IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR WORKTOPS

At WoodWorktops, we offer our customers to have their worktops oiled prior to delivery. The service includes 2 coats of Danish Oil by Rustins. These are applied to all edges and sides of the worktops. This is a chargeable service and the cost of the oiled worktop is displayed when the option is selected and before the item is added to the shopping cart. Oiling service is a custom option and as such is not covered by our standard returns policy. When customers opt for oil to be applied to their worktops, there is process which involves removal of the original packaging, sanding, oiling and repackaging the worktops with a brand new suitable polythene wrapping. 

All oiled worktops must receive additional 1-3 coats of oil on the TOP FACE in order to build up the finish after delivery. The initial 2 coats on the underside are enough for protection and will not require a top up. 

All oiled worktops, if being additionally worked on and are cut, trimmed to size or cut for appliances, must have the exposed wood oiled sufficiently prior to installation. 

The additional recommended top up coating can be applied prior to or post installation. If post installation the top surface continues to absorb oil and appears to be slightly dull, then a thin layer can be applied to the already installed worktops. This process can be repeated in the space of a few days until a sufficient finish is achieved. Danish oil allows the customer to build up the finish to a very high gloss appearance or to leave it at a more subtle low sheen stage. As long as the surface does not absorb liquid and allows for it to be safely wiped away , then the worktop is well protected. 

Further thin coats can be applied for maintenance purposes as often as required. This usually depends on how frequently the worktops are wiped and cleaned. For busier areas of the kitchen or around sinks and hobs a more frequent maintenance schedule may be needed. 

Rustins products are available to purchase on our website, so we encourage customers to buy additional oil and accessories if needed together with their main order.  

Wood is a natural product and has all manner of colour variations, and whilst we go to great lengths to colour match as much as possible, we cannot guarantee any replication of colour from piece to piece. We also go to great lengths to remove natural flaws in the surface of our worktops. However, wood is a natural product, and removal of every single flaw would render the timber characterless and is an unreasonably wasteful practice. Accordingly, our customers accept there may be some flaws, such as small knots, small shakes (slight cracks which are a natural element of the timber), and other minor flaws which the company considers will not impair the performance of the worktop. There is an allowance for some filled sound knots on the top face. In order to make the best use of the timber, there may be larger flaws on the underside of the worktop, including small manufacturing defects. These do not constitute a faulty product. While the company always ensures the timber has been correctly dried, movement in solid timber cannot be prevented. It’s the natural behaviour of the material. Sufficient precautions must be taken during storage (if storage is absolutely necessary) but we recommend that all worktops are immediately oiled and robustly fixed to avoid bowing and / or warping.  After fitting,(very occasionally) small cracks may appear a few millimetres in width. This is entirely normal and is regarded as part of the natural beauty of the timber. These cracks can be easily filled with a special coloured wax filler, which can be purchased here. These cracks and movements do not constitute any fault with the timber or worktop construction; for the sake of clarity, timber is a natural product and will move / change over time and the Customer expressly understands and accepts this.

Important!

Types of construction, stave widths, lengths and thickness may vary from the sample or from piece to piece. There may be occasions where the worktops are heavily sanded in order to present the best aspect of the timber. This means in some circumstances worktops may be less than the advertised thickness (not more than 1%). If this is the case, we will sand all worktops for that Customer to the same thickness to provide a consistent product.

 All works undertaken by our company have a + / – 2 millimetre margin for error per cut. All timber reacts differently when cut. When undertaking work on a Customer’s worktop, the Customer accepts that unforeseen variations in the timber may result in minor breakouts or machine marks. In order to minimise any possible effects of this, where necessary, filler may be used in order to repair such damage. The Customer accepts that these variations in density and hardness of timber are a natural part of the product, and not the fault of the company. Naturally, the company warrants that it takes all reasonable steps to avoid damage of this, or any other nature. In certain circumstances, flaws and faults within the timber may be exposed during the manufacturing or fabrication process. Our Customers accept this is a natural feature of the timber, and not the fault of the company. 

