Wood Worktops Vs. Laminate Worktops – A Helpful Comparison
If you’re well convinced that your kitchen worktop should either be made of solid wood or laminate, and then if you find yourself unable to determine which one to select, a comparison between the two might be useful.
As such, both these materials offer a lot of benefits which make several kitchen-buyers have a dilemma about them. Hopefully, the following points may help you.
Wood Worktops Vs. Laminate Worktops
Composition
Wooden worktops are through and through solid wood. Freshly cut edges have to be applied protective oil to preserve the timber and protect it against changes in heat and moisture levels in the environment. Out of all the wood worktops, oak worktops are the most demanded worktops.
Laminate on the other hand contain several layers. The main bulk of the product is formed of a wooden particle board. The external surface is then created using a decorative wrap-around layer to which a heat- and moisture-resistant coating is added. An adhesive seal is used to join the core and coating, and the worktop’s back is sealed to protect the particle board inside.
Proneness to Damage
You cannot put hot pans on wood worktops and also are not supposed to chop on it as it can get scratched pretty easily with the knife. On the other hand, laminate is a bit harder to scratch.
However, a laminate worktop is very much sensitive to water and humidity. It can absorb moisture very fast and then the whole worktop has to be changed. If the HPL cover is dented it can absorb humidity very fast; otherwise it is pretty well against water, if the water is on the surface of its HPL coat.
Repair
Wood worktop is easy to repair if it is damaged as the damaged spot just needs to be sanded and a new coat of oil has to be reapplied, whereas a laminate worktop is harder to repair if it is damaged. (There are special laminate worktop repair fillers. However, once the filler is applied it is very much likely to be obvious that the spot has been repaired unless the color of the worktop is plain.)
Maintenance
Wood worktops have to be maintained on a regularly basis, i.e. it has to be oiled once every three months. Thus the wood has to be well-sealed with oil all the time so that it does not get exposed to humidity.
Laminate worktops on the other hand have a water-resistant coating and therefore require extremely low maintenance. Thus for a busy household, it’s a perfect choice.
Appearance
Wooden worktops are generally made with a series of staves which are attached to each other under high pressure. Each stave is fully made of solid wood and the attractive features of wood are visible through them. Moreover, wood further matures over time, and thus becomes richer and fuller of character. Thus it gets more and more beautiful over time and can last forever if it is well-maintained, oiled and well-looked after. Also, wood gives positive energy and a nice feeling when it is being touched.
Laminate worktops on the other hand come in a variety of different styles ranging from perfect imitations of the look of real wood to gorgeous highly glossy glitter finishes. Thus, you can either achieve the looks of a different worktop at a fraction of the price or choose a more unrealistic pattern.
Conclusion
So, you can see that both wood and laminate worktops have their pros and cons. If you are a person for whom the warmth and character offered by wood are more important and you’re ready to undertake maintenance regularly, a wood worktop is good for you. But if you are looking more for practicality than looks, one of the laminate worktops can be best for you as it requires low maintenance and can imitate the looks of wood. Hope you can now make a better decision. Happy shopping!