Top tips for protecting your oak worktop

Last Updated on September 13, 2024

Having a beautiful oak worktop can do wonders for your home, providing your kitchen with an awe-inspiring centrepiece. However, without the correct steps for protecting your oak worktops, they can lose their luscious looks over time, with scorch marks, spillages and scratches quickly becoming clear for the eye to see.

As such, if you’re looking to prolong the look of your oak worktops, it’s important to protect it as best you can and keep it in the best condition possible.

So, with this in mind, we thought we’d compile a brief guide as to how to exactly that, running through a few of our top tips to keep your oak worktops looking as great as the day they were first fitted.

Oil Your Worktops Regularly

One of the quickest and easiest ways for protecting your oak worktops is to set reminders to oil them at regular intervals throughout its life.

Check out our Oak worktops

Shop now

Check out our Oak worktops

Shop now

Your oak worktops should be oiled prior to installation, after the installation and then between every six to twelve months, depending on the oil you are using and on how busy your kitchen is. This is because wood is a natural material which relies on natural oils to maintain its strength, dexterity and appearance. Another way you can understand if your oak worktop needs re-oiling is by doing the Water Test. Simply some water on the worktop and if it forms a bead, your worktop is well oiled, but if it sits flat, it is time to refresh it with another coat of oil. After you apply one coat of oil, test it again and if it still needs more, apply an additional one to ensure your oak worktops are perfectly protected.

Wood oils, like Danish oil, Linseed oil or Osmo oil for example, can help replenish the finish over time, penetrating deep into the grain of the wood to enhance its natural grain. 

This, in turn, helps provide the wood with a decorative and water repellent finish, ensuring it not only remains suitably protected but looks great as well.

Use Worktop Savers

At first you might think it is counter intuitive to cover up your oak worktops with a worktop saver or heat mat, but doing so will make a big difference when it comes to their durability.

But what is a worktop saver? It is a moveable toughened glass surface, which is heat and scratch resistant. It sits on top of your oak worktop and protects it from burn marks and scratches. And more importantly, it comes in different designs and colours, allowing you to match it to the style of your kitchen.

Worktop Savers are a must if you want to protect your oak worktop and make sure it last for years to come.

Use Chopping Boards

Solid oak may be an incredibly tough type of wood in terms of its structure but it is not designed to put up with sharp knives or accidental spillages.

Therefore, to prevent this from becoming an issue, try to use chopping boards during your meal preparation. Here in House of Worktops® we know the importance of protecting your oak worktops and that is why we giveaway a free chopping board with all orders!

Likewise, invest in a few trivets and heatproof mats to rest hot pans and kettles on. That way, you will help prevent any annoying scorch circles burning into the wood – a potentially costly accident to undo.

And, finally, make sure to clear up any spillages as soon as possible. Accidents are likely to happen in the kitchen but, the longer they are left undealt with, the more difficult they will be to resolve later on.

Final Thoughts..

Taking the time and making the effort in protecting your oak worktops is a must-do if you want them to last.

However, as the advice listed above should now prove, keeping them protected can be relatively straightforward to do – but only with the right level of dedication.

For further hints and tips on keeping your oak worktops in great condition, our blog is jam packed with great ideas to follow. Alternatively, contact our team with any questions you might have and we’d be more than happy to help.