“After some trials and errors, we came up with the solution. A core of particleboard and a layer of solid wood on the outside – or thick veneer,” says Johnny. “It’s a combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern manufacturing methods. Paper-thin veneer has been used in fine, decorative furniture making for centuries, but for our worktops we’re using a much thicker layer of wood.” The thick veneer makes the surface hardwearing, and it saves raw material – a lot of it. From the same amount of wood needed to make one solid worktop, it’s possible to produce five thick veneer worktops.
KARLBY Countertop, oak/veneer, 98x1 1/2 "
Price $ 259.00
How to get it
Available services
It's OK to change your mind
Low Price Guarantee
Price drops? Get the difference back within 90 days with IKEA Family
More ways to pay
Checking payment options...
Product features
25 year limited warranty
Thick veneer worktops combines the best of solid wood and veneer. With efficient use of natural resources, it offers a unique pattern and a durable surface that can be sanded. Available to take home today.
Article Number903.352.11
Product details
25-year Limited Warranty. Read about the terms in the Limited Warranty brochure.
The worktop is made of particle board covered with a top layer of solid wood. This method allows us to use less wood in production.
You can cut the worktop to the length you want and cover the edges with the included edging strip.
Countertop with a thick oak veneer, a durable natural material that can be sanded and surface treated when required.
Layer construction adds stability and makes the countertop less sensitive to humidity, thus, less likely to bend, split or crack than solid wood.
For quick installation and easy maintenance the countertop is pre-treated with hard wax oil.
The countertop has a narrow stave design that gives it a timeless and versatile look that complements both modern and traditional kitchens.
Designer
IKEA of Sweden
Good to know
Oak is an exceedingly strong and durable hardwood with a prominent grain. It darkens beautifully with age acquiring a golden-brown undertone.
Not suitable for use in damp rooms.
Please note that the actual colors of our products may vary slightly from the colors shown online.
Not suitable for outdoor use.
Every worktop is unique, with varying grain pattern and natural color shifts that are part of the charm of wood.
Materials and care
Material
- Top/ Edge:
- Thick oak veneer, Oil-acrylic
- Back side:
- Laminate
- Main parts:
- Particleboard
Care
Areas where the countertop may dry out, such as edges and areas around the sink and cooktop, require frequent treatment.
The worktop surface is pre-treated at the factory with hard wax oil. Due to the nature of the material, treat the edges and cut-outs with wood treatment oil, prior to installation.
To ensure that your worktop ages gracefully, treat it regularly with wood treatment oil; it gives the surface a beautiful sheen, protects the wood and prolongs the life of the worktop.
Safety and compliance
Supporting legs are required when an overhang exceeds 10". The maximum distance between these legs should not be more than 32".
Assembly and documents
Assembly instructions
KARLBY Countertop903.352.11Measurements
- Length: 98 "
- Depth: 25 5/8 "
- Thickness: 1 1/2 "
- Thickness, veneer: 1/8 "
Packaging
KARLBY
Article Number903.352.11- Width: 26 "
- Height: 1 ¾ "
- Length: 100 ½ "
- Weight: 86 lb 15 oz
- Package(s): 1
Reviews
Great productAndreaGreat product, great quality and look
Quality declineErikaI bought this countertop about 4 years ago and the top was smooth as butter and has been great. Just ordered another one to finish off my office and the surface is extremely patchy and rough. I'm disappointed in either the lack of quality control or that Ikea just isn't what it used to be. Even as a cheaper, mass-produced, sustainable alternative to real wood, the quality of their products has declined to the point where I will take my larger furniture choices elsewhere from now on.
Works great for desk surfacePromitI got the baser 74x1 1/2 " model 5 years ago, and bought standing desk legs separately. Zero sag even with JBL monitor speakers, multiple books, and a 40 inch ultrawide 4k monitor (previously 2 34 inch 4k monitors) after 5 years.
Can't speak for how it does as a kitchen top, but as a desk, it's been phenomenal.
Sturdy and good qualitySallyUsing this as a desk top. Works well.
Perfect JohnThis countertop is perfect for our space. It is a rich warm brown and is super durable. We cannot wait to do the rest of the kitchen.
Great product FranciscoI have over a year we this products and they are on a great chape. I move 2s and this steel strong and looking beautiful
Stop and thinkSarahThis is only $40 chapter than a solid butcher block of the same size and wood type. Do you really want strips of wood for your edges and a thin easy to crack surface instead? Why? Just why? I purchased this because I was an idiot and confused the word veneer with laminate. I wanted durable low maintenance. Instead I got the opposite. I drove an hour and a half thinking this was special and paid $50 for delivery. Since ikea didn't install in my area I had to hire someone. There are scratches and cracks that likely happened as he made cuts. NOT durable. While the edges sanded pretty well, you can see an unnatural pattern connecting the pieces on edge strips. Think twice!
