Maintaining our prime oak worktops
Our prime oak worktop stands out as one of our finest products due to the time and attention given to the selection process that goes into each and every stave. The staves are the individual planks which are assembled by our joiners into the finished work surface. Chosen for their uniformity from only the finest of our wood stock, they bring you a textbook example of fine hardwood grain.
Such quality craftsmanship is asking for little care, but just a touch of maintenance will go a long way with our worktops. Along with the associated sense of satisfaction from seeing big results with minimal effort, and perhaps a few bragging rights.
Low maintenance options
If any maintenance at all is too much in your mind, there are other options. There is a whole world of composite plastic, ceramic, pre-sealed metamorphic stone and tropical hardwood options that would be a fit and forget solution; a prime oak worktop is not one of them. For instance, iroko which is also known as African teak, is harder and cheaper, whereas a factory finished ground and hydrophobically treated marble will be more resistant to scorching and water damage.
If you’re not put off by some casual wood finishing every six to eight weeks, then you’re ready for a prime oak worktop.
The routine maintenance section
If your worktop is showing the first signs of distress, thermal discolouring, scorching or water droplets on its surface are failing to bead up, it’s time for oiling. The standard food-safe finish for oak is Danish oil, a mix of varnish and linseed. It gives a subtle satin finish which is hardy and water repellent. The finish we provide would make any initial or multiple coats of oil redundant.
A single fine layer of oil evenly applied to the work surface is all that is needed. This is best done just before bed. After 30 mins of allowing the Danish oil to settle into the grain, a quick buff off is all that is required. Give the worktop all night to dry and it will be ready for breakfast.
In brief (very brief!)
After 8-12 weeks post-installation, apply a sparing amount of Danish oil over the worktop allowing 30 minutes for it to permeate the surface, before wiping off the excess and allowing it to dry overnight.
Help I’ve oiled my worktop and it’s still stained damaged/burned
Don’t despair! Unlike a thin laminate or a stone slab, a solid wooden table top has lots of options for recovery at home, with no specialist equipment, including sanding and refinishing. That said, such a task is far beyond what we see as standard routine maintenance. If you purchased your worktop from us, please get in touch and we will be happy to provide you with all the aftercare advice needed to get your original finish back.
We are happy to help you get the most out of our worktops. Having a long life is not only a sign of our craftsmanship, but increases the sustainability of our products.