|
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
I'm considering some new worktops - ye olde plastic laminate type or
wood. Wondering about the fuss over "oiling" the wood ones or not. It's probably going to be cherry if that matters. (Or something similar light red but not beech) Worktops will be mainly used for baking - bread making, cakes, etc. Unlikely to ever have hot tomato/curry sauces split for example. One will have a sink in it. So what's the deal on leaving them unoiled and just making sure they're scrubbed clean and dried after use? Or am I better off sticking to plastic. (stone isn't an option) Any feedback appreciated. Cheers, Gordon |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 04/03/2015 17:20, Gordon Henderson wrote:
I'm considering some new worktops - ye olde plastic laminate type or wood. Wondering about the fuss over "oiling" the wood ones or not. It's probably going to be cherry if that matters. (Or something similar light red but not beech) Worktops will be mainly used for baking - bread making, cakes, etc. Unlikely to ever have hot tomato/curry sauces split for example. One will have a sink in it. So what's the deal on leaving them unoiled and just making sure they're scrubbed clean and dried after use? Obvious one is that tannins in tea or split wine will react with traces of iron in the wood unless you either oil or beeswax it to make it close to waterproof. It is quite hard to match the finish exactly when spills of hot liquids or alcohol take the shine off the surface. I would oil or beeswax a kitchen top or table for this reason. YMMV Or am I better off sticking to plastic. (stone isn't an option) Any feedback appreciated. -- Regards, Martin Brown |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 04/03/15 17:20, Gordon Henderson wrote:
So what's the deal on leaving them unoiled and just making sure they're scrubbed clean and dried after use? The deal is that underslung sinks leave an undriable lip that rots, and wives brought up on Formica and stainless steel haven't a forking clew and destroy the wood. -- Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. €“ Erwin Knoll |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
In article , Gordon Henderson
writes I'm considering some new worktops - ye olde plastic laminate type or wood. Wondering about the fuss over "oiling" the wood ones or not. It's probably going to be cherry if that matters. (Or something similar light red but not beech) Worktops will be mainly used for baking - bread making, cakes, etc. Unlikely to ever have hot tomato/curry sauces split for example. One will have a sink in it. So what's the deal on leaving them unoiled and just making sure they're scrubbed clean and dried after use? Or am I better off sticking to plastic. (stone isn't an option) I'm in a similar spot and am drifting away from wooden ones. I don't see those made of little blocks glued together as very impressive so if I went wood I'd probably want ones made of serious planks (100mm wide, 40mm deep and full length) with a complimentary machined edges to hold everything together in the long term. Those specs make wood a very expensive option and I just don't like it enough spend a lot of money on them. I'd like a near black deeply embedded stain too but I don't think that is possible. I think postformed (rounded) edge plastic worktops are a bit yesterday but I have seen some nice looking ones with squared off edges and particularly like ones with a contrasting edge strip. I'd always take one with a slight texture on top as I think they look better and you're not constantly wiping off fingermarks. One of these would be my choice. Stone worktops have never done anything for me. -- fred it's a ba-na-na . . . . |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 04/03/2015 17:20, Gordon Henderson wrote:
I'm considering some new worktops - ye olde plastic laminate type or wood. Wondering about the fuss over "oiling" the wood ones or not. It's probably going to be cherry if that matters. (Or something similar light red but not beech) Worktops will be mainly used for baking - bread making, cakes, etc. Unlikely to ever have hot tomato/curry sauces split for example. One will have a sink in it. So what's the deal on leaving them unoiled and just making sure they're scrubbed clean and dried after use? Or am I better off sticking to plastic. (stone isn't an option) Any feedback appreciated. Cheers, Gordon I had oak worktops in my last kitchen and this one will probably be iroko (when I get to doing it). I oiled them from the start, so don't know what they would be like without, but oiling really isn't that big a deal: Clear them off, wipe the oil over and go (to work, to bed, the pub, on holiday, whatever). It doesn't take long to dry unless you put it on too thick, when it will go gummy, but that's easily sorted. The oak never really looked oiled, but water would bead on the surface, which I took to be a good thing as it meant it couldn't soak in and stain. As water doesn't soak in to any significant extent, there's no real problem with around a sink - laminate ones are much worse in this respect and can swell up and flake the surface off if water gets into the chipboard base. Cherry looks nice but as it's quite pale it could get tatty pretty quickly if things start to soak in and stain it. The other thing I would advise is to plan on routing a radius or a chamfer on the edge. Wood worktops are nearly always square and the slightest knock will make a small chip, which you'll notice forever. Somehow, a radius doesn't suffer that problem IME but, if you put a small one on to start, it can always be refinished if it does take a big clonk. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 04/03/15 19:19, GMM wrote:
