Choosing The Best Worktop To Suit Your Bespoke Handmade Kitchen

By Author: Carina Evison
Total Articles: 7
Comment this article

Whether you are planning a traditional country house kitchen or a contemporary loft kitchen, the work surfaces you choose should be both attractive and practical. There are many materials that can be used as worktops, both natural and engineered, so it helps to know which materials will work best in certain areas and consider which ones will compliment the type of kitchen and property it is going into.

For country kitchens, Shaker style kitchens or contemporary kitchens, natural materials of timber and stone are a popular choice. There are a wide range of wooden worktops to consider, the most popular of which are (from pale to dark) Maple, Sycamore, Pitch Pine, Beech, Oak, Iroko, Cherry, Teak and Black Walnut. These can either be left untreated or protected with a Danish or similar oil which gives the wood a shinier finish and acts as a barrier against some staining and marking. Timbers with a naturally high oil content such as Iroko or Teak cope better when in frequent contact with water than other woods and are therefore worth considering for around your sink area.

Stone worktops range from Granite and Limestone ...
... to Marble and Slate and all vary greatly in toughness and appearance. When used as a worktop, stone can be finished in a number of ways, creating either a shiny polished appearance or a matt honed effect and there is also usually some form of stain guarding sealant applied to the surface as well.

Granite is considered one of the most popular stones, especially by those with families and small children. It is hardwearing so it can cope with a multitude of spills and scrapes and it is available in a wide range of colours. Marble, although a beautiful material that lends itself well to contemporary and traditional kitchens alike, can be vulnerable to erosion and staining from acid spills, so care should be taken when preparing fruit or using wine or vinegar on this surface. The use of a chopping board is always advised when preparing food, whatever the surface you choose.

Of all the stones available, Slate and Limestone are considered the softest and are therefore the most susceptible to chipping and scratching. However, being the most porous of stones, they do absorb protective sealants the most effectively and, with recent advancements in sealant technology, they are now considered more practical and durable. Whatever natural material you choose, be mindful that part of their nature is to age over time and develop a “lived in” aesthetic; this is part of their charm.

As an alternative to natural materials, composite stones have advanced considerably in recent years and now offer a greater range of colour and pattern choices than ever before; they can often be more expensive than timber or natural stone however due to their level of durability. Composite stone is a mixture of between 89% and 99% natural Quartz stone chips mixed with a resin, which gives it an exceptionally high resistance to scratching and staining. Composite tops can be particularly useful when a paler stone worktop is desired as the choice of lighter, more resilient natural stone is limited.

For contemporary kitchens, reclaimed or industrial materials can make wonderful worktops: Copper and Zinc provide colourful alternatives to stainless steel, and brushed concrete or Durcon (which is a cast epoxy resin favoured by some architects for its durability) offer other options to using a composite stone.

The thickness of your worktop will also have an effect on the overall look. Worktops are generally supplied between 20mm to 60mm however a depth of at least 30mm is advised to avoid the tops appearing fragile. If your bespoke handmade kitchen is a good size, it can be both creative and practical to use a combination of materials in the design and, even if space limits you to using one material throughout, you can always add further interest and texture by including a Carrara Marble or Black Walnut end grain chopping board.

If you are unsure about making a final decision, it is worthwhile testing out a series of worktop samples at home: mark them with wine and coffee, place hot objects on them, see how they react to water and acids ¬¬— then you can establish how well they will withstand your way of living.

About The Author:

Carina Evison is the author of this article. Carina works for Plain English, a traditional joinery company that specialises in the design of luxury bespoke kitchens, ranging from country house kitchens and painted shaker kitchens to contemporary kitchens. Using the time-honoured Georgian techniques of furniture making, their designs are simple and long-lasting, with cupboards handmade and hand-painted in Suffolk from the finest quality materials.