The Best Wooden Countertops for Kitchens & Bathrooms in South Africa

In face grain wooden countertop construction, wide boards are joined edge to edge, showcasing the wood's natural grain patterns on the surface. This method highlights the unique ovals and swirls inherent in the wood.​

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Con's:

Face grain countertops are less suitable for heavy chopping or cutting tasks, as they can show knife marks more readily and may dull blades faster than other grain orientations.

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Pro's:

This construction style offers an elegant and visually appealing surface, making it ideal for areas where aesthetics are prioritized over direct food preparation. However, face grain countertops are limited in thickness, typically up to 44mm, due to the constraints of the board dimensions used.

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This type of construction is the cheapest of the three construction styles.

In edge grain wooden countertop construction, the wood strips are arranged side by side , then grafted together using premium quality water-resistant glue, these strips can run the full length of the wood countertop or it can be made with varying lengths of wood (blended).

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Con's:

Edge grain tops, are very good for chopping and food prep, however they will show signs of knife marks and wear over time quicker than end grain tops.

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Pro's:

The main advantage of this type of  countertop construction is that it can be made very thick and also very long when compared to face grain/wide plank countertops which are limited to the thickness of the boards used to make it.

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Usually, this type of construction is in the middle price bracket of the three construction styles.

End grain wooden countertops are the most durable and also the most expensive countertops, and are made using the end pieces of the wood, this vertical orientation is what makes end grain butcher blocks so gentle on fine knives.

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Con's:

The most expensive and they require regular oiling, more effort to maintain properly and can look dull faster than any other type of construction.

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Pro's:

They don't easily show scratches and add a unique feature in the kitchen, they have a beautiful checkerboard pattern and can be made in any thickness and any length. 

The chef's choice for kitchen surfaces, as they are the easiest on your knives, they keep your knives sharper for longer and act like those self-healing cutting boards that artists use.