Straight answers about wood countertops.

No. There is no good evidence wood harbors more bacteria than plastic, and many woods actively kill it, which is why butcher shops have used wood for centuries.

You may if your surface is sealed with mineral oil. Chopping and cutting food directly on a wood counter with other sealers isn’t recommended.

Yes. Our countertops are sealed to protect them against water damage. Check out our blog post on the subject here.

Wood is a 100% rapidly renewable resource. We use sustainably harvested lumber, much of it FSC certified, plus reclaimed timber from tear-downs and river beds.

A solid wood counter can expand and contract up to a quarter inch a year, unlike plywood furniture. Sealing and securing it properly keeps that movement in check.

Yes, it's perfectly fine for a wood countertop to be next to a range. Just follow the installation instructions for your range and everything will be perfectly fine. Read our blog post about it here.

They can warp at times due to changes in the humidity levels. This is not a problem if you follow recommended installation directions.

They can developed small cracks or checks. These are not considered defects as solid wood will do this naturally. They rarely become structural problems and if desired can easily be repaired by the home owner.

Yes. During different times of the year they will move or change dimension. This is a natural fact of solid wood. Remember that we are not talking about plywood, which makes up virtually all wood furniture. Plywood has a much reduced reactivity to climate change.

No. We recommend using a trivet instead. You can damage the finish and/or the wood if the pan is too hot.

It's possible, but it really depends on the finish used. During the design process we ask you what the surface will be used for. A butcher block surface designed to be chopped on will have a different finish than countertops used in a pantry. Our wood countertop sealer page goes over all the ins and outs of our sealers so please check that out.

Durability comes down to scratch, impact, stain and water resistance, and the sealer drives all four. Here is how wood countertops hold up on each one.