Butcher Block Countertops that rock!

Butcher block countertops are stunning and extremely affordable.  When I started this series, I sent out a survey to my readers and friends and only a few have butcher block countertops.  It is my opinion, butcher block and concrete countertops are great options for DIY projects if you are looking to save some money and don’t mind putting in the work.

Before we start, I want to introduce you to the newest member of the pinktoolgirl.com team.  Hannah has joined us to create social media content and help grow our brand.  I am so delighted to work with her.  As we were discussing what our topic was in our weekly meeting, I mentioned that I was unable to find a person who had butcher block countertops.  She laughed and said that had a table with a butcher block top that she has moved to each of her apartments.

So, Hannah and I will discuss butcher block countertops today.  While it isn’t the traditional countertop, I think you will find this very useful especially if you are looking for extra countertop space.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS SERIES

We are reviewing the top five countertop materials and comparing them.  You may want to go back and watch the videos for Granite Countertops HERE or Quartz Countertops HERE or Concrete Countertops HERE or Laminate Countertops HERE.  And we have a course on how you can make your own custom concrete countertops, that you can check out by clicking here or on the picture below.

I ask each homeowner the top questions people want answers for before they purchase one of the biggest ticket items in a home renovation.

The videos are broken down into small segments discussing:

• Cost
• Cleaning
• Design Consistency
• Maintenance
• Customization

Download your checklist HERE to keep track of what style of countertops you are leaning towards.

**This is the same download for our countertop series.**

It is my hope that after you watch each of the videos, you will have a clearer picture of what type of countertop will work for you and your family in your kitchen.

1.  Cost of Butcher Block Countertops

We are approaching this section as if you are doing it as a DIY project.  There is no labor or installation fee included.  You, my friend, are the one doing the manual labor.

As usual, this section is a tad tricky because every kitchen size is different.  Hannah purchased this Butcher Block Countertop table at IKEA.  Her dad and husband put it together.   There is storage at the bottom and 6ft of countertop which is great if you are renting or if the kitchen is small.

Her total cost was $200.00

2.  Cleaning Butcher Block Countertops

Hannah doesn’t worry about stains on her countertops because they wipe up with soap and water or a natural cleaner.  Out of the box, the countertop was sealed with a top coat that protects the wood.

If you were to create your own butcher block countertops out of specific types of wood, then you would want to research what type of sealer and cleaner you would need to use.

3.  Design Consistency

Since there is grain in wood, there is some variation to the design consistency.  That is the beauty of wood; no piece is the same.  There is also a color variation depending on what type of wood that you use for your countertop.   I have a friend who used light and dark pieces of wood in the design of his DIY butcher block countertop.

There is huge variety when it comes to wood color, grain, and how you piece them together which makes the design consistency vary.

4.  Maintenance of Butcher Block Countertops

Butcher Block countertops can be easy to maintain.   With a prefabricated butcher block countertop, Hannah has had no maintenance to keep them looking nice in her kitchen.  She doesn’t cut directly on them so that has helped preserve the look of the surface.

Some butcher block countertops made out of specific wood may need to have mineral oil to keep up the look or to prevent cracking or drying out.

If you are going with butcher block, make sure you research what type of maintenance it will require.

As a DIY project, here are some great examples of people who designed and crafted butcher block countertops.  Click here for a step by step tutorial to make a butcher block countertop.

5.  Customizing Your Butcher Block Countertops

We talk about a few ways that you could customize your butcher block to make it fit your home decor.

First, staining it could be an option if you didn’t want the original color of the wood.  Second, you could paint a design on it and cover it with glass.  Third, since this countertop was part of an island, moving it around the room or against a wall is a great option for those of us who enjoy changing up a room.

Pink Party Tip: I love hosting parties and I’ve found that having a dedicated coffee/tea station is always a hit.  Using a butcher block countertop that you make could be a great way to showcase your work when you use it as a drink bar.

As always, stay in touch with us by joining our PinkToolGirl.com community.  We will keep you up to date on our latest projects.  We want to be your first stop for DIY!

Have an awesome day!

Sandy