Frequently Asked Questions

Our standard Oak/Beech worktops showcase a more pronounced grain pattern and have additional natural characteristics compared to their Prime versions, generally providing more character. You may notice colour variations across individual staves in most worktops.

Prime worktops display a more consistent, subtle grain with less natural features. Their refined look makes them more suitable for modern or luxurious kitchen styles.

The reason is simple. We only offer the finest quality solid wood worktops at the most competitive prices in the UK market. Unlike many of our rivals, we hold the actual stock of worktops ourselves rather than acting as a reseller for a distribution company. This enables us to provide immediate delivery.

Our team members handle the worktops directly, enabling them to effectively answer any queries you may have. We believe our personalized service distinguishes us from the competition. Still not convinced? Read more here.

Yes, we offer a comprehensive sample service and we even reimburse the cost of any samples if you go ahead with an order! We're confident in the exceptional quality of our worktops and strongly suggest you compare our samples with those from more expensive competitors - You'll be pleasantly surprised! Please click here to view our sample service.

If you're ordering fabricated worktops, we'll calculate the most cost-effective solution to achieve the required sizes. If you're ordering standard worktops, please ensure to purchase slightly larger worktops to cut them to size on site, making allowances for any measurement errors or adjustments.

All our worktops are made from hardwood, hence there's no difference in versatility. Certain timbers, like Wenge, are extremely dense, offering a very hard-wearing surface. Others, like Iroko, have a high natural oil content and are thus suitable for Belfast sinks.

Regardless, any worktop from our entire range, once professionally installed, is fit for use as a kitchen worktop. Therefore, your choice should be based on colour and style.

Unlike many competitors, we don't pre-package our worktops. All worktops are packaged to order. Thus, we ensure all worktops in multiple orders match in terms of grain pattern and colour consistency, as much as possible, before shipping.

We suggest oiling your worktops immediately upon receipt (we recommend Rustins Danish Oil for all worktops, including those that have been pre-oiled with our in-house service) and installing them shortly afterwards. If storage is required, ensure to lay your worktops flat on bearers. Remember to store worktops in a moisture-free environment.

We suggest Rustins Danish oil for treating all worktops. All DIY worktops need three coats on both the top and bottom sides before installation, while end grains need six coats. For maintenance, DIY worktops require oiling with Rustins Danish Oil every six weeks for the initial months and then another coat every 3/6 months thereafter. This, however, depends on kitchen usage.

Yes. We recommend and provide stretcher plates / slotted brackets in our worktop installation kit. These brackets secure the worktops to the cabinets and allow for slight movement to accommodate the timber's natural contraction/expansion due to changes in humidity.

A comprehensive installation guide is provided with all worktops, and you can also click the following link to view this information online - Wood Worktop installation guide.

Cleaning wood worktops is easy. Just wipe the surface with warm (not boiling) soapy water. Remember to wipe off any water after a few minutes.

Aside from the aesthetic appeal, wooden upstands serve a practical purpose during worktop installation. They conceal the small expansion gap necessary when fitting solid wood worktops and enable fitting to walls that aren't perfectly square without the need to cut large sections of the worktop first. They help blend the worktop material with other kitchen elements and prevent moisture accumulation behind the worktops.

Worktops are joined at 90 degrees using a standard butt-join. Worktop connector bolts are used on the underside of the worktops to firmly secure them together. Insert worktop sealant between the worktops and apply a bead of sealant to the top surface during installation to create a water-resistant seal. Once the sealant has dried, sand the top surface to achieve a smooth join.

At Better Worktops, we constantly strive to improve and update our processes. Recently, we introduced a new pre-oiling system that uses advanced machinery and innovative techniques to deliver the highest standard for our customers. Rustins oil is not suitable for this machine, which led us to introduce a similar industrial product, HABiol.

Both Rustins and HABiol are surface oils that form a protective layer on the wood surface - they don't penetrate the wood like some oils we previously used. Rustins is a proven product that's easy to apply, and we recommend it for all worktop aftercare. Both products provide a similar, aesthetically appealing finish.