Treat Your Timber
Wood is a natural product, which moves to acclimatise to the environment it is in. This movement is completely normal and expected, limiting this is the key to a perfectly fitting worktop. Correctly sealing a wooden worktop is the first point of call, using Danish or finishing oil is recommended by us due to the resistant properties they contain to water. Applying this yourself is such a satisfying feeling, taking the time to thoroughly work the oil into every part of the surface to assure your worktops last a lifetime. Rushing this process will result in longevity issues that can lead to black marks and greying. Our comprehensive oiling guide will help you successfully seal your worktop, plus our method is a rather therapeutic process!
Alternatively, we offer our own pre-oiling service for ultimate peace of mind from the improved quality of the finish that really stands out from other oiled worktops. Covered in warm pure linseed oil, the oil is absorbed quicker and runs deeper into the worktop, minimising the need to re-oil so often whilst producing a glimmering finish.
Another Norfolk Oak innovation is to use 21st century chemistry to create a tough, stain and water resistant surface that requires the lowest amount of maintenance for a wooden worktop. Our nano-coating treatment brings out the natural colour of the timber, providing a wonderful, smooth finish in the process that triples the lifespan of the wood. Once cured, the timber becomes much tougher, producing a surface that is very simple and easy to live with.
Getting That Perfect Fit
Before you fit your wooden worktop, survey the kitchen and make sure any plastering has been completed and is dry, and that your kitchen cabinets are in position. Check to see that there are a decent number of fixing points, having at least one on each corner. Proceed to fix your worktop by either screwing from the underneath of to the cabinet carcasses or use slotted expansion brackets to allow the timber to move ever so slightly. Expansion brackets are in most DIY hardware stores.
A Little Respect Goes A Long, Long Way
Once fitted, oil the top surfaces of your bespoke worktop with 6 more coats to obtain that gleaming, smooth finish. The worktop is usable at this point, but just use caution with hot mugs, glasses of wine and water. Wooden worktops need another 48 hours and 12 more layers of oil to go hard, we recommend going over the worktop once a day to complete these 12 layers.
If your worktops begin to lose that wonderful lustre, a single coat of oil will bring that shine back again. A little test to see if you need another coat is to drop a bit of water onto the worktop, if it stops beading, the worktop is water-resistant.
As a general rule, some extra care is needed to keep your wooden worktops looking fantastic for as long as possible. Using your bespoke worktop as a super-size chopping board is not a great idea, neither is using it as a resting place for roasting hot pans. Our bespoke service includes inserting hot rods into the surface of the worktop to act as a trivet, and they simply pop out to allow for effortless cleaning. However, killing two birds with one stone are the end grain chopping blocks, fantastic for chopping on as they wonโt dull your knives, they are strong enough to place hot pans on them due to their heat-resistant properties.
Following these simple steps will ensure that sealing and fitting your wooden worktops is quite painless, and the adhering to the immediate after-care schedule results in a beautifully oiled worktop that accentuates the wonderful tight grains of the timber and has a protective, water-resistant surface for the hub of your home.