Worktop deliveries are arranged and handled by our inhouse delivery teams. Delivery times can vary depending on location and the type of order but as a rough estimate a standard lead time would be between 3 and 6 working days.

There are variable lead times for some areas – please go to our Delivery page for more information on postcode specific deliveries.

Please allow additional 3-5 days for any orders requiring cutting services and pre-oiling. If you require a more precise estimate for bespoke orders or orders involving any kind of work , please forward your queries to us first making sure that your delivery location or postcode is included in the details.

All customers will be notified at least 24h in advance of their upcoming deliveries by email and / or a text message. Your delivery email notification contains important information about the delivery arrangements and specifically addresses delivery of extra large items with weight over 90kg.

Worktops are delivered by a 2 men crew.

There is a separate section within our Ts&Cs which deals with instances where a 2 men delivery is not available. On the rare occasions when a 2 person crew is not available and depending on the size of the items, we will ask for someone able bodied to be present in order to assist the driver. It is important that you familiarise yourself with this specific section by clicking on our dedicated Delivery page. Customers will be notified by email, prior to their delivery if a 2 men team is not available. Arrangements will be confirmed prior to dispatching of the goods to ensure that customers are prepared to accept the goods.

Smaller items like samples and accessories are delivered by a third party courier service. In some instances, some smaller size worktop will be delivered by a third party courier service.

All worktops must be oiled and installed immediately after delivery due to the high risk of bowing / warping. We would recommend that additional support is added on the underside of wider worktops (920mm and 1240mm) in order to prevent movement post installation. This could be in the form of metal C channels or T bars of at least 5-6mm thickness, wooden battens or large brackets. All wooden worktops must be robustly attached to the base units using slotted expansion brackets. We strongly recommend that any additional work and installation is carried out by professional tradesmen with the necessary joinery and carpentry skills.

Unsupported overhang on breakfast bars shouldn’t exceed 150mm on the width or 200mm on the length. As a precaution, any amount of overhang should have additional bracing on the underside or robust fixings preventing movement like bowing and warping.

Please see below some example images.

Bowing and warping of wooden worktops is not a defect of the product but a common consequence of change of environment, heat and humidity.

Solid kiln dried hard woods are especially prone to movement as in order for the timber to be appropriately processed for indoor use, it is dried to 8-10% moisture. The most vulnerable are worktops which are thinner (for example 27mm) and larger i.e. wider breakfast bar sizes or single long runs of worktop which are appliance heavy and have insufficient amount of base units underneath.

We recommend that all worktops are oiled and installed immediately after delivery. However, if storage is absolutely necessary the worktops must be laid flat and fully supported in their original packaging. Multiple items should be separated by battens or bearers to allow for air circulation. We strongly advise against prolonged storage as even if customers take precautions, it is not unlikely for wooden worktops to bow or warp.

Worktops must be stored indoors (not in garages or outbuildings), away from extreme heat (radiators etc) and far away from any recently plastered OR painted areas. Do not store worktops vertically or on edges.

It is important that customers understand that any length of storage can cause or increase the chances of movement in their wooden worktops. Unoiled goods have less protection against humidity in their new environment, so might show signs of movement faster.
Most cases of movement can be resolved during the installation process by clamping and robust fixing methods. If worktops have become bowed or warped, customers can always get in touch and we will happily share our expertise and offer help and advice on individual basis.

All customers receive information on Delivery , storage and aftercare along with their order and delivery confirmations.

Although wood is a temperamental material and bowing and warping can be a concern, the vast majority of customers will never experience such issues.
We do however feel that customers benefit greatly from familiarising themselves with this products and any potential challenges , so that they are better equipped to handle and care for their new worktops.

At WoodWorktops we offer a complete in house cutting service. Customers can have their worktops pre cut fully or partially by choosing from our cutting services menu. In order for us to be able to cut and customise your worktops, we require that the customers’ own cutting instructions or plans are emailed together with their order or separately before the order is placed. If placing an order online customers can add services to their shopping cart and check out as normal. During the checkout process customer will be able to upload sketches and diagrams by clicking the “upload cutting instructions” button on the checkout page. Where the instructions are fairly simple, customer can write the cut sizes in the dedicated field called “Order notes”.

