and I love it. Its the second one I've had. You do have to be careful, keep it oiled and not let too much water seep into the parts around the sink area, as it will go black with the damp! But I had this part replaced and now take much better care that its not left soaking wet. It hadn't been oiled enough, when my granddaughter put something on it that left a ring mark, but her daddy came along and simply sanded the mark off, then I re oiled. In fact I will oil it again today, this conversation has reminded me. Not a big job in the scheme of things. . So fingers crossed it'll last longer. It does look lovely.