Owning your own home

Never understood why people aren't into wood. It's only a faff to maintain if ou want it looking perfect all year around. I cook several times a day and am messier than anyone I know. A quick wipe with a warm water sponge and job done. Around the (Belfast) sink there is some staining but it basically looks fine after 9 months and if I wanted to I could get a very very fine grit sandpaper and give the whole thing a once-over then re oil. It's actually a fun job.

Caveat: i would never put a hot pan on it, but I wouldn't put a hot pan on any work surface. That's what trivets are for. Another bonus of a wooden work surface is I got 3 amazing chopping boards from offcuts and enough spare even now to make a small table or bar.

Tbf, I find it fine everywhere apart from around the sink.

And if I was the only one who used the kitchen, that would also help....

Kids approaching teens, careless cleaner; I'd rather something a bit more fit and forget.

First world problems, I know...

I've got a wooden worktop and slightlt regret it too - not so much the actual maintenance, more the feeling of always having to be a bit more mindful/careful about spilling things, leaving stuff on it etc. Nicer to be able to forget about that stuff when cooking.

Also leaving anything wet and metal (pots, cans) on it leaves black marks that need to be sanded off.

Does look nice though.

I'd go for wood as well. It's a practical surface, relatively cheap in the first instance and looks good.

Marble/wood mix can look good but pricey as hell. If I were doing ours again I'd do marble with a butchers block style insert to chop on or stainless steel because it's the most practical surface

The resin ones look nice but again are effing expensive.

@chrisbmx116 I don't think taking up the floors and skirting would be that much of a faff. You could also insulate whilst you're there. I did it at family home in 3 rooms and it wasn't so much effort and looks much better than before.

There is a house i have looked at recently (to buy) that has a realllllly nice darkish wood worktop with matching splash back. Looks mint. Would recommend. I have a cheap wood worktop that my cleaner stained and now I wan't to repair or replace it but not sure if it's worth the money. Ultimate #firstworldproblem?

Oh no chance I am going to do it myself... I've spent far too long finishing off a doorway I removed a frame from. Fancy doing mine?

And on the subject of marble - Just don't, ever. I rented a flat that had a marble worktop, no idea of cost but I doubt it was cheap, and it was HELL to maintain... you couldn't even really prep near it as any acidic juices (tomatoes, lemons etc) would stain and pit it.

Concrete worktop. Or formica.

Technically for building regs compliance if you renovate more than a certain percentage of a floor you are required to insulate

if I wanted to I could get a very very fine grit sandpaper and give the whole thing a once-over then re oil. It's actually a fun job.

It's actually a fun job.

Really?

I always thought it was a quick and easy job until I had to do it (and only on a fairly small section). Stains often go deeper and more erratically than you think. If you have water staining you really should let it dry out thoroughly before you try and sand/re-oil which is a pain in a kitchen you use.

That said from a aesthetic bang-for-your-buck POV it is great.

Orly?! Didn't know that.

But that's also if you want to keep it in mint condition.

Concrete is a good option

@Tenderloin - sharing is caring......spill the beans, post the linky! ;)

We went with Silestone

http://www.silestone.co.uk/kitchen-worktops/

We preferred the feel/touch compared to Corian, and came in the matt finish we wanted.

If you're taking it up anyway it's worth insulating, I certainly will be on the new place. Well ventilated underneath, warm above please.

Que? to the gaff we're looking at?

http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/42632489?search_identifier=4c1fdd3353adc4ec220ba0c2076f0f3f#jJD3CaeyMghw8hEV.97

Kirstie and Phil were sniffing round Bushwood a while ago and they were in Leyton last week I think.

I have Kirstie's mobile number. #csb

I haven't yet sent her any offensive messages whilst drunk, but it's only a matter of time.

for 775 i could think of much better ways of spending my money. whats wrong with the street where you're at? seems like the place you got there is alright. this place seems only marginally bigger/better.
unless you're planning on putting down a shed load and the LTV is extremely low i wouldn't want to be mortgaged to the eye balls on that.

Fuck me, £775,000 and you still have to live in Leytonstone?

There are infinitely nicer and less hyped areas of London where you can get a nice house for that kind of wedge.

None matches the heady allure of Leytonstone, Pearl of The Orient. Tipped by CNN as "Up-and-coming" and the setting for the famous supermarket episode of Only Fools and Horses where there's a robber but it's a set up by the supermarket manager and Jim off Eastenders is the security guard.

£775k around me:

https://www.onthemarket.com/details/2859680/
https://www.onthemarket.com/details/2451393/

but who the fuck wants to live in bromley!?

People who live in Downham.

fair

South Catford