real wood kitchen surfaces

[rosandjohn]

After too many years I'm to embarressed to admit to I'm going to have to buy new kitchen units. My partener is really keen on real wood and I'm keen on real laminate. Any one care to add their experience/point of view? thnaks

[Clanad]

We refinished our kitchen a few years ago and were faced with the same question.  We would like to have installed natural stone (granite) or even a look-alike, like Corian, but we had numerous difficult bends and corners and that became unfeasable.  Wood is very nice, but even the hardest of woods, like oak, for example, can be dented by dropping things on it or cut inadvertenly working with knives, etc.  We selected an ivory colored laminate with a inlaid wood edging the same color as the cabinets. But the selection is nearly infinite... It has worked very well...

Good luck!

[curiosity]

Real wood worktops look great to start with, but are too high maintenance I think, needing regular oiling or water damage, splits etc. Less hygienic once they have cuts/scratches in them (unavoidable really). I didn't go for them after experiencing them once.

[goldfish1]

I agree with curiosity, laminate is much easier to keep clean and can look just as nice.

[pauludall]

Its a question of preference we chose beech block from IKEA as it was the cheapest solid wood at the time for our work surface and after 4 years of heavy use with a light sanding and oiling yearly it still looks great. Laminates offer an altogether different story with choice etc but will still mark quite easily unles you pay a fortune for them

[rosandjohn]

thank-you for your helpful comments. Now to make a decision about taps.