Customers are also welcome to contact us with their worktop plans for a quote prior to placing an order.

We use latest generation woodworking machinery to produce the cleanest and most precise cuts and finish. The majority of our cutting services are done on a CNC machine for speed and precision. When necessary we will send our customers approval diagrams prior to commencing more complex jobs or to avoid any ambiguity when reading the customers’ drawings.

Whilst our company offers cutting and customising, we do not offer installation services. We strongly recommend that installation is carried out by a an experienced and competent professional.

There are specific recommendations and considerations to be taken into account when cutting (on site) and installing wooden worktops.

DO NOT UNPACK WORKTOPS UNLESS:

• The room humidity is stable.
• All carcases and cabinets are built and fully fitted/complete.
• All building dust and debris has been cleaned and cleared off site.
• All wet trades are finished and a sufficient period of time allowed for natural drying.
• Fresh plasterwork has been allowed to dry for a minimum of 6 weeks or until the plaster is dry throughout.

When positioning the worktop, you must allow a 3-5mm gap between all worktop edges and any adjacent walls or units (particularly between the back of the worktop and the wall). Wood is a natural material that can be affected by heat and humidity – wood expands when it is warm or the humidity level is high and contracts during colder periods or when the humidity level drops. By leaving a 3-5mm gap between all worktop edges and any adjacent walls or units, the wooden worktop has room to expand and contract with the humidity of the kitchen without causing damage.

When a worktop is to be fitted near a freestanding oven (i.e. an oven that is not housed in a cabinet, such as a range cooker) allow a minimum gap of 30mm all the way around the worktop and fit a solid wood end cap along the worktop edge to protect the end grain and help prevent splitting.

Special care should also be taken when fitting a worktop over appliances or exposed brickwork. Appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines and microwaves can produce extremes of heat and humidity – if an appliance is to be installed under the worktop, make sure a Moisture Barrier is used to protect the underside – do the same for installations when you are fixing directly onto exposed brickwork.

NOTE

Unsupported overhang shouldn’t exceed 150mm on the width or 200mm on the length. As a precaution, any amount of overhang should have additional bracing on the underside or robust fixings preventing movement like bowing and warping. Please refer to section 4) SPECIAL PREACTUIONS FOR EXTRA WIDE WORKTOPS for more details

When fixing worktops to cabinets, you must only use slotted angle (expansion) brackets and a round head screw to fix the bracket. It is important that you use the slot that runs perpendicular to the worktop width (across and not parallel with the grain).

Some cabinets are supplied with brackets that are not slotted – we suggest these should not be used.

If your cabinets have a solid top or you can only secure through the cross rail, you will not be able to fit slotted brackets – in these circumstances you must drill an oversized hole (8-10mm) through the top of the cabinet carcass and secure the wooden worktop using a larger washer and screw. This will allow the work surface to slide over the washer in case of any possible expansion or shrinkage.

Do not screw through the carcass directly into the worktop – always drill an oversized hole in the cabinet carcass. We suggest you do not use fixing blocks or any worktop fixing methods other than those recommended in this guide.

We suggest that worktops are fitted with an upstand to cover the 4-5mm expansion gap. The upstand must be fixed to the wall and not the worktop. The upstand will hide any possible shrinkage that may occur. An upstand is not required where tiling or silicone will cover the expansion gap.

Masonry features

Do not fix wooden worktops directly into masonry – fit them over timber spacers 6-10mm thick with a Damp Proof Membrane (DPM). This prevents the transmission of moisture and provides airspace under the top.

Cupped or bowed surfaces

A different installation (or in some cases re-installation) procedure is necessary should your work surface become cupped or bowed. This is unlikely but can occur as a result of incorrect/prolonged storage or moisture differences on site. If this is the case, the following installation instructions apply:

1. 1. Fix the length of the rear of the worktop to the supporting base units.
2. 2. Slowly and carefully pull the worktop downwards using clamps and battens.
3. 3. Screw down the front edge of the worktop.