I had oak worktops in my last kitchen and this one will probably be iroko (when I get to doing it). I oiled them from the start, so don't know what they would be like without, but oiling really isn't that big a deal: Clear them off, wipe the oil over and go (to work, to bed, the pub, on holiday, whatever). It doesn't take long to dry unless you put it on too thick, when it will go gummy, but that's easily sorted. The oak never really looked oiled, but water would bead on the surface, which I took to be a good thing as it meant it couldn't soak in and stain. As water doesn't soak in to any significant extent, there's no real problem with around a sink - laminate ones are much worse in this respect and can swell up and flake the surface off if water gets into the chipboard base. Cherry looks nice but as it's quite pale it could get tatty pretty quickly if things start to soak in and stain it. The other thing I would advise is to plan on routing a radius or a chamfer on the edge. Wood worktops are nearly always square and the slightest knock will make a small chip, which you'll notice forever. Somehow, a radius doesn't suffer that problem IME but, if you put a small one on to start, it can always be refinished if it does take a big clonk. For what it's worth, mine are done with Liberon oil. The actual worktops are pitch pine which I am assured is pretty bombproof with respect to water. That remains to be seen... BTW - be careful machining the iroko - the dust is supposed to be not too good for you. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
"GMM" wrote in message ... On 04/03/2015 17:20, Gordon Henderson wrote: I'm considering some new worktops - ye olde plastic laminate type or wood. Wondering about the fuss over "oiling" the wood ones or not. It's probably going to be cherry if that matters. (Or something similar light red but not beech) Worktops will be mainly used for baking - bread making, cakes, etc. Unlikely to ever have hot tomato/curry sauces split for example. One will have a sink in it. So what's the deal on leaving them unoiled and just making sure they're scrubbed clean and dried after use? Or am I better off sticking to plastic. (stone isn't an option) Any feedback appreciated. Cheers, Gordon I had oak worktops in my last kitchen and this one will probably be iroko (when I get to doing it). I oiled them from the start, so don't know what they would be like without, but oiling really isn't that big a deal: Clear them off, wipe the oil over and go (to work, to bed, the pub, on holiday, whatever). It doesn't take long to dry unless you put it on too thick, when it will go gummy, but that's easily sorted. The oak never really looked oiled, but water would bead on the surface, which I took to be a good thing as it meant it couldn't soak in and stain. As water doesn't soak in to any significant extent, there's no real problem with around a sink - laminate ones are much worse in this respect and can swell up and flake the surface off if water gets into the chipboard base. Cherry looks nice but as it's quite pale it could get tatty pretty quickly if things start to soak in and stain it. The other thing I would advise is to plan on routing a radius or a chamfer on the edge. Wood worktops are nearly always square and the slightest knock will make a small chip, which you'll notice forever. Somehow, a radius doesn't suffer that problem IME but, if you put a small one on to start, it can always be refinished if it does take a big clonk. I think this excellent advice. Nick. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
"Gordon Henderson" wrote in message ... I'm considering some new worktops - ye olde plastic laminate type or wood. Wondering about the fuss over "oiling" the wood ones or not. It's probably going to be cherry if that matters. (Or something similar light red but not beech) Worktops will be mainly used for baking - bread making, cakes, etc. Unlikely to ever have hot tomato/curry sauces split for example. One will have a sink in it. So what's the deal on leaving them unoiled and just making sure they're scrubbed clean and dried after use? Or am I better off sticking to plastic. (stone isn't an option) Any feedback appreciated. Cheers, Gordon Purely out of interest, why is stone not an option? Nick. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 04/03/2015 19:50, Tim Watts wrote:
On 04/03/15 19:19, GMM wrote: I had oak worktops in my last kitchen and this one will probably be iroko (when I get to doing it). I oiled them from the start, so don't know what they would be like without, but oiling really isn't that big a deal: Clear them off, wipe the oil over and go (to work, to bed, the pub, on holiday, whatever). It doesn't take long to dry unless you put it on too thick, when it will go gummy, but that's easily sorted. The oak never really looked oiled, but water would bead on the surface, which I took to be a good thing as it meant it couldn't soak in and stain. As water doesn't soak in to any significant extent, there's no real problem with around a sink - laminate ones are much worse in this respect and can swell up and flake the surface off if water gets into the chipboard base. Cherry looks nice but as it's quite pale it could get tatty pretty quickly if things start to soak in and stain it. The other thing I would advise is to plan on routing a radius or a chamfer on the edge. Wood worktops are nearly always square and the slightest knock will make a small chip, which you'll notice forever. Somehow, a radius doesn't suffer that problem IME but, if you put a small one on to start, it can always be refinished if it does take a big clonk. For what it's worth, mine are done with Liberon oil. The actual worktops are pitch pine which I am assured is pretty bombproof with respect to water. That remains to be seen... BTW - be careful machining the iroko - the dust is supposed to be not too good for you. Wooden tops are good looking but hopelessly unhygienic |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 04/03/15 20:28, stuart noble wrote:
On 04/03/2015 19:50, Tim Watts wrote: On 04/03/15 19:19, GMM wrote: I had oak worktops in my last kitchen and this one will probably be iroko (when I get to doing it). I oiled them from the start, so don't know what they would be like without, but oiling really isn't that big a deal: Clear them off, wipe the oil over and go (to work, to bed, the pub, on holiday, whatever). It doesn't take long to dry unless you put it on too thick, when it will go gummy, but that's easily sorted. The oak never really looked oiled, but water would bead on the surface, which I took to be a good thing as it meant it couldn't soak in and stain. As water doesn't soak in to any significant extent, there's no real problem with around a sink - laminate ones are much worse in this respect and can swell up and flake the surface off if water gets into the chipboard base. Cherry looks nice but as it's quite pale it could get tatty pretty quickly if things start to soak in and stain it. The other thing I would advise is to plan on routing a radius or a chamfer on the edge. Wood worktops are nearly always square and the slightest knock will make a small chip, which you'll notice forever. Somehow, a radius doesn't suffer that problem IME but, if you put a small one on to start, it can always be refinished if it does take a big clonk. For what it's worth, mine are done with Liberon oil. The actual worktops are pitch pine which I am assured is pretty bombproof with respect to water. That remains to be seen... BTW - be careful machining the iroko - the dust is supposed to be not too good for you. Wooden tops are good looking but hopelessly unhygienic Er no. Ive seen NHS nurses preparing skin grafts on wooden blocks. Wood is actually quite antiseptic. -- Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. €“ Erwin Knoll |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 04/03/15 20:28, stuart noble wrote:
