Tag Archives: wooden countertops

What Is The Best Wood For Kitchen Countertops?

kitchen countertops

Wooden countertops have been around for years. While other countertops have come and gone, wood has remained a classic.

Are you looking to install a wooden countertop and wondering what is the best wood for kitchen countertops? Well, there are many woods you can go for, with the best ones being:

Maple

Maple is the most common type of wood used in countertops. Its light hues blend well with any color and give your kitchen an open feeling.

The wood is moderately priced, which gives many homeowners a nice balance between quality and cost.

Two of the popular maples are curly maple and hard maple. Curly maple shows the whorls, while the hard maple shows the grain in the same way as the other woods.

Oak

Oak gives any space a fresh, clean feel. It’s often the most inexpensive option, so if you require wood countertops but don’t have a large enough budget, these are countertops to go for.

Like other inexpensive items, oak isn’t durable, so you should be cautious of the amount of abuse you put it through after installing it.

Cherry wood

Although popularly used in furniture construction, plenty of homeowners use it for their countertops. Cherry gives a characteristic-rich red hue that gives your countertops an elegant look.

Choosing this wood gives your kitchen a light, airy feel. Although, it perfectly complements bright colors, the countertop beautifully contrasts a darker design.

Cherry wood is highly durable, and coincidentally it’s also one of the most expensive options, so this isn’t the one to go for when working on a tight budget.

Black walnut

As one of the most revered woods in the market for its toughness and beautiful grain, the dark shades are compatible with any kitchen, and when properly installed, it gives any kitchen a unique aesthetic look.

While they are great, their major flaw is they don’t last as long as the other woods, so you should be ready to replace them regularly.

Zebrawood

Named for its striking stripes, zebrawood is one of the toughest woods you can install in your kitchen. When installing it, you don’t have to worry about it getting damaged as it stands up against almost anything thrown at it.

Bamboo

Bamboo is a popular cutting board material, so it’s no surprise that it makes an excellent kitchen countertop.

Clean, sturdy, and modern, bamboo is one of the best countertop materials you can install in your home. It comes with plenty of options to choose from. From sumptuous whole grains to edgier parquet design, you will be spoilt of choice.

Mahogany

It’s the most preferred wood of luxury, and it’s loved by many for its brown-red color that gives any kitchen an aesthetic look. Although, you won’t find it in most kitchens due to its soft nature, there is no reason you shouldn’t install it, especially if you like its unique luxurious look.

When installing it, be cautious of the nature of your kitchen. If you are there all the time, it will be good to avoid installing this wood. The ideal candidate for the wood is someone that doesn’t use their kitchen too often.

Are wood countertops sanity?

Most people used to granite, marble, quartz, and other countertop materials are concerned that wooden countertops aren’t sanitary. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. As long as you have properly sealed the countertops, they are one of the sanitary countertop materials you can have.

Once you have sealed the countertops, you can chop meat, place hot pans and pots on it without worrying about damaging them.

How do you seal wood countertops?

Like marble and granite countertops Durham, you need to seal your wooden countertops. Begin with applying two coats of polyurethane to the countertop surface.

Polyurethane installs a liquid coating that dries up into a plastic film that places a layer of plastic between you and the newly installed wood.

For the best outcome, use FDA-approved urethane. This way, you are sure that the urethane is safe to come in contact with your food.

To get a good, solid coating, apply at least 3 coats of urethane.

For your countertops to last for long, ensure that you seal the countertop entirely, leaving no wood exposed.

How To Update Kitchen Countertops

kitchen countertops

Old or damaged countertops do nothing but detract from the value and beauty of your home. Thankfully, you can update them and restore the look. To help you out, here are ways on how to update kitchen countertops:

Paint the countertops

If your current pieces aren’t damaged, painting them can go a long way towards restoring them. If you have the skills, you can paint them by yourself, but if you have never done it before, let an expert help you out. When choosing the paint color, ensure it complements the cabinet color and design. It also should be high quality; otherwise, you will keep repainting the surfaces every few years.

Resurface the countertops with a cement finish

Looking to improve the look of the countertops but strapped of cash? How about resurfacing the countertops with a cement finish? Begin with protecting the neighboring areas with painter’s tape. In addition to this, ensuring you don’t sand these areas, it also makes your work easy as you don’t have to clean the cement in the event you accidentally graze them during application.

To make the application easy, sand the surfaces with coarse sandpaper. Don’t make the surfaces smooth as cement sticks better to irregular surfaces. Once the surface is ready, apply the first coat and let the cement dry. You should then use medium sandpaper to remove any noticeably uneven surfaces and apply a second coat.

Wait for the cement to dry again and repeat the process until you have a beautiful, even surface. Complete your work by sealing the cement. To do it, you should pour water-based sealer into the paint tray then use a roller to apply the sealer over the cemented surfaces.

