Wooden table top: varieties and features of materials of execution, than to be guided by a choice for kitchen

Deciding to buy a table top made of wood, it is necessary to take into account not only the style of the interior of the room, but also the practical side of the issue, since the operation of products from this material involves a number of features that can not be overlooked. Particular care must be taken when choosing a kitchen, because the wooden countertop will be exposed to frequent moisture and other negative factors associated with the operating conditions of this room.

Choosing the right wood for kitchen countertops

The wood used for making such products must have sufficient hardness, because it will often contact different objects of kitchen utensils, and at the same time be stable (resistant to moisture and temperature changes, due to which the wood is deformed). A wooden countertop made of such material is able to better preserve its geometric shapes and dimensions, does not crumble and does not swell. The best combination of hardness and stability indicators is provided by the following tree species:

• oak;
• nut;
• cherry;
• cherries;
• Iroko;
• Merbau;
• teak.

In addition to the material, the operational properties of the countertops are also affected by the way in which they were produced, as well as what coatings and gluing components were used.

Wooden countertops for kitchen from solid wood massif

Products from a solid wood array from an aesthetic point of view are most attractive, since they can have original solutions with a non-uniform surface texture, such as knots, imitation of aging and other effects. However, due to the propensity of the wood to deformation changes, the wooden countertop is not very suitable for use in rooms with high moisture and temperature changes, characteristic for the kitchen or bathroom.

Modern paint and varnish and other protective coatings, as well as existing technologies, can significantly protect wood against harmful effects, but eventually they lose their properties and require replacement. In addition, this is the most expensive option, especially if the table top is made of noble rock material. Therefore, the array is used mainly for the production of premium products.

However, the table top is wooden white, made of light wood of natural oak, successfully combined with elements of glass and metal. And if the kitchen is made in rustic style, this will be the most successful solution, because it is with the help of solid material that you can recreate the old atmosphere of antiquity.

Wooden countertops for kitchen from glued wood

The most common products are glued wood. They can be executed both from one breed of a tree, and from a combination of several. First, a furniture board is made of individual boards (lamellas), from which the table top of the required size and shape is cut out, or lamellas are directly glued and a finished product is obtained.

Due to the fact that the maximum dimensions of the shield are up to 1.3 m in width and up to 2.5 m in length, the table top for the kitchen table can be made even for a large family. In addition, this is the most suitable option for the kitchen, also because in glued products the stress in wood fibers is not as high as that of large solid tabletops, and as a consequence, it is less susceptible to deformation changes.

As for the appearance of such worktops, the variety of design solutions is greater here, especially if they are made of several types of wood with contrasting colors and textures that can emphasize the rational geometry of modern kitchen furniture.

Worktops of laminated MDF, chipboard and veneered

Laminated countertops made of MDF and chipboard panels are made of pressed sawdust. As a coating, a polymer film with a texture for a natural tree of almost any kind is applied. It is most popular among consumers due to its attractive appearance, although it is inferior in performance characteristics to wooden analogues.

Table tops with a cover from decorative veneer of natural wood are also made of MDF panels, but a shield made of inexpensive wood species can also be used. Appearance is not inferior to products made of solid material and glued analogs, but performance is worse - veneer with time deforms and peels off the base.

Advantages and disadvantages

The wooden table top has such advantages as:

• Ease of processing of the material, so that it is possible to produce the product of any desired shape;
• Possibility to combine several types of wood in one product;
• Elasticity of the material, which reduces the likelihood of chips and cracks on the surface, which often appear on the tabletops of stone;
• When defects appear, it is easily repaired, and it can be done many times.

Disadvantages:

• Over time, it is necessary to change the protective coating;
• Easily ignited;
• Hot dishes can leave marks on the surface;
• The surface can be scratched with a knife.