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Fix it Benchtop maintenance
Beautify your benchtop These budget-friendly kitchen benchtop revamps are easy to achieve, even for the non-handy among us
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s one of the hardest working areas in the house, it’s hardly surprising kitchen benchtops get a hammering. If replacing them isn’t an option for you, try a speedy refresh – for a fraction of the cost.
Words Caroline Botting. Photography Tim Williams, styling Alice Pearson
HI HO TIMBER! A timber benchtop adds character and warmth to a kitchen, but no matter how well it’s sealed, watermarks, steam, dings and heat can all take their toll. “Timber benchtops help to create a natural, rustic look and feel for the home. But moisture and water can seep in and discolour timber and create an uneven or stained surface,” explains Brenna Mathews, senior brand manager at Cabot’s. If your benchtop has an oil coating, sand it back and reapply oil with a paintbrush, giving each coat at least 12 hours to dry. In between coats, lightly sand with 240-grit sandpaper and wipe away dust. Don’t clean the benchtop with water or any other liquid for at least 10 days. This should be done once a year. If your benchtop was previously coated, first thoroughly clean the surface with Cabot’s Floor Clean and allow it to dry. Next, do a test patch with Cabot’s Benchtop Clear. “Allow it to dry for 24 hours. Then press sticky tape down firmly to the surface and pull off quickly. If the coating comes off, sand the bench back fully before applying the first coat,” Brenna says. Apply the product with a good quality brush and short nap roller in the direction of the grain, then allow to dry for at least two hours. Lightly sand with 240-grit sandpaper, remove dust and apply two more coats, following the same process. “Additional coats give additional durability,” says Brenna, who advises inspecting your benchtop every 12 months to check for wear and tear, and recoat if needed.
Bamboo benchtop
Kaboodle 2400mm x 600mm x 35mm bamboo benchtop, $549, I/N: 2662191, ‘Alpine’ drawer panels and cabinet doors in Black Olive, and ‘Mushroom’ 27mm knobs in Matt Black, $5.62 each, I/N: 2667730
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1 Cabot’s ‘Floor Clean’ interior timber cleaner, $28.50/1L, I/N: 0192174. 2 Cabot’s ‘Benchtop Clear’ gloss timber finish, $51.20/1L, I/N: 1520591. 3 Monarch 160mm S/frame mini microfibre roller, $12.37, I/N: 1670300. 4 Flexovit 115mm 240-grit painted surface sandpaper roll, $24.91/15m, I/N: 1210439. 5 Kaboodle 2400mm x 600mm x 36mm timber benchtop in Hevea, $389, I/N: 0082263. 6 Monarch ‘Advance Plus’ 50mm synthetic paintbrush, $25.98, I/N: 1664518. Some products are not available in all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered.
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