Is a wood countertop better than a laminate one?
Question:We just bought a house, and I'm already dreaming of remodeling the kitchen. I love wood countertops but have heard horror stories of upkeep.
I have two goals in mind:
1) How hard is to maintain a wood countertop?
2) Is it a good or bad thing for the resale value of the house?
Answers:
It is absolutely not true that wood counter tops support the growth of bacteria. Woods surfaces actually support the growth of bacteria less than plastics! See http://www.johnboos.com/support/document... and just to show you that it is not propaganda http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/facult...
Wood is a bit more work to maintain, but it is not terrible. A cleaning followed by application of mineral oil is required periodically for oil finished tops. Poly finished tops just need cleaning, no more than you would have with any other top. Wood scratches easier than some surfaces, but it is harder than some others. You can sand anything out of a wood top, so if you do get scratches they are not permanent.
Wood tops are available with two different kinds of finish, a polyurethane or lacquer (depending upon manufacturer) or mineral oil. The mineral oil finish is the traditional finish and is acceptable for direct food prep. The poly or lacquer is more durable, but is not suitable for food prep.
Resale value will depend to some extent upon location, but it is something that you don't see in every house you are in, so it will have appeal to at least a certain number of people.
If you want a wood top, go for it.
An actual wooden counter top will hold germs and bacteria.
This can cause a severe problem, salmonella, and more.
I sure wouldn't recommend it. It would probably cause a color change after bleaching several times.
It would have to be hard work.
Have you considered granite or marble? Much easier.
I beet the stories you have heard are true!!
Wood and water are not friends, so it would be hard to keep up. Also, when the wood gets cuts or knicks, bacteria resides in those places easily. Why not go with a more conventional counter top, and use wood for an island. I do small remodels on houses, and then sell them. It is my opinion that all wood counter tops would be a difficult re sale.
Wood is very hard to maintain especially in the kitchen. Bacteria and mold will thrive in the wood if not adequately prepared, installed and maintained. Wood also dents and scratches very easily. Personally, I would go with granite. More expensive but very easy to maintain and resistant to scratches. As for resale value, most remodeled kitchens that I have seen were done with granite.
WOOD LOOKS GREAT BUT REQUIRES A BIT OF SPECIAL CARE. DO NOT USE AS A CUTTING BOARD. NO FINISH NEEDED, JUST WIPE WITH MINERAL OIL AS NEEDED. I USED STAINLESS STEEL ON THE "L" PORTION WITH THE SINK. IT WORKED WELL. AND LOOKED GREAT. THE SALE TOOK 1 DAY.
i would not use wood they might look good at first be #1they are hard to keep looking nice#2 they are not sanitary that's why you sohould not put raw meat on it they make a very nice wood grain laminate that would hold up better i still would not cut any thing on it use a plastic cutting board that's my opinion
as far as resale granite or corr-on or laminate
I made my counter top out of maple flooring I tore out of my house its over 100 yrs old very neat wood grains and because of the age there is very little shrinking and expanding. I use mineral oil on it once a month . the same mineral oil you use as a laxative. I tried linseed oil but it made the wood darker . both are recommended for butcher blocks.
cut the flooring into 1" to 1 1/2 strips and glued them together onto a piece of plywood with lots of clamps.
butcher block looks good but it is hard to maintain. it's porous, might need to seal once a year, possibility of damaging it easily with knives, hot pots and pans, dropping large things on it, etc. oh, and it's a little expensive. laminate is the cheapest countertop you can buy. but like butcher block it is NOT heat resistant, it will delaminate in time, will scratch and tear. but if well taken care of, laminate can last for years.
More Related Questions & Answers...