Tile your countertops

This is as simple as it sounds. Buy tiles and arrange them on your existing countertops. Like paint, you should be cautious about the type and design of tiles you go for. In addition to the tiles complementing the look of the kitchen, they also should be made by a reputable company. This way, you are sure they will withstand the chaos in the kitchen.

If you are looking to create a tiled backsplash on the wall behind the countertop, first remove the backsplash, creating a continuous effect that makes your project easy as you will have only one right angle to deal with between the wall and the countertop.

If you have the skills, you can lay the tiles by yourself, but if you have never done it before, let an expert help you out.

Replace the countertops

Another great way to improve your countertops is to replace them with other countertop materials. There are plenty of these materials you can choose from. The most common ones being:

Laminate

Laminate is extremely cheap; therefore, a great option when operating on a tight budget. The cool thing with installing laminate is it doesn’t make it obvious you are using cheap material. This is because it comes with plenty of designs that even resemble high-end materials such as granite and marble.

When choosing the material, go for a textured surface instead of a flat one. This is to have an easy time concealing scratches and other forms of wear and tear.

Wood

Want to give your kitchen a more natural look? Why not install wooden countertops? Wood comes with plenty of benefits that include: gives the house a natural rustic look, it’s easy to repair, and you can confidently prepare food on it without worrying about contamination.

On the flip side, you need to keep applying mineral oil, varnish, and beeswax to maintain the look. Wood is also easily damaged by heat and moisture, so you can’t use it around sinks or over the dishwasher.

Marble

If you have the budget and want to give your kitchen a fancy look, you should install marble countertops Durham. Like the other materials, ensure the marble pieces you choose match the design of the house. They also should have a classic look so you won’t keep replacing them when they grow out of style.

To keep your marble in good shape, seal it regularly. You also should avoid placing heavy items on it to prevent it from chipping.

6 Inexpensive Kitchen Countertops

Everyone wants to install high-end kitchen countertops in their home, but sometimes due to financial constraints, they are unable so they have to think about the next best option. Luckily, there are several inexpensive countertop options you can go with. The most common ones being:

Ceramic tiles

Ceramic tiles are cheap, easy to find, easy to cut, easy to install, and come in different varieties. While they are great, they come with their fair share of flaws: they are difficult to maintain as you have to keep on sealing them, they are hard to clean unless you add a layer of epoxy, and some homeowners feel they are unhygienic.

While this is the case, they are a great alternative if you aren’t in a good financial position.

Laminate

There are two types of laminate countertops: cheap and expensive. The expensive type looks good for a long time, looks better, and handles more heat and height. While some people might frown upon the cheap variety, it isn’t that bad as long as you are cautious about how you use it.

You will find fairly cheap and still in good condition laminate countertops from your local store. The countertops might not be the prettiest or the sturdiest, but they will get the work done.

The most popular option you can go with is Formica. If you don’t like the brand, there are plenty of others such as: Pionite, Bevella, CustomCraft, Wilsonart, Corinthian, Hampton Bay, and many others.

Tiles

Many people know tiles when they are installed to the floor, but they aren’t limited to only here. You can also install tile countertops on the ceiling, swimming pool, balcony, vanities, walls, and of course, on the countertops.

The beauty with tiles is that they are waterproof, elegant to look at, and low maintenance. They are also easy and quick to install, so you can even install them by yourself even with basic skills. While this is the case, it’s always wise to hire a professional as the contractor does the work better.

Granite remnants

If your kitchen isn’t too big, you can give the countertops an elegant appeal using granite remnants. For those that don’t know, granite remnants are bits and pieces that are left over after completing the previous projects.

Visit the local stone store and buy any remnants that might be there. If you know a friend or family member that recently had a granite project, approach them and ask them for the remnants that the contractors left behind.

You can combine the remnants to make a beautiful countertop. While the countertops will have a strange look, they won’t be too bad, especially if an expert does the work. The contractor will fix the pieces together, glue, and seal them, ensuring there is no risk of the liquids seeping into the cracks.

One of the best places to install the remnants is in the kitchen islands. When you install them, you should note that you have to reseal them more often than the traditional countertops, so you should be ready for it. For example, if you reseal the regular countertops once a year, reseal the remnants twice a year.

Wood

Wood is elegant looking, works excellently, lasts for a long time, and its fairly inexpensive. There are plenty of wood varieties you can install in your home. For example, you can install walnut, cherry, mahogany, pinewood, or any other variety that you love.

If you are on a budget, consider balancing a plain wooden countertop with other cool elements. Since you are strapped for cash, you should find the wood variety that is the cheapest in your area and find out whether it will look good for your countertops.

When you find the right wood, install and seal it.

Paint

If you are looking to revamp old wooden countertops, paint makes such an excellent option. You can do the painting by yourself or hire contractors such as granite contractors Raleigh to help you out.

As you are painting the countertops, you should note that they don’t look stylish or expensive, but they sure do look neat. When choosing the paint, go for a high-quality one that blends with your kitchen design.