SUNSET may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The point of all this is that you should not view Janka readings too literally. This will be placed non-insulated sun room (i.e. Cherry is known for its pink to reddish-brown hues and streaks of pale yellow. Are you interested in a counter or island top that matches the rooms dcor; one that slightly contrasts with surrounding cabinetry; or one that accents the room? Very Hard Next in order comes a cluster of six hardwood stalwarts: Maple, White Oak, Ash, Beech, Birch and Red Oak. D x 1.25 in. There is a serious shortage of trades (labour in general) here as the market is very hot so small jobs like mine aren't getting done. Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. A forum community dedicated to Do it yourself-ers and home improvement enthusiasts. Vintage-cover posters, coffee mugs, jigsaw puzzles, tote bags, and more. BBC-brand butcher block and plank-style countertops: 10% OFF. All butcher block worktops are made in a similar way, cutting the wood to shape, sanding and buffing it, polishing and then sealing it before proceeding to install it. The only style no-no is matching cabinets with the countertop. USA Grown Hardwood: Only made from USA grown hard maple solid wood. This is a very heavy and hard wood, and so very durable, with a lot of beautiful texture. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'countertopsfaq_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',112,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-countertopsfaq_com-banner-1-0')}; Hickory has a warm, reddish tone once sealed that looks amazing. Anyways, I wasn't able to find those as butcher blocks (am in Canada, btw, so if anyone has alternative options for me, I'm all ears). 100% CANADIAN MAPLE: Our cutting boards use 100% Canadian-grown maple hardwood. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo, http://whatscookingamerica.net/CuttingBoards/AllAbout.htm, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Bamboo is actually a herb that grows incredibly quick, so there is no damage to the environment. I've also tried emailing them for better pictures, but no luck). Aha! Butcher block countertops can be made from a wide variety of wood types and grades (or finishings). One more time trying to load the picture. Especially since they will be in a room with exposure to a fair amount of sunlight. Red Oak combines soft whites and light to medium browns with a reddish cast to exude warmth. Helping You to Do It Yourself! Or, choose a quick-growing material like bamboo. So if either Birch or Maple is closer looking to that, then it looks like that's the answer. Can it be sanded if it needs refinishing? You can also find it in a lovely light, creamy pink colour with dark wavy streaks. Butcher block is solid wood (or strips of wood), made into counters (vs cutting boards, tables, chopping blocks). Required fields are marked *. Its always a good idea to ask the manufacturer about their environmental practices. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Fingers crossed. If your main thing is fair trade, then look for woods that are guaranteed to come from managed forests and with respect to the local people working them, even if it involves higher costs. First, lets address hardness. It darkens over time. Thanks folks. Food-safe Oil: The wood surface is finished with natural food grade oil. Violations to rule 1 including crude jokes, innuendo, sexist remarks, politics, or hate speech may result in an immediate ban. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'countertopsfaq_com-box-4','ezslot_13',118,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-countertopsfaq_com-box-4-0')}; American or Black Cherry has a naturally deep red or light red-brown colour that darkens with age to a deep brown-red colour in a variety of textures, from straight to wavy or curly streaks. , Teak vs Acacia Wood Difference - Pros & Cons, Bamboo Flooring vs Hardwood Flooring (Pros & Cons), Birch Wood Complete Guide (Types, Uses and Pros & Cons), Easy to work on but tends to burn with high-speed cutters, Easy to work on with both hand and machine tools, The tree yields a resin from that produces maple syrup. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. White Oak? Your email address will not be published. Which wood is more 'cool toned'? Here is a small overview of some of the most common wood for a butcher block countertop. Red oak is popular in the northeastern U.S. because it fits great with colonial style homes, whereas white oak has a medium tone and fine grain that make for beautifully neutral butcher blocks. Along the horizontal axis wood samples are lined up in accordance with their relative hardness (although not to scale). Fortunately, theres a standardized test thats used to measure a woods hardness, making it easy to compare hardness ratings different species. This I didn't know. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. The Janka Hardness Test involves forcing a steel ball 11.28 mm in diameter into a piece of wood to the depth of half its diameter. It earns a Janka hardness rating in excess of 2500 pounds-force. The table stands 34 inches tall and has black Made in the USA: Each John Boos Butcher Block is proudly made in Effingham, Illinois by skilled craftspeople using time honored techniques since 1887, Blended Red Oak Butcher Block Countertops - 1-1/2" Thick, 72"L x 30"W, Oil Finish. Fine-grained and pale, it has a satin-like sheen that will darken with age. I know the next two most popular choices are walnut and cherry. Butcher blockthick strips of hardwood glued together with a food-safe adhesivehave two advantages over other countertop materials. Typically a finer grained wood is better. End grain is a more common style for cutting boards, but is also appropriate for countertops. It