NOTE

It can take up to 2 weeks for boxed or cupped worktops to completely return to their flat shape.

Where possible, use the templates supplied with the sink/hob or appliance as a guide for cutting your worktop. Before making any cuts in your worktop, ensure the appliance is marked correctly – when cutting a wooden worktop with a router cutter, this should be done in 10mm increments.

If drainer grooves are required, it is essential that they are machined by an experienced installer or fitter – it is important that the grooves are correctly angled towards the sink to allow any water to drain rather than sit in the grooves. If water does sit in the grooves, it can cause the worktop to split.

When you have fitted a sink to the worktop, seal the area with an appropriate mould-resistant silicone – pay special attention to the underside.

NOTE

For accuracy, quality and safety, all cut-outs should be bench-cut using a jig and suitable router, never a jig saw.

Having made all the cut-outs required, make sure that all cut edges are treated with oil as previously instructed – cut edges require more coats than faces.

When joining worktops together, you should use three worktop bolts on each join and seal the end grain at both sides with an appropriate sealer before making the joint.

Seal the join itself with sealer when the worktop parts are finally tightened.

Sealing corner joints

Make sure any end grain has been sealed before assembling the joins. Apply a light bead of clear low modulus silicone sealer along one side of the joint, just below the top surfaces and edges. Align the two sides with biscuits before clamping firmly with worktop bolts. Wipe off any surplus sealant.

Move the tops into place. Use thin pieces of board as temporary packing to position them with 4-5mm expansion gaps between the edges and ends of the tops and the walls.

Congratulations on your excellent choice of worktops for your kitchen! Natural solid wood is beautiful, timeless and very durable. It will however benefit from a good maintenance schedule and a suitable and sufficient initial treatment. Take good care of your wooden worktops and they can last you a lifetime.

If you purchased untreated / unoiled worktops form us, this gives you the opportunity to select your finish. There are many brands and products on the market which are suitable for wooden worktops. The main thing to look out for Is that the product is food safe and allows for an easy maintenance schedule. Please follow the manufacturer’s instructions for application but always ensure that the surface is water repellent by sprinkling some drops of water on it. If they form beads and you are able to safely wipe them away with your hand without leaving a mark, then your worktop is sufficiently treated. All sides and edges must receive the necessary amount of coats including cut edges and especially the end grain of the worktop.

We recommend Original Danish Oil by Rustins as our preferred treatment for your wooden worktops. It’s user friendly, widely available to purchase in the UK, inexpensive and an excellent product for solid hardwood worktops. Danish oil soaks into the timber rather than dry on the top surface and provides a deeper conditioning and protection of the wood. Customers can build up the finish by applying more coats and have different levels of sheen.

The process is easy and involves 2 liberal coats on all sides to begin with. We recommend that these initial coats are applied without any prior fine sanding. Over sanding can seal the grain and prevent the oil to soak into the timber. The worktops are factory sanded to 120-150 grit which is ideal for oil applications. Fine sanding is only necessary after the second (sometimes third) coat and only on the top face before the final finishing coats are applied.

Danish oil is liquid and after it’s applied to the worktop surface it tends to lift the grain slightly. After the initial coats are completely dry, it is recommended to go over the top surface with very fine sand paper (400 grit or finer) , fine steel wool 000 grade, or a scouring pad, such as Scotchbrite. The final thin coats can then be safely applied.

Initial application can be done with a brush or a sponge (gloss) roller to allow for faster and more even application. Use a cloth or thick paper towels to wipe away any excess oil to prevent droplets and bubbles from forming. Final coats can be wiped on with a cloth.

