Betterwood ” Consulting ” Wooden panels ” Material
Worktops in the kitchen should above all be resistant to moisture, but they also have a decisive influence on the appearance of the kitchen. The choice of material is a decision in terms of usefulness on the one hand and an aesthetic statement on the other.
Wood has a warming and natural look. If you opt for a wooden worktop in the kitchen, the emphasis is on homeliness. However, wood often swells in response to moisture.
Teak worktops can score points here: Teak is one of the types of wood with the highest resistance to moisture – which is why it is often the wood of choice for outdoor areas. As a general rule, wooden worktops should be cared for, especially in the kitchen, for example by oiling them regularly.
Wood is less resistant to heat and scratches than other materials. However, wooden kitchen worktops have the advantage over other materials that they can always be easily sanded and re-oiled in the event of stubborn stains or marks.
Worktops made of granite, marble or slate can give the kitchen a sophisticated look. At the same time, you should bear in mind that solid stone worktops often have a very dominant effect, especially in smaller kitchens, and small patterned granite can quickly disrupt the overall look of the kitchen.
Stone, and granite in particular, is highly resistant to heat, moisture and scratches. Slate is the exception here, however: it is not scratch-resistant and sometimes small pieces come loose. It should also be noted that the surface of slate is not uniformly smooth.
Stone should only be protected against liquids, oil and especially acid – from fruit, for example: water, oil and acid stains form quickly and are not easy to remove because natural stone absorbs liquids. The stone slab must therefore be maintained with special impregnation solutions.
The advantages of plastic worktops are obvious: they are easy to clean, they are available in a wide variety of designs and they are inexpensive. However, it should be noted that plastic worktops are very sensitive to heat.
Small dents or cuts cannot be repaired and the board quickly begins to swell as soon as moisture gets into the cracks: Pressed chipboard usually forms the core of the board, which is covered with a thin layer of plastic, and this reacts very quickly to the effects of water.