On 04/03/2015 19:50, Tim Watts wrote: Wooden tops are good looking but hopelessly unhygienic I disagree. Finished properly they are as good as most other materials. And they are more maintainable (ie you can sand a burn mark out and recoat). They're also kinder to crockery. But poor quality wood (like that birch strip crap all the sheds sell) is a nightmare. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
Gordon Henderson wrote:
I'm considering some new worktops - ye olde plastic laminate type or wood. Wondering about the fuss over "oiling" the wood ones or not. It's probably going to be cherry if that matters. (Or something similar light red but not beech) Worktops will be mainly used for baking - bread making, cakes, etc. Unlikely to ever have hot tomato/curry sauces split for example. One will have a sink in it. So what's the deal on leaving them unoiled and just making sure they're scrubbed clean and dried after use? Or am I better off sticking to plastic. (stone isn't an option) Any feedback appreciated. Cheers, Gordon Consider tiles on 1" WBP plywood. Totally heatproof, easy to clean, use wood edging, varnished. Refinish wood after 20 years. Can be cracked if you drop cast iron dishes on them, but easy to repair if you have spare tiles. Cracked 1 tile in 40yrs. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 04/03/15 20:43, Capitol wrote:
Consider tiles on 1" WBP plywood. Totally heatproof, easy to clean, use wood edging, varnished. Refinish wood after 20 years. Can be cracked if you drop cast iron dishes on them, but easy to repair if you have spare tiles. Cracked 1 tile in 40yrs. I agree tiles do make an interesting and practical surface. Did you do anything special with the grout? Only IME it's the grout that gets filthy and resistant to cleaning... |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 04/03/2015 20:37, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 04/03/15 20:28, stuart noble wrote: On 04/03/2015 19:50, Tim Watts wrote: On 04/03/15 19:19, GMM wrote: I had oak worktops in my last kitchen and this one will probably be iroko (when I get to doing it). I oiled them from the start, so don't know what they would be like without, but oiling really isn't that big a deal: Clear them off, wipe the oil over and go (to work, to bed, the pub, on holiday, whatever). It doesn't take long to dry unless you put it on too thick, when it will go gummy, but that's easily sorted. The oak never really looked oiled, but water would bead on the surface, which I took to be a good thing as it meant it couldn't soak in and stain. As water doesn't soak in to any significant extent, there's no real problem with around a sink - laminate ones are much worse in this respect and can swell up and flake the surface off if water gets into the chipboard base. Cherry looks nice but as it's quite pale it could get tatty pretty quickly if things start to soak in and stain it. The other thing I would advise is to plan on routing a radius or a chamfer on the edge. Wood worktops are nearly always square and the slightest knock will make a small chip, which you'll notice forever. Somehow, a radius doesn't suffer that problem IME but, if you put a small one on to start, it can always be refinished if it does take a big clonk. For what it's worth, mine are done with Liberon oil. The actual worktops are pitch pine which I am assured is pretty bombproof with respect to water. That remains to be seen... BTW - be careful machining the iroko - the dust is supposed to be not too good for you. Wooden tops are good looking but hopelessly unhygienic Er no. Ive seen NHS nurses preparing skin grafts on wooden blocks. Wood is actually quite antiseptic. According to gov guidelines "surfaces need to be made of materials that are smooth, washable, corrosion-resistant and non-toxic" I wouldn't regard wood as smooth or washable, and it is certainly capable of absorbing liquids |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 04/03/15 20:58, stuart noble wrote:
According to gov guidelines "surfaces need to be made of materials that are smooth, washable, corrosion-resistant and non-toxic" I wouldn't regard wood as smooth or washable, and it is certainly capable of absorbing liquids But there is a long standing notion that it does have antiseptic properties. It can't be too bad or butchers would not have wooden chopping tables soaked in blood all day. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
In article ,
Nick wrote: "Gordon Henderson" wrote in message ... I'm considering some new worktops - ye olde plastic laminate type or wood. Wondering about the fuss over "oiling" the wood ones or not. It's probably going to be cherry if that matters. (Or something similar light red but not beech) Worktops will be mainly used for baking - bread making, cakes, etc. Unlikely to ever have hot tomato/curry sauces split for example. One will have a sink in it. So what's the deal on leaving them unoiled and just making sure they're scrubbed clean and dried after use? Or am I better off sticking to plastic. (stone isn't an option) Any feedback appreciated. Cheers, Gordon Purely out of interest, why is stone not an option? We won't get it up the stairs. Gordon |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
Tim Watts wrote:
