I bought an IKEA kitchen at the Richmond, Australia store for a client. It had a KARLBY timber veneer benchtop just like the kitchen on display. Before buying the kitchen, I was concerned about water given that it included a sink and tap (as a kitchen does). Three times I was assured by different Ikea assistants that there was no problem with a KARLBY timber veneer benchtop in an environment where it could get wet. In fact I was told no treatment was required to protect the veneer benchtop. The installation instructions and KARLBY timber veneer notes made no mention about protecting the product from water. Within two weeks of the kitchen being installed the KARLBY timber veneer benchtop started bulging and staining near the sink. Once I was advised of the problem I contacted IKEA and was informed that it was not a design problem but a user problem. This came as a shock to me as I never saw any written advice (and IKEA customer support still hasn't presented any) to say that KARLBY timber veneer isn't suitable for a wet area. I then went back to the Richmond store and asked an IKEA assistant in the Kitchen department if there was a problem with using the KARLBY timber veneer around a sink. The assistant looked up the instructions and told me there wasn't. The assistant gave me an IKEA brochure describing the KARLBY timber veneer installation and maintenance requirements. Again there was no mention of water. This assistant agreed that I had a very strong case and urged me to take it up again with IKEA customer support. The following is the advice the Ikea customer support provided as the reason they would not consider supporting their Karlby timber veneer product: "The guarantees do not apply to products that have been stored or assembled incorrectly, used inappropriately, abused, misused, altered, or cleaned with the wrong cleaning methods or wrong cleaning products. The guarantees do not cover normal wear and tear, cuts or scratches, or damage caused by impacts or accidents." It still does not mention anything about getting some water on a kitchen bench! But they closed the case anyway. They also are very confused and poorly informed about the maintenance procedures for the solid timber and timber veneer benchtops so be VERY careful if you still want to buy this product. The IKEA customer support also sent conflicting information about IKEA benchtops so I did not have any confidence in the information they sent. I used to be very confident about using and recommending IKEA. I also mistakenly thought that IKEA supported their products. Now I do not use their products any more and actively warn every one of my experience.