- Ca la Donna Furniture Warburton 3799 Victoria, Australia
A Tasmanian Oak benchtop in the workshop, mid glue-up.
Ca La Donna
Solid Australian hardwood benchtops, built to your kitchen plan.
We build kitchen benchtops in Blackwood, Tasmanian Oak, Messmate, Victorian Ash and Jarrah, reclaimed where possible. Made to your measurements, finished by hand, delivered to your Melbourne kitchen.
No veneer, no MDF, no engineered substitute. A timber benchtop done properly will be the warmest surface in the house and the one you point at when guests walk in.
How we finish it
Three coats of food-safe hard wax oil, cured between coats. All six sides sealed – top, bottom, edges and end-grain. Repairable on site with the small bottle of oil we send home with every benchtop. Sand and re-oil at the 8 to 10 year mark and it looks new again.
Options
Indicative Pricing – Per Linear Metre
40mm thick, 720mm deep, one sink cut-out, square or soft round-over edge. Delivered Melbourne metro.
Mitred returns, waterfall ends, multi-species islands and extra-wide benchtops quoted individually.
We will get back to you within 24 hours
Timbers we work in
Tasmanian Oak
Pale honey – 5.5 kN – from $1,800/lm
Even grain, clean look. Lifts a darker cabinet palette. Available in long clear lengths for island runs.
Blackwood
Warm brown – 5.0 kN – from $2,400/lm
Statement timber. Deep golden-brown with figure. The benchtop you want guests to notice. Pairs with brass tapware and sage cabinetry.
Messmate
Mid-brown – 7.4 kN – from $1,950/lm
Strong character. Gum vein and bold grain. The toughest of the group under daily kitchen abuse. Industrial-rustic at home in a Yarra Valley kitchen.
Victorian Ash
Light blonde – 4.9 kN – from $1,800/lm
Almost identical to Tas Oak, slightly lighter. Available in the longest clear lengths – the best choice for island benches over 3 metres.
Jarrah
Deep red-brown – 8.5 kN – from $2,600/lm
Dense, distinctive, and the boldest timber on the list. We recommend Jarrah for accent islands rather than full kitchens, unless you love the colour.
All prices indicative for a 40mm thick, 720mm deep benchtop. Bring your cabinet sample to the workshop and we will lay boards in your light before you decide.
How we build them
1. Plans or measure. Send us cabinet drawings or we visit and measure on site.
2. Boards selected. Hand-picked for figure and colour match. You approve the timber before we start.
3. Build. Edge-jointed solid timber, biscuit and glue, clamped overnight. Photos along the way.
4. Finishing. Three coats of hard wax oil, fully cured between coats.
5. Cut-outs. Sink and cooktop templated to your fittings, end-grain sealed.
6. Delivery. Delivered Melbourne-wide, hand-off to your installer.
Indicative kitchen pricing
Small kitchen
2.4m run, no island
Tas Oak $4,500 – $5,200
Blackwood $5,800 – $6,800
Medium kitchen
3.6m + 1.8m island, two cut-outs
Tas Oak $9,800 – $11,500
Blackwood $12,500 – $14,500
Large kitchen
4.8m + 2.4m island with waterfall
Tas Oak $14,500 – $17,000
Blackwood $18,500 – $22,000
All prices include board selection, fabrication, hand finishing, and Melbourne metro delivery. Installation by your kitchen installer or a Yarra Valley installer we can recommend.
Common questions
Will a timber benchtop warp or split?
Not if it is built and installed right. We acclimatise boards in the workshop, finish all six sides, and seal end-grain around cut-outs. The maintenance oil we send home covers the rest. Splits happen when end-grain is left raw or sinks dropped in without sealing. We do not do either.
Can I put a hot pan straight on it?
No. Use a trivet. Timber forgives most things but heat will scorch the finish.
How often does it need re-oiling?
A wipe with hard wax oil every 12 to 18 months in normal use, or sooner around the sink. Takes ten minutes. The whole benchtop can be sanded back and refinished in a day at the 8 to 10 year mark and look new again.
Can you match an existing kitchen?
Yes. Bring a photo and a sample. We will match species and finish closely. Exact colour matches across timber batches are not possible – timber is timber.
Do you do timber and stone combinations?
Yes – timber islands with stone perimeter benchtops is a common request. We build the timber half, your stonemason builds the rest.
Can the benchtop go around a corner?
Yes – we can mitre, or specify a butt-joint with a contrasting timber strip. Mitred timber benchtops are tricky to do well; we have done many and the joint detail matters.