Oak is an aesthetic wood that gives your interiors a look that is both authentic and contemporary. It is quite often found in kitchens for wooden worktops or in bathrooms. Oak is protected and maintained like any other wood. However, it has some special features that require special treatment. We will explain to you the specificities of oak and the appropriate protection for an oak worktop.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF AN OAK WORKTOP?
THE ADVANTAGES OF AN OAK WORKTOP
Oak is a relatively hard and durable wood. It is fairly resistant to moisture, which is why we often find it in damp rooms such as kitchens or bathrooms where water splashes frequently occur. Furthermore, oak is an aesthetic wood which explains its notoriety. It goes well with all types of decoration: modern, classic, Zen...
THE DISADVANTAGES OF AN OAK WORKTOP
Oak is a tannic wood. It contains chemical substances: tannins that can rise when a finishing or protective product is applied. These tannins can cause stains on your wood. They mainly occur when the wood is exposed to water. If you use oak for a wooden worktop in your kitchen or bathroom, it is imperative that you protect it. Otherwise, a small drop of water can cause black stains that are difficult to remove later on.
WITH WHICH PRODUCT SHOULD AN OAK WORKTOP BE PROTECTED ?
To protect an oak worktop, we advise you to use a wooden worktop varnish. Compared to a worktop oil, wood varnish will protect your worktop longer. We recommend Worktop Varnish VPT500. The advantage of this colourless varnish is that it protects the oak worktop without staining it.
To apply an oak worktop varnish, you need to work on a raw wood. If your wood has already had a previous finish such as oil, you will need to sand the oak worktop. We do not recommend using oil removers, as they may cause tannins to rise on the oak worktop and cause stains.
As oak is a tannic wood, you will need to apply an undercoat before your varnish to block the tannins. As such, we recommend Anti-Tanins Primer PAT400. In addition to avoiding black stains on your oak worktop, this tannin blocker maximises the performance of your varnish. The waterproofing of the oak worktop will be even stronger.
Worktop varnish is a film-forming product that creates a layer on the surface of the wood. If in the future you wish to apply another finish, you will need to strip your oak worktop.
If you have applied a worktop varnish without applying the oak hardwood primer (anti-tannin primer), you must surely have seen tannin stains on your oak worktop. Don't worry, it's not too late, you can remove the tannin present on the oak by applying Wood Brightener EB100.
HOW TO MAINTAIN AN OAK WORKTOP?
Maintaining an oak worktop on a daily basis is easy. Simply apply black soap and warm water to your wooden worktop regularly. We advise you to use Liquid Black Soap SN800. Remember to clean the most exposed parts of your oak worktop more carefully, such as those near water. Try to avoid as much as possible household cleaners which will be too aggressive for your oak worktop and generally harmful to the environment.
