Thread: Timber options for kitchen benchtop

All the timbers you have nominated would be suitable. It depends on your colour choice. I would stick to the standard 33mm thickness as this would suit most in bench fittings like sinks and cook tops etc.

Originally Posted by tuscany33

Also considering finishing with the Feast Watson kitchen bench oil - would that be a poor choice with any of the above timbers?

I am not sure of the specifics of that product, but an oil will not give you the level of water seal and protection you'd probably want on a kitchen bench. Oil finishes look beautiful but they won't seal the wood as much as a varnish. Another easier options is a wipe on poly type varnish, but again it won't waterproof as well as a brush on varnish.

I did one out of Baltic pine floor boards.

I did it over sheet flooring with a thickened edge board. Also filled all holes and gaps with black filler.

If you are after a rustic look it works a treat. I just used floor varnish on the benches.


Dave

The Turning Cowboy

slightly off-topic, but I was so impressed by some beautifil 35mm thick blackbutt flooring that I used it for kitchen benches. It was so solid and stable (been kiln-dried) that I made the mistake of continuing the orientation of the grain in the main benchtop right into the return-the smaller bench at right-angles. Despite the strength, the side-bench's top, which had grain running front-to-back rather than end-to-end, moved over time to develop a woof. I could put bracing under it and pull it back into shape, but can't be bothered.
Take-home message: stick to the conventional orientation with grain running ALONG the longest dimensions.
BTW, it was my intention that I'd just sand back and resurface when necessary, which I've done twice. Despite this, I still used polyurethane. Horrible (and possibly dangerous) to sand, but practical if you aren't cutting onto the bench itself a la Jamie Whatsit.

PPS, if the Redgum isn't kiln-dried, it WILL MOVE! Depend on it. Realistically, so will the others probably, but Redgum has the reputation of warping a different way every time it changes.

Bill