On 04/03/15 20:43, Capitol wrote: Consider tiles on 1" WBP plywood. Totally heatproof, easy to clean, use wood edging, varnished. Refinish wood after 20 years. Can be cracked if you drop cast iron dishes on them, but easy to repair if you have spare tiles. Cracked 1 tile in 40yrs. I agree tiles do make an interesting and practical surface. Did you do anything special with the grout? Only IME it's the grout that gets filthy and resistant to cleaning... Originally, I used grout powder with a mix of vinyl silk and enamel paint. It was a pig to do as you had to allow at least 24hrs for it to set and then rub it down with a golden fleece and lots of water. It stayed just fractionally flexible, so there were no cracks. Later, I used epoxy grout when changing over the sink and having to redo part of the surface as the sink was a different shape. The great advantage is that a really hot pan goes straight down onto the surface without damaging it. All the other surfaces (except perhaps stainless) can't withstand this and also need sealing if granite etc. It's painless to clean IME. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 04/03/15 23:01, Capitol wrote:
Tim Watts wrote: On 04/03/15 20:43, Capitol wrote: Consider tiles on 1" WBP plywood. Totally heatproof, easy to clean, use wood edging, varnished. Refinish wood after 20 years. Can be cracked if you drop cast iron dishes on them, but easy to repair if you have spare tiles. Cracked 1 tile in 40yrs. I agree tiles do make an interesting and practical surface. Did you do anything special with the grout? Only IME it's the grout that gets filthy and resistant to cleaning... Originally, I used grout powder with a mix of vinyl silk and enamel paint. It was a pig to do as you had to allow at least 24hrs for it to set and then rub it down with a golden fleece and lots of water. It stayed just fractionally flexible, so there were no cracks. Later, I used epoxy grout when changing over the sink and having to redo part of the surface as the sink was a different shape. The great advantage is that a really hot pan goes straight down onto the surface without damaging it. All the other surfaces (except perhaps stainless) can't withstand this and also need sealing if granite etc. It's painless to clean IME. Makes mental note Thanks for that - most interesting. Was the epoxy grout difficult to work with? |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
"stuart noble" wrote in message news:mVJJw.259846 Wooden tops are good looking but hopelessly unhygienic That's exactly what EHO's were claiming in the early 90's when successfully closing down butchers shops, craft cheese makers who relied on wooden shelving and even the naval tradition of stirring rum with an oar on Trafalgar Day. Then a few years later after all the damage was done it was found thet wood had antibacterial properties and was in fact more hygenich than plastic. In short wood absorbs bacteria by capillary action where they eventally die whereas bacteria can thrive in microscopic cuts in plastic boards. quote Our research was first intended to develop means of disinfecting wooden cutting surfaces at home, so that they would be almost as safe as plastics. Our safety concern was that bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, which might contaminate a work surface when raw meat was being prepared, ought not remain on the surface to contaminate other foods that might be eaten without further cooking. We soon found that disease bacteria such as these were not recoverable from wooden surfaces in a short time after they were applied, unless very large numbers were used. New plastic surfaces allowed the bacteria to persist, but were easily cleaned and disinfected. However, wooden boards that had been used and had many knife cuts acted almost the same as new wood, whereas plastic surfaces that were knife-scarred were impossible to clean and disinfect manually, especially when food residues such as chicken fat were present. Scanning electron micrographs revealed highly significant damage to plastic surfaces from knife cuts. Although the bacteria that have disappeared from the wood surfaces are found alive inside the wood for some time after application, they evidently do not multiply, and they gradually die. They can be detected only by splitting or gouging the wood or by forcing water completely through from one surface to the other. If a sharp knife is used to cut into the work surfaces after used plastic or wood has been contaminated with bacteria and cleaned manually, more bacteria are recovered from a used plastic surface than from a used wood surface. /quote http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/fa...ttingboard.htm michael adams .... |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 05/03/15 00:11, michael adams wrote:
"stuart noble" wrote in message news:mVJJw.259846 Wooden tops are good looking but hopelessly unhygienic That's exactly what EHO's were claiming in the early 90's when successfully closing down butchers shops, craft cheese makers who relied on wooden shelving and even the naval tradition of stirring rum with an oar on Trafalgar Day. Then a few years later after all the damage was done it was found thet wood had antibacterial properties and was in fact more hygenich than plastic. In short wood absorbs bacteria by capillary action where they eventally die whereas bacteria can thrive in microscopic cuts in plastic boards. quote Our research was first intended to develop means of disinfecting wooden cutting surfaces at home, so that they would be almost as safe as plastics. Our safety concern was that bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, which might contaminate a work surface when raw meat was being prepared, ought not remain on the surface to contaminate other foods that might be eaten without further cooking. We soon found that disease bacteria such as these were not recoverable from wooden surfaces in a short time after they were applied, unless very large numbers were used. New plastic surfaces allowed the bacteria to persist, but were easily cleaned and disinfected. However, wooden boards that had been used and had many knife cuts acted almost the same as new wood, whereas plastic surfaces that were knife-scarred were impossible to clean and disinfect manually, especially when food residues such as chicken fat were present. Scanning electron micrographs revealed highly significant damage to plastic surfaces from knife cuts. Although the bacteria that have disappeared from the wood surfaces are found alive inside the wood for some