Why choose a Craft-Art Wood Countertop?
Durability, Hardness, Water, Stains, Heat, Scratches, Food Safety, Care and Maintenance
Durability
The most common question we are asked is "How durable are wood countertops?" There are two basic measures of durability: Hardness and Serviceability.
Hardness
The hardness of wood is a measure of how large a dent would be created if you dropped something on it. Obviously, stone is harder than wood. If you dropped a cast iron skillet on a granite countertop, it will not make a dent. It may chip or crack the granite, but is unlikely to dent it. The same skillet will, however, make a small dent in a wood top. How large a dent will depend on the wood species. For instance, Brazilian Cherry is a harder wood than Walnut. Please see Wood species for details about the hardness of each of the wood species we use in our countertops.
It is also true that unless you view a wood countertop with a small dent from just the right angle with just the right light, it is unlikely that you will see it.
Some of our customers like the look of a well-used top. So, Craft-Art offers a “distressed†finish as an option. We add a small amount of water-based dye to highlight the dents we create.
Water
Craft-Art tops are waterproof. Water left on a Craft-Art top will sit there until it evaporates. The Paduak countertop with a sink in our break room takes the use and abuse of over 30 people every day. It has been installed for three years and has been re-oiled only once. With Craft-Art tops, you can use any sink you wish. By adding drain channels, you can use countertop dish racks.
Stains
When we train Craft-Art dealers, we start the session by putting mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, red wine, and other things on a countertop sample. At the end of the training, we take the sample over to the sink and using just the water pressure from the faucet, rinse everything off. If you would like to see this demonstration, ask your designer or trade professional to show you.
With over 8,000 installed countertops, we have never received a call about a staining problem from food based items. However, silver polish (due to very high ammonia content and nail polish, due to the acetone it contains, will damage the finish and the area will need to be lightly sanded and re-oiled.
The stain resistance of Craft-Art tops is underscored by a call from a homeowner in Atlanta. The homeowner's teen-aged daughter was doing her nails late at night on the newly installed island and spilled the bottle of polish. The girl decided not to say anything, so the spill was still there in the morning- dried onto the top. The homeowner was instructed to soak the area with a sponge and mineral spirits to soften the polish. Then, using a kitchen scotch-bright pad, she lifted the polish off the surface. There was no remaining stain.
Craft-Art countertops resist stains from all cleaning products except those containing ammonia. Solvents such as acetone and lacquer thinners (e.g. nail polish remover) will also discolor the countertops and soften the finish. Alcohol and mineral spirits will NOT harm the finish.
Heat Resistance
Heat resistance is important simply due to the fact that hot pans will be accidently placed on any countertops surface.
We have tested our tops with pans off a cook top at over 200 degrees and out of an oven at over 350 degrees. We have never been able to damage a top or damage the finish. We also know of a number of dealers and homeowners who have tried very hard to discolor or damage Craft-Art tops and have also been unable to do so.
Perhaps the best evidence that our tops are heat resistant is the fact that no one has every reported any damage despite thousands of Craft-Art tops in use around the country. However, dispite the tests and the lack of reported damage, we recommend that you either order our very attractive removable stainless steel set-down rods or use a trivet for extra protection. Of course, any discoloration can be sanded out in a matter of minutes.
Scratches
Craft-Art tops are difficult to scratch. However, scratches can be caused by sliding a rough, sharp surface across the countertop. Pottery that has a rough, unfinished bottom is the most common cause of scratches. Dishes and pots and pans with smooth bottoms will not normally scratch the top without applying a lot of pressure.
Some people cut directly on our tops, typically on the small area next to a prep sink where food is cut and washed. Those customers periodically sand out the cut marks and re-oil the area. For those people who do want a serious work area on a countertop or island, a portion of the counter top or island is made using end-grain or checkerboard construction style.
Food Safety
The safety of our families is of paramount importance, and Craft-Art takes the issue of food safety very seriously. Craft-Art countertops are as safe as any other countertop surface made. The key to keeping any countertop safe is to simply clean and disinfect it.
Concerns about wood countertops and safety began during the 1970’s and 1980’s, when a systematic effort was made to question the safety of wood countertops. Armed with industry sponsored research studies, legislation was passed that ended the use of wood food preparation surfaces in all Federal facilities. This was done despite the fact that hundreds of thousands of wood cutting boards and countertops had been in use for at least 100 years and showed no signs of being any less safe than any other surface.
The issue, however, remains a concern, and for this reason, we have included both a summary of the “research†done during the ‘80’s and early ‘90’s and an extensive abstracted bibliography on the subject.
Click here for more information
Care and Maintenance
Maintaining a Craft-Art wood countertop involves two things: Daily washing and disinfecting and periodic re-oiling.
Craft-Art tops should be washed with a mild soap and water, allowed to dry, and then disinfected with a 10-20 percent vinegar/water solution.
The Tung-oil varnish used to finish Craft-Art countertops is also used to finish wood floors. It is a tough, hard finish that is designed to take some abuse. Eventually, through the course of washing the top, some of the finish will be rubbed off. This can take anywhere from one year to several years, depending on how much you use the countertop.
Re-oiling a Craft-Art top is simple. First clean the top. Then, using our maintenance kit, pour some oil on the top, spread it around with the applicator, and let it dry. You can do this yourself, or you can call Craft-Art and we will put you in touch with one of our service partners.