Crosland Kitchen Bench-top : NZWOOD

This kitchen renovation project arose from the resident needing to lighten a former dark and space-limited kitchen.

New cupboard and pantry units were chosen with an off-white finish and doors. The bench housing the sink and around to the gas hob would be a textured stainless steel. The resident initially had granite in mind for the central island bench-top. However, coupling this with all the white cupboards and steel benches, he thought it was beginning to feel a bit like a medical laboratory. So for a warmer, lighter look, he decided to look for a timber top made from New Zealand native timbers.

Enter Kings Fourth Generation Woodworking Co Ltd. Situated in Carterton, Wairarapa, one hour north of Wellington, this company was established in 1887 by Daniel King and the business and expertise has been handed down through 3 generations to his great grandson, Peter King. The company produces solid timber bench-tops for bars, reception counters, kitchens and bathrooms from their standard range of 36 different timbers which retain their natural beauty while providing a practical and beautiful working surface.

This Generation IV™ top was constructed only from Totara. The resident visited the factory in order to work with Peter King to first design the pattern and then personally select from rough sawn lathes a range of 3 different coloured Totara woods which were then laid out in groups of 5 lathes each of the 3 colour groups separated by a single lathe of the black Swamp Totara. These were then glued and clamped together to create the top which was then cut to shape, planed and bullnose edged and then treated and prepared with the special oiled and polished finish.

The development of the latest surface coating that enhances and protects the warm timber grain beneath, is a result of 21 years development that happened alongside the company's normal work i.e. the design and building of individual kitchens. In 1992 the company decided to concentrate solely on the manufacture of their Generation IV™ tops. Since that time steady advancements have been made in the performance of the company's already famous Generation IV™ solid timber bench-tops. Step-by-step controlled in-house performance testing of the company's own designed specialist finish ensures that each and every Generation IV™ solid timber counter top is produced to the highest possible standard.

The company’s latest version of its resin-based finish also enhances and protects the timber grain beneath. As well as being waterproof the finish is:

Impervious to all household chemicals, beetroot juice, bleaches, caustic soda and colour concentration.
Heat resistant to 150ºC. This means most pots and pans can be placed directly on the surface with no effect.
Easy to clean. Spillages can be cleaned with normal cleaners. Stubborn stains can be removed with fine steel wool and methylated spirits.
Impact resistant. The surface molecules of the softer timbers, such as macrocarpa, are made denser by the application of a special primer. The resin surface is also flexible to ensure it doesn’t crack when heavy items are dropped on it.
Easily repaired. Heavy ruptures to the surface can be repaired by filling and polishing.

Location:

Carterton, Wairarapa, New Zealand