time after application, they evidently do not multiply, and they gradually die. They can be detected only by splitting or gouging the wood or by forcing water completely through from one surface to the other. If a sharp knife is used to cut into the work surfaces after used plastic or wood has been contaminated with bacteria and cleaned manually, more bacteria are recovered from a used plastic surface than from a used wood surface. /quote http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/fa...ttingboard.htm Well, that's nice to know that what my mother knew in 1960 (she had a diploma in hotel and catering management) has been proven by science. This is why I ignore ignorant faddy ideas - at least until they are verified. BTW - the fact that plastic boards are unhygenic seems obvious to me. Their only pluses are kind to knives and can be semi-sterilised in the dishwasher which is the only reason I don't like wood. I'm using a resin bonded paper board. Still scratches but no where near as deeply as a knife gouges plastic and still dishwashable. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 8:42:40 PM UTC, Capitol wrote:
Gordon Henderson wrote: I'm considering some new worktops - ye olde plastic laminate type or wood. Wondering about the fuss over "oiling" the wood ones or not. It's probably going to be cherry if that matters. (Or something similar light red but not beech) Worktops will be mainly used for baking - bread making, cakes, etc. Unlikely to ever have hot tomato/curry sauces split for example. One will have a sink in it. So what's the deal on leaving them unoiled and just making sure they're scrubbed clean and dried after use? Or am I better off sticking to plastic. (stone isn't an option) Any feedback appreciated. Cheers, Gordon Consider tiles on 1" WBP plywood. Totally heatproof, easy to clean, use wood edging, varnished. Refinish wood after 20 years. Can be cracked if you drop cast iron dishes on them, but easy to repair if you have spare tiles. Cracked 1 tile in 40yrs. Soooooooooooooooooooo 1960's |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 05/03/15 08:21, fred wrote:
On Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 8:42:40 PM UTC, Capitol wrote: Consider tiles on 1" WBP plywood. Totally heatproof, easy to clean, use wood edging, varnished. Refinish wood after 20 years. Can be cracked if you drop cast iron dishes on them, but easy to repair if you have spare tiles. Cracked 1 tile in 40yrs. Soooooooooooooooooooo 1960's Ah - then it's due back... Just waiting for orange and brown decor to resurface... This is why fashion is ********. I think the real reason people sneer at old stuff is that, if you see old stuff, it's, well, old. Back in the day everyone was happy with it. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 05/03/15 08:35, Tim Watts wrote:
On 05/03/15 08:21, fred wrote: On Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 8:42:40 PM UTC, Capitol wrote: Consider tiles on 1" WBP plywood. Totally heatproof, easy to clean, use wood edging, varnished. Refinish wood after 20 years. Can be cracked if you drop cast iron dishes on them, but easy to repair if you have spare tiles. Cracked 1 tile in 40yrs. Soooooooooooooooooooo 1960's Ah - then it's due back... Just waiting for orange and brown decor to resurface... This is why fashion is ********. I think the real reason people sneer at old stuff is that, if you see old stuff, it's, well, old. Back in the day everyone was happy with it. I have always liked avocado toilet ware (ducks and runs) -- Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. €“ Erwin Knoll |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On Thu, 05 Mar 2015 09:32:31 +0000, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 05/03/15 08:35, Tim Watts wrote: On 05/03/15 08:21, fred wrote: On Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 8:42:40 PM UTC, Capitol wrote: Consider tiles on 1" WBP plywood. Totally heatproof, easy to clean, use wood edging, varnished. Refinish wood after 20 years. Can be cracked if you drop cast iron dishes on them, but easy to repair if you have spare tiles. Cracked 1 tile in 40yrs. Soooooooooooooooooooo 1960's Ah - then it's due back... Just waiting for orange and brown decor to resurface... This is why fashion is ********. I think the real reason people sneer at old stuff is that, if you see old stuff, it's, well, old. Back in the day everyone was happy with it. I have always liked avocado toilet ware (ducks and runs) That combination might improve the colour ... -- Regards, Paul Herber, Sandrila Ltd. http://www.sandrila.co.uk/ |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message ... On 04/03/15 17:20, Gordon Henderson wrote: So what's the deal on leaving them unoiled and just making sure they're scrubbed clean and dried after use? The deal is that underslung sinks leave an undriable lip that rots, and wives brought up on Formica and stainless steel haven't a forking clew and destroy the wood. I suspect that, on this issue, the average husband hasn't got a forking clue either tim |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 8:35:26 AM UTC, Tim Watts wrote:
On 05/03/15 08:21, fred wrote: On Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 8:42:40 PM UTC, Capitol wrote: Consider tiles on 1" WBP plywood. Totally heatproof, easy to clean, use wood edging, varnished. Refinish wood after 20 years. Can be cracked if you drop cast iron dishes on them, but easy to repair if you have spare tiles. Cracked 1 tile in 40yrs. Soooooooooooooooooooo 1960's Ah - then it's due back... Just waiting for orange and brown decor to resurface... This is why fashion is ********. I think the real reason people sneer at old stuff is that, if you see old stuff, it's, well, old. Back in the day everyone was happy with it. But that is why it comes back into fashion. To the new generations it isn't old looking,they haven't seen it before, but it is to those who experienced it first time round. Coincidentally I was in a works canteen yesterday and the tables had a beech frame with a beech surround to the top containing red tiles. To my eyes it screamed Naff. Mind you they also had grey ash desks in their offices. A short lived fad of 20 odd years ago. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
Tim Watts wrote:
On 04/03/15 23:01, Capitol wrote: Tim Watts wrote: On 04/03/15 20:43, Capitol wrote: Consider tiles on 1" WBP plywood. Totally heatproof, easy to clean, use wood edging, varnished. Refinish wood after 20 years. Can be cracked if you drop cast iron dishes on them, but easy to repair if you have spare tiles. Cracked 1 tile in 40yrs. I agree tiles do make an interesting and practical surface. Did you do anything special with the grout? Only IME it's the grout that gets filthy and resistant to cleaning... Originally, I used grout powder with a mix of vinyl silk and enamel paint. It was a pig to do as you had to allow at least 24hrs for it to set and then rub it down with a golden fleece and lots of water. It stayed just fractionally flexible, so there were no cracks. Later, I used epoxy grout when changing over the sink and having to redo part of the surface as the sink was a different shape. The great advantage is that a really hot pan goes straight down onto the surface without damaging it. All the other surfaces (except perhaps stainless) can't withstand this and also need sealing if granite etc. It's painless to clean IME. Makes mental note Thanks for that - most interesting. Was the epoxy grout difficult to work with? Not IME. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 05/03/15 08:35, Tim Watts wrote: On 05/03/15 08:21, fred wrote: On Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 8:42:40 PM UTC, Capitol wrote: Consider tiles on 1" WBP plywood. Totally heatproof, easy to clean, use wood edging, varnished. Refinish wood after 20 years. Can be cracked if you drop cast iron dishes on them, but easy to repair if you have spare tiles. Cracked 1 tile in 40yrs. Soooooooooooooooooooo 1960's Ah - then it's due back... Just waiting for orange and brown decor to resurface... This is why fashion is ********. I think the real reason people sneer at old stuff is that, if you see old stuff, it's, well, old. Back in the day everyone was happy with it. I have always liked avocado toilet ware (ducks and runs) I preferred champagne and the colour. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 04/03/2015 18:05, fred wrote:
In article , Gordon Henderson writes I'm considering some new worktops - ye olde plastic laminate type or wood. Wondering about the fuss over "oiling" the wood ones or not. It's probably going to be cherry if that matters. (Or something similar light red but not beech) Worktops will be mainly used for baking - bread making, cakes, etc. Unlikely to ever have hot tomato/curry sauces split for example. One will have a sink in it. So what's the deal on leaving them unoiled and just making sure they're scrubbed clean and dried after use? Or am I better off sticking to plastic. (stone isn't an option) I'm in a similar spot and am drifting away from wooden ones. I don't see those made of little blocks glued together as very impressive so if I went wood I'd probably want ones made of serious planks (100mm wide, 40mm deep and full length) with a complimentary machined edges to hold everything together in the long term. Those specs make wood a very expensive option and I just don't like it enough spend a lot of money on them. Those specs make it a very DIYable options though... especially if you have or know someone with a planer/thicknesser. -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 05/03/15 10:42, Capitol wrote:
Tim Watts wrote: Was the epoxy grout difficult to work with? Not IME. Do you have to be careful to clean it off the tile faces? Or can it be polished off dried like regular grout? |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 05/03/2015 07:51, Tim Watts wrote:
On 05/03/15 00:11, michael adams wrote: "stuart noble" wrote in message news:mVJJw.259846 Wooden tops are good looking but hopelessly unhygienic That's exactly what EHO's were claiming in the early 90's when successfully closing down butchers shops, craft cheese makers who relied on wooden shelving and even the naval tradition of stirring rum with an oar on Trafalgar Day. Then a few years later after all the damage was done it was found thet wood had antibacterial properties and was in fact more hygenich than plastic. In short wood absorbs bacteria by capillary action where they eventally die whereas bacteria can thrive in microscopic cuts in plastic boards. quote Our research was first intended to develop means of disinfecting wooden cutting surfaces at home, so that they would be almost as safe as plastics. Our safety concern was that bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, which might contaminate a work surface when raw meat was being prepared, ought not remain on the surface to contaminate other foods that might be eaten without further cooking. We soon found that disease bacteria such as these were not recoverable from wooden surfaces in a short time after they were applied, unless very large numbers were used. New plastic surfaces allowed the bacteria to persist, but were easily cleaned and disinfected. However, wooden boards that had been used and had many knife cuts acted almost the same as new wood, whereas plastic surfaces that were knife-scarred were impossible to clean and disinfect manually, especially when food residues such as chicken fat were present. Scanning electron micrographs revealed highly significant damage to plastic surfaces from knife cuts. Although the bacteria that have disappeared from the wood surfaces are found alive inside the wood for some time after application, they evidently do not multiply, and they gradually die. They can be detected only by splitting or gouging the wood or by forcing water completely through from one surface to the other. If a sharp knife is used to cut into the work surfaces after used plastic or wood has been contaminated with bacteria and cleaned manually, more bacteria are recovered from a used plastic surface than from a used wood surface. /quote http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/fa...ttingboard.htm Well, that's nice to know that what my mother knew in 1960 (she had a diploma in hotel and catering management) has been proven by science. This is why I ignore ignorant faddy ideas - at least until they are verified. BTW - the fact that plastic boards are unhygenic seems obvious to me. Their only pluses are kind to knives and can be semi-sterilised in the dishwasher which is the only reason I don't like wood. The solution to that is an end grain cutting board... -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 05/03/2015 12:15, Tim Watts wrote:
On 05/03/15 10:42, Capitol wrote: Tim Watts wrote: Was the epoxy grout difficult to work with? Not IME. Do you have to be careful to clean it off the tile faces? Or can it be polished off dried like regular grout? I used it once a long time ago - I found it harder to work than regular grout, and you had to take care not to let it set too much before cleaning off the tiles - else it became a real pig to shift. Waterproof powdered grout treated with lithofin grout protector lasts quite well. -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
Tim Watts wrote:
On 05/03/15 10:42, Capitol wrote: Tim Watts wrote: Was the epoxy grout difficult to work with? Not IME. Do you have to be careful to clean it off the tile faces? Or can it be polished off dried like regular grout? Yes, you need to clean it off the tile faces. Some filmy residue will be left, which you can remove with a golden fleece,elbow grease and water. Ceramic floor tiles are extremely hard and without using wet and dry paper, I've never managed to scratch one with any hposehold cleaner. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
In article , John
Rumm writes On 04/03/2015 18:05, fred wrote: I'm in a similar spot and am drifting away from wooden ones. I don't see those made of little blocks glued together as very impressive so if I went wood I'd probably want ones made of serious planks (100mm wide, 40mm deep and full length) with a complimentary machined edges to hold everything together in the long term. Those specs make wood a very expensive option and I just don't like it enough spend a lot of money on them. Those specs make it a very DIYable options though... especially if you have or know someone with a planer/thicknesser. It's very kind of you to offer John :-) Bottom line is that I don't think I'd like the end result better than I would a good quality laminate one so for simplicity I think I will stick with that. -- fred it's a ba-na-na . . . . |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 05/03/15 13:08, Capitol wrote:
Tim Watts wrote: On 05/03/15 10:42, Capitol wrote: Tim Watts wrote: Was the epoxy grout difficult to work with? Not IME. Do you have to be careful to clean it off the tile faces? Or can it be polished off dried like regular grout? Yes, you need to clean it off the tile faces. Some filmy residue will be left, which you can remove with a golden fleece,elbow grease Doesn't it come with some beefy argonauts to help? Seriously, *what* is a golden fleece? GINMF and water. Ceramic floor tiles are extremely hard and without using wet and dry paper, I've never managed to scratch one with any hposehold cleaner. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
In message , Tim Watts
writes On 05/03/15 13:08, Capitol wrote: Tim Watts wrote: On 05/03/15 10:42, Capitol wrote: Tim Watts wrote: Was the epoxy grout difficult to work with? Not IME. Do you have to be careful to clean it off the tile faces? Or can it be polished off dried like regular grout? Yes, you need to clean it off the tile faces. Some filmy residue will be left, which you can remove with a golden fleece,elbow grease Doesn't it come with some beefy argonauts to help? Seriously, *what* is a golden fleece? GINMF Add 'cleaning' to your search term , to avoid pubs and jason and the agonauts references. It's those yellow scouring cloth type things -- Chris French |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 05/03/2015 00:11, michael adams wrote:
"stuart noble" wrote in message news:mVJJw.259846 Wooden tops are good looking but hopelessly unhygienic That's exactly what EHO's were claiming in the early 90's when successfully closing down butchers shops, craft cheese makers who relied on wooden shelving and even the naval tradition of stirring rum with an oar on Trafalgar Day. Then a few years later after all the damage was done it was found thet wood had antibacterial properties and was in fact more hygenich than plastic. In short wood absorbs bacteria by capillary action where they eventally die whereas bacteria can thrive in microscopic cuts in plastic boards. quote Our research was first intended to develop means of disinfecting wooden cutting surfaces at home, so that they would be almost as safe as plastics. Our safety concern was that bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, which might contaminate a work surface when raw meat was being prepared, ought not remain on the surface to contaminate other foods that might be eaten without further cooking. We soon found that disease bacteria such as these were not recoverable from wooden surfaces in a short time after they were applied, unless very large numbers were used. New plastic surfaces allowed the bacteria to persist, but were easily cleaned and disinfected. However, wooden boards that had been used and had many knife cuts acted almost the same as new wood, whereas plastic surfaces that were knife-scarred were impossible to clean and disinfect manually, especially when food residues such as chicken fat were present. Scanning electron micrographs revealed highly significant damage to plastic surfaces from knife cuts. Although the bacteria that have disappeared from the wood surfaces are found alive inside the wood for some time after application, they evidently do not multiply, and they gradually die. They can be detected only by splitting or gouging the wood or by forcing water completely through from one surface to the other. If a sharp knife is used to cut into the work surfaces after used plastic or wood has been contaminated with bacteria and cleaned manually, more bacteria are recovered from a used plastic surface than from a used wood surface. /quote http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/fa...ttingboard.htm michael adams ... Interesting. I prefer a light coloured formica so I can actually see what needs wiping off. Wooden surfaces don't offer that, and nor do the dark coloured immitation marble type tops. Wood may be technically better in laboratory conditions but it tends to encourage sloppiness IME. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