Great desktop piece!VanessaUsed as a desktop. Looks great!!
IS NOT SOLID WOODHervinIS NOT SOLID WOOD
Nice quality and very sturdyAnonymous reviewerIt’s very thick and heavy, which worked well for the desk I was building. It has not chipped or scratched in any way. The wood design looks very nice and is a highlight in the room!
Arrived broken. SusanOrder back in December for an office renovation this weekend. Just brought it into the house and the corner is crushed. First ikea purchase in 10 years and most likely my last. Hope when we open the Havsta cabinets tomorrow they aren’t crushed/damaged as well.
Great Countertop!MaryI purchased two of these for a new home office and am so glad I did! We installed them on top of the Sektion Maximera base cabinets. A couple things to keep in mind. As is, the countertop didn't appear to be especially waterproof or smooth sanded. While we weren't going to use the countertop in a kitchen, I still wanted it to be protected so I sanded it to 220 grit and then used Odie's oil (2 coats) to seal it. Odie's is food grade and has no chemicals. It really brought out the beautiful walnut grain!
Also, there were some complaints about the included veneer end strip not staying adhered. I followed a tip from from woodworkers using wood glue and a dry iron. It worked like a dream! Search "using wood glue to adhere veneer."
Also, that veneer strip was super thick! Great quality for sure.
Better than expectedFugiThis counter top was exactly what I wanted. Good quality, perfect size and beautiful.
Defective "zebra stripes" finishMattThe countertop's finish was defective.
Numerous sections of the veneer had a "zebra strip" appearance, probably due to incorrect applications of the veneer or a problem with the finishing.
I'm disappointed that a countertop with this many obvious flaws would slip through Ikea's QA.
It wasn't just one small spot - it was five or six spots, covering at least a fifth of the countertop's total surface.
I would caution against ordering this if you can't easily return it to the store.
Excellent product PeterGood economical material for use as kitchen countertop.
Not durable JacksonIt scratches easily and dents if you look at it wrong. Other than that its pretty and fairly easy to install. But this isn't high quality. This is a quick fix or make a quick switch in looks type of product. Disappointed in how easily it can dent and scratch. Whatever protective oil or conditioner that comes on it is trash and needs to be upgraded quickly.
Great itemRyanBest for work desk
Great for a sewing tableSusanPaired it with two Alex drawers to make sewing table. Very sturdy and great with all the drawers right next to me.
Karlby counter topMarilynExcellent top for a lift desk in office.
BeautifulShariWe renovated our kitchen and used this as the top for our coffee bar!
Customer reviews
3.8Average rating
649Reviews
SustainabilityPeople and planet
Sustainable life at home
Better countertops with fewer trees
At IKEA we have a tradition of trying to utilize materials in the best possible way. For our countertops in thick veneer it means that we combine old craftsmanship with modern manufacturing methods. It makes the countertops easier to install, more stable and more resistant to humidity compared to solid countertops. And since we use the whole tree – even the crooked branches and the small twigs – we can save natural resources too.
Story
Better worktops by using wood smartly
Wood is a precious natural resource. Even though it’s a renewable material it needs to be handled responsibly. One way to do it, is to use the wood more efficiently. That’s what we do with our kitchen worktops in thick wood veneer.
“At IKEA we have a tradition of trying to utilize the materials we have in the best possible way,” says Johnny Rietz, who’s been involved in developing the kitchen worktops in thick veneer. The work started in 2008 when IKEA founder, Ingvar Kamprad, visited one of our suppliers and asked a simple question that took some time to answer: ‘How can we make this product using fewer trees?’
Less is more
No wood is wasted
Another advantage with this production technique is that you can use the whole tree; the stem as surface, and scrap bits – curvy, bent branches and small twigs – for the particleboard on the inside. The end result is a worktop that is every bit as genuine as solid wood, only more stable and more resistant to humidity. “Sometimes a small, harmless question can make a big difference. That’s exactly what happened with our kitchen worktops. It started as a challenge to use resources wiser, and proved to have positive effects not only for the environment, but also the quality. I think it’s great when that happens!” says Johnny.
Material
What is veneer?
A veneer is a thin wooden sheet attached to things like particleboard to add a durable surface and a natural wood look – so we enjoy the many benefits of wood without using solid wood. The most common veneer types are birch, ash, oak, and beech, and we’ve made a special UV lacquer that helps preserve the wood's natural structure. A benefit with a slightly thicker veneer is how you can repair and sand the surface if it’s damaged to give furniture a longer and more beautiful life.
Quality
Built and tested to last
We believe that our kitchen countertops should meet your highest demands when it comes to design and performance, without compromise. That’s why we test our countertops, and put them up against the everyday challenges they’ll face in your kitchen: liquids, oil, food, steam, heat, bumps and scratches. When they’ve passed our testing, we know they’ll last, and we guarantee it with our 25 year limited warranty.