If you are looking to fit a wooden worktop in your kitchen or work-place, you are likely to come across a whole plethora of wood choices. We have created this guide to help you get an overview of the different types of solid wood worktops and their origins.
Ash is one of the most widely available wood species in the UK and also one of the most popular. Properties such as strength and durability make Ash a perfect wood for worktops. Ash wood is also used to create baseball bats, tools and other items that require strength; further demonstrating it’s appeal.
Sourced from a beech tree, Beech Wood is an extremely strong wood which is used in flooring, worktops, chairs and other types of furniture. Beech is also used for brewing beer and smoking certain types of cheese. As a species, it is native to the south of England where it grows in a broad range of soil types.
Also known as ‘African Teak’, Iroko is native to Africa and starts its life as a yellow wood, and quickly darkens into a rich brown colour. It is used in a variety of ways from flooring, worktops and decking to boat-building and even musical instrument construction.
Mahogany is used to describe numerous varieties of dark-coloured hardwoods that include names such as ‘West Indian’ and ‘Cuban mahogany’. The reddish-brown colour of this wood is enhanced by a straight grain and is usually free of voids and pockets. Mahogany Wood is used in a variety of ways from flooring, worktops and other types of furniture to musical instrument construction (most notably drums).
Bamboo is a rapid growing grass and is in fact not wood at all, although when treated for domestic use it takes on the same characteristics as other woods used for flooring, worktops and furniture in terms of its durability, strength and stability. Its use is considered particularly environmentally friendly because the tree grows back quicker than most other trees and requires very limited resources to flourish.
Rich and dark in colour, Wenge is a type of wood with a distinctive figure and a strong partridge pattern. Wenge wood is heavy and strong, making it a popular choice for flooring, worktops, staircases and other types of wooden construction. Wenge is native to the Republic of Congo and is also used for the construction of various musical instruments, particularly guitars.
The name Zebrano or Zebrawood originates from the dark stripes on a light background which this wood features. These bear a resemblance to a Zebra, hence its name. Its heavy and strong properties together with its rich colour make it extremely popular for the construction of worktops and counter tops.
Oak is a type of tree that is extremely popular for the construction of various wooden structures and furniture. Oak wood, which is abundantly available, enjoys attractive grain markings, great strength and hardness. These properties make oak not only popular for worktop construction, but also for shipbuilding and timber frame buildings.
Walnut wood originates from the walnut tree, a family of over 21 species of trees found from Europe to Japan. Walnut timber is extremely hard, dense and tight-grained. These properties make it a prized flooring and worktop wood. It starts life as a dull brown colour wood, but when air-dried it becomes a rich chocolate-brown shade.
| Wood Type | Description | Origin | Other Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ash Wood | Strong and durable, perfect for worktops. | Widely available in the UK. | Used to create baseball bats, tools, and other items that require strength. |
| Beech Wood | Extremely strong wood used in flooring, worktops, chairs, and other types of furniture. | Native to the south of England. | Used for brewing beer and smoking certain types of cheese. |
| Iroko Wood | Starts as a yellow wood, quickly darkens into a rich brown colour. | Native to Africa. | Used in flooring, decking, boat-building, and musical instrument construction. |
| Mahogany Wood | Used to describe varieties of dark-coloured hardwoods, reddish-brown colour enhanced by a straight grain. | Various origins include ‘West Indian’ and ‘Cuban mahogany’. | Used in flooring, worktops, furniture, and musical instrument construction. |
| Bamboo Wood | Rapid growing grass, takes on the characteristics of other woods when treated for domestic use. | Grows rapidly in various environments. | Used in flooring, worktops, and furniture. Considered environmentally friendly due to quick growth and low resource requirement. |
| Wenge Wood | Rich and dark in colour with a distinctive figure and a strong partridge pattern. | Native to the Republic of Congo. | Used in flooring, worktops, staircases, wooden construction, and musical instrument construction. |
| Zebrano Wood | Named due to the dark stripes on a light background resembling a zebra. Heavy, strong, and rich in colour. | West Central Africa. | Popular for construction of worktops and countertops. |
| Oak Wood | Popular for construction of various wooden structures and furniture due to its attractive grain markings, strength, and hardness. | Abundantly available. | Used in shipbuilding and timber frame buildings. |
| Walnut Wood | Extremely hard, dense, and tight-grained. Starts as a dull brown colour wood, but when air-dried it becomes a rich chocolate-brown shade. | Originates from the walnut tree, a family of over 21 species of trees found from Europe to Japan. | Prized for flooring and worktops. |
If you're considering luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring, you will likely encounter prominent brands like…