Wooden Kitchen worktop

Hi there,

My first post .

I bought a house that has a wooden kitchen worktop. It looks a little like the first work top in the following image:



My problem is that I'm getting a black mould (I think) appearing on top of the work top. It's becoming very difficult to get rid of and I need something to protect the wood going forwards. Does anyone have any recommendations? Any help that you can provide me with would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Hi Griffen

You don't say if the worktop has been finished in oil or some form of lacquer/varnish, nor whether the mould is forming on the surface is inside the timber (or for that matter beneath any finish). Could you please supply this information as you've given insufficient info to make a diagnosis possible

Scrit

The worktop has been finished in an oil I think (sorry I'm not that great at DIY) but want to learn. The mould is forming on the surface.

Image of Mould


Worktop Surface


If you need any further information please let me know.

Bear in mind that I can't see the top or it's location, but that worktop looks awfully like the oil has been lost and the mould is in unprotected wood, possibly as a result of standing water, which may well be water which has pooled after condensing on the tiled flat area behind the worktop.

I'd suggest stripping back the area(s) where the black stain is with P120 grit aluminium oxide sanding paper, following the direction of the grain and feathering the edges of the sanded area(s). Next treat the affected area(s) with oxallic acid (available in crystal form from good chemists, trade paint suppliers, finishing houses such as Morrell's, Bollom's, etc) taking care to wash-off and thoroughly dry the treated area. If one treatment is insufficient it may require a second or even a third treatment to remove some staining. Once dry resand with P120, P180 and finally P220 and blow off any dust thoroughly before re-oiling the affected area 3 of 4 times. If you are unsure which oil to use, I'd suggest either going for a worktop oil (such as Junkers or Liberon - available from finishers houses, trade paint suppliers and some flooring suppliers) or a polymerised tung oil. Put each coat on fairly liberally, but wipe off the excess which hasn't soaked in within about 30 minutes of application (depends on the oil used, driers, etc - see tin for details).

For future reference the tops need to be cleaned and dried then re-oiled a couple of times a year and any area where damp or condensation can form needs to be checked and dried thoroughly and possibly given extra coats of oil to help keep it waterproof.

Scrit

Scrit, that certainly looks like standing water damage, but it looks like it's next to the taps. I think this is where modern fashion fails. Taps used to be mounted on a surface which wasn't affected by water, and the worktops were separate and often designed to drain quickly. Houses were also nice and draughty, so water was able to evaporate easier

to add further assuming the worktop is level
this area by virtue of the repair is likly to be slightly concave and pool water

also the area assuming it is beside the taps looks like an area where damp cloths or soap dishes or simmilar are layed
perhaps this can be moved to the tiles or other area to prevent a re-occurance

oilman said:

I think this is where modern fashion fails. Taps used to be mounted on a surface which wasn't affected by water, and the worktops were separate and often designed to drain quickly.

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That is of course perfectly correct - I certainly recall taps being mounted on a tiled splashback in the wall. I also recall my mother scrubbing the wooden (sycamore) drainers and the indtructions never to leave damp cloths, draining dishes, bars of soap, etc. on the worktop - always dried up and put away immediately or a clip ropunfd the ear! (and that was in the 1960s)

oilman said:

Houses were also nice and draughty, so water was able to evaporate easier

Click to expand...

Yes. We had a long running thread about a basement kitchen with naff all ventilation and a blocked-up fireplace not so long back.......

Scrit

Heaven help us with the hermetically sealed, pressure tested houses that building regs now demand. Still I suppose people will be warm as they die from fungal spores.