Countertops

Distressed

Why distress a top?

Some of our customers do not want to wait for their top to become naturally distressed and “antique- looking.” Distressing can make the top appear as if it has been used for 50 years or more.

While it may appear easy to “beat up” a top, the distressing process is not a random beating. Since the intent is to simulate use, we select “use” areas on the top that would naturally be more distressed than other areas. Our distressing staff are fine arts students from a local university.

Distressing can also create unique looks, such as the top shown below. One hundred and fifty years ago, glue was made from animal hides and had a limited ability to hold under heavy use. To overcome this, craftsman used splines to join wood together.

Splined Black Walnut

What Woods Can Be Distressed?

Most any wood species can be distressed. The one exception may be Wenge. The color of this wood is a very dark ,espresso brown to black, and because of this it is almost impossible to see the distressing.

Distressing marks are much more visible on lighter woods as seen below. Walnut is clearly the most popular wood species used for distressed tops, followed by American Cherry and Iroko.

Distressed American Cherry, Plank Style

Types of Distressed Countertops

• Distressing Marks |
• Divots |
• Drink Rings |
• Nicks and Scratches |
• Knife Marks |
  
• Rounded Corners and Profiles

Distressing Marks

Different marks are used to create a distressed top. Below, we show what these marks look like. We do this so that you can choose NOT to have certain marks on your distressed top. Typically, a distressed top will have all of the marks represented. Some of the marks, such as the water rings, would occur only on a top that was very old because they could not occur on a modern Craft-Art top.

This image shows the relative size and spacing of marks over an area of countertop as well as the basic markings that make up our distressed countertops. The effect is for the marks to appear random and natural; the result of wear and tear over years of use.

Divots

Divots are small depressions made in the wood to simulate objects being dropped on the top over time. Divots can be placed on the surface of the top, on the edges and around sink cut-outs. They are sanded to smooth out any sharp angles.

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Drink Rings

Drink, or water rings represent what happens to wood tops when finished with some “film” finishes. Remember these rings will not occur on Craft-Art tops, unless we put them there.

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Nicks and Scratches

Nicks and scratches are used to suggest accidental damage, such as dragging a heavy object across the top or dropping a sharp object on the top.

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Knife Marks

Knife marks are used to simulate the kinds of marks made by cutting up lemons or cucumbers without using a cutting board.

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Rounded Corners and Profiles

Rounding the corners and sanding the profiles on countertops remove any sharp edges from the divots and other marks. However, we highlight the corners and profiles so that the look and feel is that the areas have been worn smooth from years of use.

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