Kitchen Work Surface Edging

[gbcambridge]

Hi,
we have.. and plan to keep .. a work surface of ceramic tiles. Easy to clean, heat proof, etc. It does what we need.
However, there is a 40 mm wooden edging trip which is bonded to the work surface. In total it is about 35 feet of fluted profile. This seems to suffer from all the slips, cuts, grazes and so on which never effect the tiles. The result is that it is looking a bit tired and needs renovation.
It is currently varnished, which has chipped badly.
Can anyone recommend a treatment which we could use and which will withstand the rigors of kitchen use.
At the moment I am thinking of stripping with a chemical stripper ans starting again... but with what?

Thanks for the help

George

 

[foxhole]

Rip it off and replace with a plastic trim to match the tole or better aluminium flat strip.

 

[gbcambridge]

Rip it off and replace with a plastic trim to match the tole or better aluminium flat strip.

Hi,
we thought of that..my prefernce was for the alu... but the stuff is bonded with some resin grout to the tiles and is fluted to match the rest of the kitchen units. If pulled it off we would never get a matching grout filler.

I am "happy" to put in the elbow grease to remove the current varnish and get it back to the wood...but then what?

Help!

 

[Harbourwoodwork]

I would stay away from chemicals too many vunerable surfaces,remove the varish mecanically by hand using sander paper or scraper ,don't bother getting right into the fluting, its too much bother,but before re coating do a test patch on the fulting for a reaction,if all's OK re coat with polyurethene varnish but your going to need a lot of coats to get a good result you need high build

 

[gbcambridge]

I would stay away from chemicals too many vunerable surfaces,remove the varish mecanically by hand using sander paper or scraper ,don't bother getting right into the fluting, its too much bother,but before re coating do a test patch on the fulting for a reaction,if all's OK re coat with polyurethene varnish but your going to need a lot of coats to get a good result you need high build

What do you think of doing what you said but staining the wood before varnishing? The varnish on there now, when it gets chipped, is showing much lighter than the rest.. so makes it very clear that is chipped!

 

[Harbourwoodwork]

If you get enough coats on about ten at least ,chipping wont be a problem unless you have sharp edges I would avoid stain in this context ,it could bleed into th grout or exagerate imperfectiones and it's only skin deep in the end.

 

[gbcambridge]

If you get enough coats on about ten at least ,chipping wont be a problem unless you have sharp edges I would avoid stain in this context ,it could bleed into th grout or exagerate imperfectiones and it's only skin deep in the end.

Oh Lord...not an evening job then. Any preferred poly varnish for kitchens?

 

[Harbourwoodwork]

If you get enough coats on about ten at least ,chipping wont be a problem unless you have sharp edges I would avoid stain in this context ,it could bleed into th grout or exagerate imperfectiones and it's only skin deep in the end.

Oh Lord...not an evening job then. Any preferred poly varnish for kitchens?

any good trade brand

 

[foxhole]

Coarse grade wire wool will get into flutes.