Our Ash Worktops from Worktop Express (And How we Fit Them!)

It’s no secret that I love wood. I love our wooden floorboards, I love our solid oak wardrobe, I even love my rustic pallet seating. Wood is a great material to work with for DIYers, it can be renovated and refurbished in the years to come and if looked after properly – it can truly last a lifetime. Just look at our victorian floorboards which are well over 100 years old! It’s also affordable if you’re on a budget like us, but it also still has that luxurious feel. So when it came to buying a kitchen worktop, wood was the obvious choice for us and we knew exactly where to shop for it – Worktop Express!

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Why Worktop-Express?

You may know that we actually purchased our kitchen from DIY-Kitchens, so you may be wondering why we didn’t buy our worktops from them? Personally, we felt their variety of wooden worktops was quite slim and, to be honest, we also felt their prices just weren’t that competitive either. We’d bought from Worktop Express in our old house, so we had experience using them before and I knew they had a really large range of different woods and at a great value too!

As well as having a fantastic range of different woods, I also knew they offered a bespoke cutting service*. This means you can literally create a template to send them and they will cut everything to size, including any sink, tap or hob cut-outs. It means the worktops can turn up and literally be placed straight into position, perfect for those who don’t want to DIY but still want to save on expensive carpenter costs.

We ended up cutting half of our worktops ourselves, whilst also using the bespoke cutting service for the sink cut out. But I’ll explain our reasons behind all of that in a bit!

Choosing a Wooden Worktop

Since we’d decided to go dark on our kitchen doors, I knew I wanted to go light on the worktops. I ordered a range of samples from Worktop Express and the Ash worktop* sample stood out to me instantly. It’s very siilar to oak, has a gorgeous grain, but a little lighter and perhaps more modern looking. It was also one of the more affordable varieties of woods they offer.

Here’s a quick look at the samples I ordered – From Top Left to Bottom Right we have: Beech, Rubberwood, Bamboo, Maple and finally Ash.

And here’s a close up of Ash worktop. It’s actually lighter than it appears in the photo above. I personally absolutely love the grain of this wood!

How to cut a Wooden Worktop – DIY!

To save money, we decided to cut the worktops along the left-hand side of the kitchen (the cooker side!) ourselves. The reason for just doing this side and not the other one, is because these cuts are all relatively simple – by which I mean they’re all straight cuts which can be done with tools we already own. The other side of the kitchen requires a Belfast sink cut-out which requires a router and a special template, neither of which we own.

We’d cut the worktops in our old house ourselves and thankfully, there were no disasters, so we knew this was a DIY we could do. We purchased a 4m length of ash worktop and using our laser distance measurer we were able to take exact measurements to cut the worktop into the sizes we needed. If you don’t have a laser measure, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend you get one – they’re incredibly accurate (more so than using a normal tape measure!), they’re easier to use (particularly when alone!) and they generally just speed up the job. It will change your life, trust me.

To use a laser distance measure, you hold the laser flat against the edge of the last cabinet on your run and simply point the laser at a piece of wood held on the other end (or in our case, the tall end panel). It will then calculate the distance in-between, to the exact mm.

Now do bear in mind, that if the worktop is at the end of a run, (which I mean, the last cabinet) you may potentially want to add an overhang on the end of the worktop to match any overhang you have at the front. We’ve opted for a 25mm overhang, so added that onto our measurement before cutting.

To cut the worktop, Grant used a Plunge Saw which works on a track so you know you’re getting a straight cut every single time. You almost can’t go wrong. Unless of course, you measure it wrong. Hence the laser measure – seriously, go get one!

You’ll want to make sure you’re using a fine blade for wood and always do a test cut first on an off-cut (or your sample piece) to ensure the cut isn’t going to be rough.

We propped the worktop up with some spare insulation boards so we were able to cut the worktop whilst on the floor in our hallway. Propping the worktop up off the ground ensures the blade of the saw won’t cut into the floor, obviously!

For the second worktop we needed on this side of the kitchen, we needed to make a cut-out for the worktop to sit around our pillar. To do this, we created a cardboard template first, just to make sure the cut was correct first! We then used a jigsaw to cut this out. I say we, but it was Grant doing all the cutting, although I was fully responsible for all the measuring. A jigsaw will leave a much rougher cut, but as this is cut will be against the wall – it will be hidden by an upstand.

Other things to note – you may want to leave a small 2mm gap between a worktop and the edge of a cooker. This will allow for expansion. We’ve added some clear sealant over this, so don’t worry, you won’t get bits of food lost down there!