DOs and DON’Ts

• Always mop up spills of water and other liquids straight away. Do not allow liquids to stand for any period of time. The finishing oil is water-resistant not waterproof. Particular attention should be made to the sink area, get into the habit of wiping down the work surface after use at the sink and leave the worktop in a “dry” state. Do not stand wet crockery etc on the worktop and leave for any length of time. Some metals can react with water and the tannins in wood and leave black marks.
• Always stand hot, dirty or rough pans on a trivet or pan stand or hot rods. Lengthy prolonged contact with metals such as iron and steel can cause black staining of the timber, this is caused by the natural chemicals in the wood reacting with the metal, so avoid leaving iron trivets standing on the worktop.
• Always use cutting boards to chop food. Do not cut directly on the worktop.
• Maintain the oiled finish at regular intervals, you can’t overdo this
• The area around your sink and cooker may require more frequent maintenance than the rest of your worktops. Pay special attention to exposed edges around sinks
• Danish oil allows for “local” repairs and applications which means that you can treat a specific part of your worktop and the oil will blend in with the rest of the surface. This is especially important if your worktop has an undermount type sink and draining grooves routed into it. You can rub more oil on those areas without worrying about the rest of the worktop.
• DO NOT use any abrasive compounds like baking soda, vinegar (or other acids), bleach, strong anti bacterial sprays, strong stain removers to repair discoloration, oil, wine or coffee marks or other liquid stains on your wooden worktops.
• DO refer to our repair guide below for addressing worktop issues
• Only use non abrasive and non chemical products to clean your wooden worktops. All that is required to clean a hardwood worktop is a wipe down with a cloth dipped in warm soapy water and well wrung out. There are new cleaning products on the market which are safe, eco friendly and wood friendly but please read the instructions carefully prior to use.

REPAIR

In general, a well maintained and looked after worktop will look good for many, many years, however, if the worktop starts to show signs of wear and tear and become a little grubby it can very easily be brought back to looking like brand new. Depending on the severity of the wear, the treatment will vary. For regularly maintained surfaces that are just a little “dry” looking, a good clean with soapy warm water first, then, when the wood is completely dry, several thin applications of worktop oil. Do not be tempted to apply a really thick coat as it is nowhere near as effective as several thin ones.

Damaged Surface

If your worktop is damaged, dirty or very badly in need of renovation, it can be sanded down with some fine sandpaper. For larger, more extensive damage/dents etc, coarser paper can be used but then graded down to fine for the final sanding. Any severe damage or dents can be filled with a suitable coloured wood filler and then sanded. Several coats of oil are then applied again as if the worktop was new. Small localised areas of damage such as a ring mark for example can be removed by a very light sanding in that area alone and then re-application of the oil. If the worktop changes colour during this activity and shows a light patch then all that has happened is that you have sanded to bare wood. This area will very quickly go the same colour as the rest of the worktop on exposure to natural light and is nothing to worry about.

Cracks and Splits

If your worktop has small grain cracks or other minor splits, but is in otherwise good condition you can use wax filler sticks in the appropriate colour pallet directly onto finished surfaces. This method doesn’t always require sanding or refinishing but if you feel that it’s necessary please follow the steps below.

Some contraction and expansion of the timber should be expected; it is a natural worktop and may react to the moisture levels in the surrounding air. With the correct installation and wood kitchen worktops maintenance, you should not experience a problem; however in the unlikely event that a split in the worktop occurs, we would recommend the following action:

SMALL SPLIT: Wood filler or wax repair

A suitable moisture-resistant wood filler can be used to fill small splits in your worktop. It’s available in virtually every shade and is easy to use as follows:

• Apply the filler to the damaged split, trying to leave as little as possible on the work surface
• Sand over the area to ensure it is smooth and then re-oil as necessary

Wood wax is extremely similar – all that you need to do is melt wax into the split in the worktop, before sanding and oiling once more.

LARGE SPLIT: Glue and clamp

If the split in your worktop is too large for wood filler or worktop wax to be used, it may be necessary to glue and clamp the timber.

• Clean the timber, paying particular attention to the interior of the stave that has split.
• Spread high strength glue on the inside of the split.
• Hold together using clamps and leave to dry. If left for sufficient time, the split in the worktop should be fixed.