If you are planning a kitchen refurbishment, you will need to choose a worktop material. Laminate vs Solid wood? The decision is not necessarily an easy one. Whilst laminate worktops are a lot cheaper than solid wood, well looked after timber worktops will last a lot longer. Hardwood worktops are, obviously, made from solid wood. Most of the varieties available are made from woods such as iroko, walnut, oak, bamboo, beech, maple and zebrano, all of which are hardwearing and totally natural. Laminate worktops are constructed from synthetic materials, made to resemble the appearance of materials such as wood, granite or stone. Both will need treating around the sink area to prevent excess water causing damage.When you fit a solid wood worktop, you need to make sure it is well oiled and correctly treated immediately. Once installed and treated, a solid wood worktop should be re-treated, and rubbed down if necessary, every six months. On the other hand, there is no need for any initial or ongoing treatment with laminates. This might make them a good option if you want a low maintenance solution. However, a laminate worktop will not give you such stylish appeal in the long term.