Using the Worktop Express Bespoke Cutting Service

For the other side of the kitchen (the sink side), we used Worktop-Express’s bespoke cutting service*. A belfast sink cut-out is quite complicated as you need a router, a template and a bit of skill. We don’t have any of those and our first ever attempt at using a router definitely was not going to be on a £300+ bit of worktop. Hell no! We also wanted to have draining grooves added to the worktop, which would have been an additional template to buy as well – so, all in all, it worked out much cheaper to get Worktop Express to cut the worktop for us! Plus, it meant there’s no worry about it going wrong!

In order to use the bespoke cutting service, you need to be able to draw up a template. If you’ve had your kitchen designed for you, you may already have these measurements but if you’ve designed it yourself, you may not. Depending on the layout of your kitchen and what cuts you’re after, this can either be really simple or a bit more complex. However in both cases, it is achieveable – you’ll just want to check your measurements about 1000 times before submitting the order, because you definitely don’t want to get this wrong.

How to Template A Worktop for a Belfast Sink Cut Out

In our case, we only had a relatively small section of worktop to template, however the process is going to be the same regardless. The first thing you need to establish is the overall length of worktop. We used our trust laser measure for this, taking measurements from one end of the cabinet to the other. We then added an additional 5cm, this is to cover the overhang on either side (2 x 25mm). Draw this up and make sure you label it well.

Next up, we had to position the cut-out for the Belfast sink. You’ll need to take into consideration any overhang of worktop around the sink as well – which I strongly recommend to ensure any water from the worktop drains into the sink and not onto the edge of the sink, which could cause all kind of issues. The overhang we’ve gone for around the sink is 1.5cm.

We measured the distance from the end of the cabinet to the inner edge of the sink, then added on 1.5cm (the overhang). This gave us the left-hand side measurement for where to make the cut.

We then repeated this for the right-hand side and did the same to determine the width of the cut too. For the width, you’ll need to account for any overhang of the worktop at the front as well. You’ll see I’ve circled the important numbers!

If you’re looking for a hole for the tap, you’ll need to know the diameter of that hole – but luckily you don’t need to take measurements for its position, as you can simply select “align with sink” when you input the diagram to Worktop Express. You will, however, need to specify how far from the back edge of the worktop you’d like it to be. I recommend checking the spout on your tap for this – if you go too far back from the sink, it may not actually reach into the sink.

Finally, if you’re looking for drainage grooves too, the good news is, these can also be automatically aligned! All you need to specify is their length, we’ve gone for 45cm, which is apparently the “standard” recommended length.

Once you’ve got this all drawn up, I then recommend cutting some large sheets of card to size to make a ‘mock up’ of the worktop. You’ll be able to see exactly how it’ll look and check everything’s right before submitting the order. .

Once you’re happy with your template, you can use Worktop Express’s online design tool* to create a diagram to send them. Once the order has gone through, you’ll then be sent a final diagram to check over and reconfirm before the worktop is cut. At this stage, you can still make alterations or request any extras.

Adding a Drip Groove Around a Belfast Sink

One thing I added as an extra, which wasn’t available from the order page, was a drip groove. This is basically a groove on the underside of the worktop which is cut to go around the perimeter of the sink. This acts as a ‘break’ in the worktop, meaning any water that splashes against the edge of the worktop will drip off once it hits the drip groove.

Without a drip groove, there’s the potential for water to run along the underside of the worktop (NOT drip off) and could just ‘sit there’ – which is ultimately bad for the worktop and may lead to rot etc.

Our drip groove is a 5mm wide line, cut 5mm away from the edge of the sink cut out. Remember to leave a gap from the front of the worktop, otherwise the cut will be visible from the front edge. Hopefully this diagram explains it better:

I actually adding a drop groove should be something you can select on their online tool because from everything I researched online, it seemed highly recommended by carpenters! It only added £20 extra to the order, so well worth it, I think!

Here’s the final diagram they sent for us to confirm. I love that you also get to keep all the off-cuts as well, as I definitely have some DIYs planned for ours.

We had all our fingers and toes crossed for the worktop to fit when it arrived and it did! We’d measured it perfect to the mm, thank the lord! Although we weren’t quite jumping for joy too soon, as the drainage grooves had actually been cut too short. Thankfully Worktop Express came back to collect the worktop, recut the grooves and returned back to us within a few days!

The only downside to note, was that I was only able to contact Customer Service through email, so it was a little on the slow side. I did try to phone, but no one ever called me back and I phoned no less than three times! It did get sorted through email, but meant going back and forth with replies and in my opinion would have been much faster over the phone. Really though, I was just being impatient and just wanted the damn worktop in the kitchen, haha!

