Worktops - which type...

[NT]

Tiled can be cheap, tough, durable. Grout gets dirty if not treated.

NT

[John Rumm]

Tiles can also be cheap, fragile, and end up cracked and chipped all over the place! Chose your tiles carefully. Normal wall tiles don't really hack it. Epoxied grout is probably a good bet as well.

[Tim Watts]

I'm thinking the way to do this would be to fit the worktop, route for the tile(s) aiming for a flush dry fit, treat with danish oil including the tile recess, *then* fit the tile with a thin layer of epoxy glue and epoxy grout. That way there would be no weak spots in the wood protection right up on the edge of the tile's grout line. Sound convincing?

[js.b1]

How did it stand up to objects being dragged on it, standing water, direct cutting (carrot stains), regular wipedown & surface disinfectant sprays?

My mother's 1984 laminate has actual abrasions through the fake block oak, and invariably has standing water until it dries. Whilst a cutting board is obvious, laminate will tolerate "mistakes" and the above "wet world" whereas I suspect solid wood could be a significant mistake.

[John Rumm]

We had a tiles worktop at mother's place once - 38mm solid chip base, with tiles bedded solidly on. Still ended up with several cracked ones over time - pans hitting them too hard, things getting dropped etc. Quarry or floor tiles might have been ok, but these were normal biscuit backed tiles and were not really man enough for the job. It also had some inset marble sections and they faired much better.

[GMM]

Well, it's lasted pretty well in my opinion but I don't drag a lot of things along worktops and wouldn't cut anything directly on any worktop made of any material. It's not uncommon for water to stand on it however and I can see no ill effects from that and wiping down doesn't do it any harm. Have never used a disinfectant spray on it, but I doubt it would do any harm: the worst that would happen would be for the Danish oil to need recoating, I should think.