[angryhippie]

Hopefully someone on here can help me with a counter top delma. We are looking at doing a Numerar Oak counter. Total length would be 84", so the 73x39" section won't work properly, especially since there is a 24" dishwasher and a 24" sink right in the middle of the section. Does anyone have any ideas on here on how to extend the counter top out for comfortable sitting.

On a separate note, I've been reading about the finishs for wood on here and I have a couple questions.
1) what is the difference between Waterlox and Tung Oil, and which does everyone prefer
2) is it best to oil both sides and all exposed edges, or simply the top and the sides, not worrying about the bottom.

[NBeth]

Our biggest counter is about 110" long and 39" wide. It is interrupted by our slide in range. We used two of the big wide chunks, with the biggest piece spanning the range cutout and about 68" long (see my gallery for pictures of the joint). That put the seam in an acceptable place. Kinda painful to have such a big leftover chunk but we've used some of it in other ways and may yet find a use for the rest. Think about where you want the cutouts and where seams would fit and plan accordingly.

I totally believe in treating all sides, cut edges, etc., to minimize the potential for uneven warping. Each side/edge needs multiple coats.

As far as what to treat with, I'm on the fence. Our counters are a mixture of Ikea's Behandla and the Waterlox original sealer and finish. The Waterlox is totally waterproof and the Behandla is also fairly water resistant with proper application. Both are quite attractive, though the Behandla feels and looks more natural. Waterlox is the way to feel safe around the sink: I would do the cutouts and nearby bits with it no matter what else I used. Behandla (made of tung, linseed, etc.) needs to be reapplied/touched up every few months and I believe the other natural options are similar. Waterlox stinks going on; Behandla doesn't. But both dry scentless.

At the totally emotional level, I like my Behandla areas best and I do not mind working on them once in while. I sometimes find it hard to set aside the time but always enjoy doing it once I get going. But I love all my wooden counters and I'm so glad we got them!

[gleamingeye]

We just put in the oak counters, and I used Dark pure tung oil from The Real Milk Paint company. I put about 6 coats total, but only on the top and exposed side. We did polyurethane the the sink cut-out. It's only been a little over a month, but they look and feel great. The dark tung oil made them a darker, which I like. And they feel so good!

If you decide to go with the tung oil, I can tell you what I learned along the way.

I'll tell the pros/cons so far:
pros:
looks and feels lovely, natural
water beads up on it and it's easy to take care of.
when food drops on it, I don't worry about safety and let the kids eat it anyway.
easy to apply and it smells fabulous when I do!

cons:
I do wipe up water spots after washing dishes- for me, this is no big deal, but it might be more trouble for others.
I scooted my new plates across the surface and it did make a scratch on the surface-- I oiled it out.

If you have any more questions, let me know!

I didn't answer about the overhang, because for some reason I'm having trouble visualizing it. sorry.

[angryhippie]

Does anyone else have any ideas for how to extend the bar?

[DesignDiva]

Perhaps the Numerar isn't the right countertop...you can get longer lengths from other sources. Lumber Liquidators for one.