"Tim Watts" wrote in message ... On 05/03/15 08:21, fred wrote: On Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 8:42:40 PM UTC, Capitol wrote: Consider tiles on 1" WBP plywood. Totally heatproof, easy to clean, use wood edging, varnished. Refinish wood after 20 years. Can be cracked if you drop cast iron dishes on them, but easy to repair if you have spare tiles. Cracked 1 tile in 40yrs. Soooooooooooooooooooo 1960's Ah - then it's due back... Just waiting for orange and brown decor to resurface... This is why fashion is ********. I think the real reason people sneer at old stuff is that, if you see old stuff, it's, well, old. Back in the day everyone was happy with it. I never was, cleaning the grout is a complete pain in the arse. |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
On 05/03/15 18:03, stuart noble wrote:
On 05/03/2015 00:11, michael adams wrote: "stuart noble" wrote in message news:mVJJw.259846 Wooden tops are good looking but hopelessly unhygienic That's exactly what EHO's were claiming in the early 90's when successfully closing down butchers shops, craft cheese makers who relied on wooden shelving and even the naval tradition of stirring rum with an oar on Trafalgar Day. Then a few years later after all the damage was done it was found thet wood had antibacterial properties and was in fact more hygenich than plastic. In short wood absorbs bacteria by capillary action where they eventally die whereas bacteria can thrive in microscopic cuts in plastic boards. quote Our research was first intended to develop means of disinfecting wooden cutting surfaces at home, so that they would be almost as safe as plastics. Our safety concern was that bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, which might contaminate a work surface when raw meat was being prepared, ought not remain on the surface to contaminate other foods that might be eaten without further cooking. We soon found that disease bacteria such as these were not recoverable from wooden surfaces in a short time after they were applied, unless very large numbers were used. New plastic surfaces allowed the bacteria to persist, but were easily cleaned and disinfected. However, wooden boards that had been used and had many knife cuts acted almost the same as new wood, whereas plastic surfaces that were knife-scarred were impossible to clean and disinfect manually, especially when food residues such as chicken fat were present. Scanning electron micrographs revealed highly significant damage to plastic surfaces from knife cuts. Although the bacteria that have disappeared from the wood surfaces are found alive inside the wood for some time after application, they evidently do not multiply, and they gradually die. They can be detected only by splitting or gouging the wood or by forcing water completely through from one surface to the other. If a sharp knife is used to cut into the work surfaces after used plastic or wood has been contaminated with bacteria and cleaned manually, more bacteria are recovered from a used plastic surface than from a used wood surface. /quote http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/fa...ttingboard.htm michael adams ... Interesting. I prefer a light coloured formica so I can actually see what needs wiping off. Wooden surfaces don't offer that, and nor do the dark coloured immitation marble type tops. Wood may be technically better in laboratory conditions but it tends to encourage sloppiness IME. untreated wood washed down with mild bleach is peerless. Until its left wet -- Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. €“ Erwin Knoll |
Not oiling a wooden worktop (kitchen)
stuart noble wrote:
On 05/03/2015 00:11, michael adams wrote: "stuart noble" wrote in message news:mVJJw.259846 Wooden tops are good looking but hopelessly unhygienic That's exactly what EHO's were claiming in the early 90's when successfully closing down butchers shops, craft cheese makers who relied on wooden shelving and even the naval tradition of stirring rum with an oar on Trafalgar Day. Then a few years later after all the damage was done it was found thet wood had antibacterial properties and was in fact more hygenich than plastic. In short wood absorbs bacteria by capillary action where they eventally die whereas bacteria can thrive in microscopic cuts in plastic boards. quote Our research was first intended to develop means of disinfecting wooden cutting surfaces at home, so that they would be almost as safe as plastics. Our safety concern was that bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, which might contaminate a work surface when raw meat was being prepared, ought not remain on the surface to contaminate other foods that might be eaten without further cooking. We soon found that disease bacteria such as these were not recoverable from wooden surfaces in a short time after they were applied, unless very large numbers were used. New plastic surfaces allowed the bacteria to persist, but were easily cleaned and disinfected. However, wooden boards that had been used and had many knife cuts acted almost the same as new wood, whereas plastic surfaces that were knife-scarred were impossible to clean and disinfect manually, especially when food residues such as chicken fat were present. Scanning electron micrographs revealed highly significant damage to plastic surfaces from knife cuts. Although the bacteria that have disappeared from the wood surfaces are found alive inside the wood for some time after application, they evidently do not multiply, and they gradually die. They can be detected only by splitting or gouging the wood or by forcing water completely through from one surface to the other. If a sharp knife is used to cut into the work surfaces after used plastic or wood has been contaminated with bacteria and cleaned manually, more bacteria are recovered from a used plastic surface than from a used wood surface. /quote http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/fa...ttingboard.htm michael adams ... Interesting. I prefer a light coloured formica so I can actually see what needs wiping off. Wooden surfaces don't offer that, and nor do the dark coloured immitation marble type tops. Wood may be technically better in laboratory conditions but it tends to encourage sloppiness IME. IME all surfaces other than tiles and stainless will stain if coloured spills are allowed to stay on them. I was surprised to experience this with a sealed granite worktop, fortunately UV bleached out the colour. |
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 01:24 PM. |
|
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2014 DIYbanter