Now we had a worktop we could finally fit our kitchen tap! We had to prop the worktop up and work in a tiiiiiiiny space to get it all connected up. As belfast sinks are so deep, you can’t really get much access to the pipes behind, like you would with a regular sink. Arms just aren’t long enough! I’m not sure how else you’re meant to reach round for connecting – but this was our solution.

Creating a Window Sill With Leftover Kitchen Upstands

Because our walls aren’t straight, we annoyingly had a sizeable gap between the back of the worktop and the wall at one end of the kitchen. We knew this was going to be an issue before the worktops arrived and we’d thought long and hard about how to resolve the issue before placing the order.

Part of the gap sits underneath the window, so we decided to create a window sill using some upstand to hide that section. With the section we couldn’t hide with a window sill, we decided to screw a very small piece of extra worktop onto the back. Yes it’s a little makeshift and not ideal, but it saved us a fortune doing it this way. The alternative was to order a wider worktop and then scribe it to the wall. But this woud have added an extra £100 and we’d have only cut most of the extra width off!

I think this solution worked quite well and in my opinion, the window sill actually looks quite smart!

Oiling Wooden Worktops

The worktop which we had cut-to-size came pre-oiled, but the ones we cut ourselves came raw. Before we could screw them into position, we needed to oil them. We used Rustins Danish Oil* for this, which was recommended by Worktop Express themselves. We oiled all four sides of the worktop with two coats using a lint-free cloth, making sure to only use a light application each time.

The oil definitely darkened the wood slightly, but it really brought out the grain and gave a beautiful shine to the worktop. Having used the worktops for a while now, I think the oil is really quite good and it lasts a fair amount of time, so I definitely do recommend it!

Fitting Kitchen Upstands

Along with our worktops, we also purchased some matching Ash upstands. I personally prefer the look of upstands over tiles, and because upstands are thicker than tiles, they’re also great for covering up any gaps too! In fact, it’s recommended to leave a small gap between wooden worktops and the wall to account for any expansion.

We cut the upstands to size using a mitre saw and I then oiled three sides of the upstand (leaving the back un-oiled), before fitting. I was worried if I oiled the back, it wouldn’t stick the wall properly, hence why I left that side. To fit the upstands, I simply used some strong adhesive* and pressed it onto the wall. If your walls aren’t straight, I recommend clamping the wood to firmly press it onto the wall.

Applying Sealant To Wooden Worktops

The last thing to use some clear kitchen sealant between the upstand and the worktop, so that no spillages can run into that gap. I also used a flexible nozzle and put some sealant in-between the sink and the worktop too. This just provides a proper seal, so should there be any water splashing – it won’t get through there either.

Our Wood Worktops A Few Months On…

I absolutely love our Ash worktops and genuinely couldn’t be happier with them! Visually, they’re exactly what I wanted, quality-wise, they’re fantastic and as for durability, well so far, we’ve had absolutely zero issues!

I should mention that with wooden worktops you do need to be careful not to burn them (ie don’t put hot pans directly on there!) and it’s also recommended to mop up any spillages as soon as possible, so as not to stain the surface. As I say, we’ve had no issues yet (touch wood!) and so far, they haven’t been much work to maintain. I try to re-oil around the sink monthly and oil the rest of the worktops every 6-months, although this may change as the wood should build up oil/protection over time and should need less maintenance in time.

The only thing I will say is that I don’t totally rate the draining grooves. By which I mean, they don’t really drain all that well. The water just kind of sits in the grooves and it doesn’t run off quickly enough, I usually end up having to manually force the water down and into the sink with a cloth. Ideally, you don’t want water sitting on a wooden worktop for too long, so we don’t really use them anymore. Instead, we use an absorbent drying mat from Lakeland* which I find works much better for us. I’m still glad I went for them as I do love the look of them – but yes, they’re kinda pointless!

Cost-wise, these worktops were still fairly pricey coming in at £600 total, but that’s a heck less than the cost of natural stone and personally, I think they’re worth every penny!

Buying from Worktop Express also saved us money on installation as we didn’t need to buy any new tools and their bespoke cut-to-size service actually worked out much cheaper than buying those tools. It also made DIY-installation soooo much easier (stress-wise and work-wise!!) and we’re also really pleased with the quality of worktop too! So yeah, I definitely recommend checking them out if you’re looking for a new kitchen worktop!

I’d love to know what you think – is DIY worktop fitting something you’d consider?

Total Cost for Our Ash Worktops and Installation

(rounded to the nearest pound)  
New Tools Purchased:
None

Materials Used:
Upstands £75
Worktops £553
Danish Oil £25  

Total: £653

*This post contains affiliate links where an asterisk (*) is used.