American Black Walnut...Kitchen Worktops

[tenpin]

Hi Everyone

i am after some advice please as i get closer to finishing the kitchen project. All along SWMBO has been set on granite worktops but all of a sudden has told me she would like me to look into Walnut worktop...specifically ABW.
I picked up a scrap piece recently and made a panel of English/Maple/ABW a bit like the Italian flag to see what looks best and ABW sure looks the part..

Questions
Is it stable enough for worktops

I would like it 40mm thick...is it best in 40mm thickness or pieces fixed together to get to 40mm

Is it best to go for say 200mm wide pieces with 3 biscuited together for 600 mm worktop

Many thanks for your continued help
Nick

 

[Mcluma]

I would stick with granite,

we did it after i had a normal worktop, a tiled worktop, and a solid oak worktop.

Best investment ever, it is the most durable worktop we ever had, and no maintenance

 

[wizer]

I agree, stick with Granite if you can.

If not, have you considered buying the worktop pre-made? Plenty of suppliers of this out there, might make life easier and cheaper?

 

[Harbo]

We've just had our worktops replaced with granite - expensive but they look and feel great.
I do not think the firm made a profit on this job as even though they came and made a full sized template, they cut a 3m length (all cut out for sink etc.) incorrectly by 40mm and had to replace it!
Did think of saying they could leave the faulty one behind for me to use as a surface plate - but do not think they would have responded kindly?

Rod

 

[tnimble]

I would certenly advice on sticking with the orihgional plan of using granite.

If you would go for a ABW prob best to buy a pre made worktop or make it yourself composed of smaller stock to get to the sizes stated in your post.

As for Rod, they most probably would not have made a to big a loss over it and would certainly not have left it behind. They reuse it for smaller pieces or grind it up for granito (altough I think in the UK they don't differentiate between and call everything terazzo) and terrazzo work. I'm not familiar with the UK kitchen world but over in the Netherlands a lot of kitchen tops are sold as granite but are granito. Only when polymer resin is used instead of cement as a binder its suddenly called a composite worktop. Which is a bit silly because cement bound is also a composite material as is chipboard, MDF etc.

 

[Karl]

I too would go for granite.

Solid wood worktops look great when first installed, but they need regular maintenance. We considered solid wood, but went for granite and are well pleased with the results. It was actually cheaper than I expected - comparable with solid wood worktops.

Cheers

Karl

 

[jasonB]

You could compromise and have stone around the sink & hob/oven with other areas in wood.

If you make them yourself then I would go for about 100mm wide strips, you should get two from a 9x2 board.

Jason

 

[ike]

Hi Nick,

I've recently fitted my own walnut worktops. I'd read all the horror stories on the Screwfix forum et al on the pitfalls of wood worktops . Walnut is one of the more stable hardwoods compared say to beech which is turnip stuff for movement in comparison. Also there is walnut and there is walnut. Some of the worktop out there is pretty poor grade stuff and some of it is quality. If you buy cheap, cheap, you'll get what you pay for and live with the consequences IMO. I'm dead chuffed with mine. It was B@Q's - actually very good quality (1/2 price :wink: )- not the tiger walnut - that's not so good. It's had no problems at all. I took the time to follow best advice with 4-5 coats of oil before fitting and will do the same with the aftercare. It really does give the kitchen a rich, quality feel and looks gorgeous! Whatever you pay, top quality wood worktop is still far cheaper than granite or even reconstituted stone/resin.

ike

 

[Karl]

Whatever you pay, top quality wood worktop is still far cheaper than granite or even reconstituted stone/resin.

ike

Not so - I got granite fitted for £1300, and ours isn't a small kitchen.

Cheers

Karl

 

[tenpin]

Hi guys

thanks for all the advice...me and SWMBO talked on this last night, she actually started the conversation "Iv'e been thinking" Oh, dear i thought..."Do you really think Walnut worktop is a good idea ?"
i mentioned i posted on the forum and that subsequent advice was looking at stick with granite...
i must admit i'm still longing for wood but this could be that i would have to source and buy and then maybe some new tools to add to the collection 8) so this could be considered selfish.

Well back to granite me thinks.
What about the granite suppliers off ebay...the turn up at your door on the morning with stock on board and cut too fit with machinery they have in the van :shock: you don't pay if not satisfied...

Nick

 

[petermurray]

I had some granite worktops fitted in an extension that we had built, I used a company off the net called Mister Marble (http://www.mistermarble.co.uk/). They were very good, the granite was high quality and although they do the final cutting with angle grinders in your garden, which looks a bit scary, the fitting was fine. I chose them because they were cheap, about a £1000 for 9m and you don't pay anything until after they have fitted the granite and you are happy with the job. Based on my experience I would be happy to recommend them
Peter.