How to Make a Butcher Block Countertop

1. Lay Out and Cull Boards

   On a flat, level surface, lay out the 15 maple boards. Find the least desirable sides that have knots or imperfections and face those sides downward. Push the boards together. Ideally, the boards should be perfectly straight on each side, leaving no gaps between the boards, Gluing and clamping the boards can correct up to 1/16-inch gaps (side to side) but not wider than that. Cull out boards that are too imperfect to use and replace them with better boards.

2. Mark Wood

   Flip entire set of boards over so that their bottoms are facing upward. Press them together tightly. From left to right, use the tape measure to make a mark at 2-1/2 inches, 7-1/2 inches, and 22-1/2 inches. Use the carpenter's square or drywall square to draw lines across the boards at each mark point.

   Tip

   The marks indicate the bottom of the counter. After the boards are later cut into smaller pieces, each piece will have a mark on it.

3. Cut Boards or Leave Solid

   Depending on the butcher block counter style you'd like, you can either cut the boards into smaller boards for a randomized look or leave the boards solid for a more orderly appearance.

   Cut Boards

   With the electric miter saw or table saw, cut the boards so that the butcher block counter has a randomized look with boards of different lengths.

   • 5 pieces, each at 5 inches
   • 5 pieces, each at 7-1/2 inches
   • 5 pieces, each at 10 inches
   • 5 pieces, each at 15 inches
   • 5 pieces, each at 22-1/2 inches
   • 5 pieces, at 30 inches (uncut pieces)

   Leave Boards Solid

   Another option is to leave all of the boards uncut. This option is easier since it eliminates a number of steps, plus the countertop will be stronger since it has fewer seams.

4. Dry-Fit Boards

   Spread wax paper that's 36 inches by 36 inches, or large enough to cover the butcher block with some extra room. Lay out the 15 rows of boards on the work surface again, this time with the bottom marks facing down. Arrange the boards so they have a random appearance, with a few conditions:

   • All boards in a single row should total 30 inches
   • All joints should be staggered, For example, you'll want to avoid having two 15-inch boards in adjacent rows. Instead, switch out one of those 15-inch boards for two 7-1/2-inch boards.
   • Place two of the 30-inch boards on each side for better support.

5. Rotate Boards to Side

   Turn every board to the side (90 degrees). All boards should be turned in the same direction. Keep the boards together.

6. Add Glue to Boards

   Pour glue into the roller bottle. If using a chip brush, pour the glue into a disposable container, like a paper cup. Spread the glue across the sides of the boards. Do not overapply the glue; keep the glue thin. Where two boards meet end-to-end, pick up one of the boards and add glue to its end. Work carefully but quickly to avoid the glue drying on you.

7. Rotate Boards Back to Original Position

   Turn the board back to their original position, with their bottoms facing the work surface.

8. Square Boards

   Square up the ends of the boards. The rows now have different lengths, which will later be corrected by cutting off the ends. For now, though, make sure the ends are roughly squared up.

9. Clamp Wood

   Add the two-by-twos to each side to protect the boards from indentations by the bar clamps. Add the four bar clamps. Tighten the clamps as hard as you can by hand.

10. Remove Excess Glue

    Use the microfiber cloths to wipe glue off of the top of the butcher block counter. Gently tilt the clamped set of boards to the side. Wipe glue off of the bottom of the boards.

11. Let Boards Cure

    For the glue to cure optimally, the room should be 70°F or higher and 50-percent relative humidity. While wood glue can cure in just a few hours, manufacturers tend to recommend that clamped joints cure for a full 24 hours.

12. Remove Clamps

    When the glue has finished curing, remove the clamps and the protective two-by-twos.

13. Mark Cut Ends of Countertop

    With the square and pencil, mark each end of the countertop square. You may need to cut back 1/4-inch on each end to remove the ragged ends of the countertop.

14. Cut Ends of Countertop

    Cut off the marked ends of the countertop with a circular saw, table saw, or radial saw. Be careful with the cuts. For perfectly straight cuts with the circular saw, use a saw guide.

15. Finish Top of Countertop

    Using a belt sander, sand against the grain to flatten the surface of the countertop. Switch to sanding with the grain to erase the sanding marking. Finally, switch to the oscillating sander with fine-grain sandpaper to smooth out the surface.

16. Finish Countertop

    After cleaning thoroughly with tack cloth, apply layers of tung oil. For high-use butcher block counters in kitchens, build up several layers of tung oil for a hard, protective shell. It's important to use a food-safe sealer for a butcher block countertop.

How to Make an Advanced Butcher Block Countertop

Use advanced tools and higher quality wood for a flatter, harder, straighter butcher block countertop that's better suited for rigorous use in kitchens.

Materials

• Species: Use dense hardwood like alder, hard maple, teak, birch, ash, or walnut for a harder, more durable finish that's less prone to scratching and denting.
• Size: Use 6/4 (or 1-5/16-inch) lumber in widths ranging from 4 to 10 inches and in lengths up to 8 or 10 feet.

Tools

• Table Saw: The advantage of a table saw is that you can rip the lumber into strips. The width of the cut represents the thickness of the butcher block countertop since the boards are turned 90 degrees. For example, a 6-inch-wide piece of 6/4 alder can be cut into four strips of equal width, each strip just under 1-1/2 inches. This makes the butcher block countertop about 1-1/2 inches thick.
• Planer: For a perfectly flat surface, you'll need to use a tabletop electric planer. A 13-inch tabletop electric planer is a standard consumer-grade planer size. While it will not run a full-size 26-inch countertop, it will accept boards that are up to 13 inches wide. You can plane each board individually and then laminate them. Or you can laminate two 13-inch-wide sections, plane each one separately, and then bond the two sections.