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.