Buyer’s Guide to Wood Countertops

Let’s begin with a couple of important facts:

• Science has proven that wood countertops are perfectly safe in the kitchen. Multiple university studies have concluded that wood contains certain properties that are proven to be very effective at destroying more than 98% of common food-borne bacteria. In fact, wood is more food-prep-safe than granite, marble, quartz or stainless steel, because a wooden surface is actively anti-bacterial; but this is only true if the correct wood finish is chosen.
• Choosing the right finish for your wood countertop can save you a lot of hard work in upkeep. The only wood tops that require constant upkeep are those that have the wrong type of finish.
• Wood tops advertised as “waterproof” and “permanent” have significant downsides that you need to be aware of before you purchase.
• Food-Safe and Food-Prep-Safe are two very different things. “Food-safe” surfaces aren’t antibacterial. Remember, food-borne bacteria can be transported by meats and vegetables.