can be found at major retailers at relatively unexpensive prices. We can make a top any size up to 36 x 96 long! Other commonly used woods for butcher blocks are pine, poplar, beech or alder. This workhorse can withstand some serious chopping (remember, butcher blocks originated with, well, butchers) and will last a lifetime with the same cleaning and care as a butcher block countertop. Enter code: 10BBCCT. Youve probably noticed two distinct butcher block styles. Remember that some wood species, such as maple and cherry, will darken over time, while others, like walnut, lighten. Flat grain on the other hand is arranged so the surface is formed by the width of the boards, which means less of a pattern than with edge grain. Enter Our Dog Days of Summer BBQ Giveaway Now! Reminder: Comments not related to woodworking will be removed. Get fresh recipes, wine pairings, weekend getaway ideas, regional gardening tips, home design inspiration, and more. Most of the plywood you've ever used is probably birch so use that as indicator of "softness". The countertops can be used as a cutting surface. You can use it for food prep if you don't mind the scratches and wear which will result. Learn how your comment data is processed. Copyright 2022 S Media International Corporation. It warms up modern kitchens, and brings streamlined practicality to even the most ornate traditional one. Butcher block has a reputation for being finicky about how its kept clean. Aesthetics are a big consideration for this, as I'll be spending 8 hours/day at this desk. Bamboo wood contact paper for kitchen countertop cabinets table furniture covering . Oak is an open grained wood but if you look around long enough you'll see where some use it anyway despite the tannin issue. So for instance, if you are seeking a wood thats harder than most AND visually interesting but not overpowering, you might want to consider one among the quartet of Beech, Ash, White Oak and Maple. The surface is made with the long and narrow edges of the boards, so it has a striped pattern. Of course, theres no equivalent to the Janka score to help us standardize along the dimension of beauty, but were happy to share with you our own way of thinking about the aesthetic dimensions that distinguish any species from others. SUNSET is a registered trademark of S Media International Corporation. I don't know much about woodworking, except for hours of Googling, but I thought this would be a good place to ask. Maple is a traditional choice of hardwood for butcher blocks, with fine grain and generally light colours. A small kitchen would benefit from a lighter wood, whereas a very large one can go for elegant, darker hardwood countertops without looking opressive. You shouldn't have an issue with warping in a butcher block. CountertopsFAQ is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. So go ahead, use the extra cash to splurge on an espresso machine! ELEGANT APPEARANCE: Bold and realistic designs, 5 colors and surface textures complement any home space or commercial use: woodgrains, marble, cloth ORGANIC CASTILE Based Soap formulated for Butcher Blocks, Cutting Boards, Bamboo Cutting Boards, Salad Bowls, Wood Utensils and Wood Countertops. I know I could, in theory, strip and stain the butcher blocks myself to the colour I like, but I don't have time for that as I need a new desk immediately for work. We Test the Game-Changing Garden Technology, The Best Watches Built for Outdoor Adventure. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. And they are arrayed vertically into four tiers according to their respective visual impact.Most Visually Striking: Mahogany, Walnut and Brazilian Cherry, Attention-Getting: Spanish Cedar, American Cherry, Red Oak and Hickory, Subtle but Elegant: Knotty Pine, Knotty Alder, Beech, Ash, White Oak and Maple. Birch worktops show off the rings caused by the quick growth of the tree. Well-cared-for butcher block can actually self-heal from minor knife nicks. Maple is primarily used in butcher blocks and a couple of other woods that "weather" well in that environment. I defer to the skymaster. Just for my own edification, is the butcher block a "style" of countertop or is it a genuine cutting/chopping block that you will actually be preparing meats and vegetables on? I'd pick maple over birch for purely aesthetic value, both will end up yellowing when exposed to the sun so kind of a wash there. Kaboon 60x24 Black Table Top Marble Surface, Solid CONSDAN Butcher Block Counter Top, USA Grown Hard Giani Granite Countertop Paint Kit 2.0- 100% Marble Paper Granite Gray/White Roll Kitchen ecozy Portable Countertop Dishwasher with 5-Liter What is the Best Wood for Butcher Block Countertops, Granite Repair Products to Fix Damage to Granite Worktops, Inexpensive Marble Alternatives: Cultured Marble And Engineered Marble Countertops, Best Butcher Block Countertop Finish For All Types Of Kitchens, How To Lower The Cost Of Quartz Countertops, How to Get Scratches Out of a Stainless Steel Sink, Get A Desk Butcher Block Top Using Wood For Butcher Block Countertop, Pros and Cons Of A Butcher Block Countertop Why Choose a Wood Butcher Block For Your Kitchen Renovation. During the month of April, Butcher Block Co. is offering our biggest-ever savings opportunity on BBC-brand butcher block and plank-style countertops: 10% OFF. JavaScript is disabled. I want to do oil so the counter will be less sensitive to heat and scratches as it will be easier to sand out any problems. Offers may be subject to change without notice. For example, if price is a priority then cheaper woods from quick growing trees like birch can be preferable, whereas for the eco-conscious customer bamboo or reclaimed wood would be the top choice. In the image below we arranged samples of all fifteen woods along two dimensions; one of which is wood hardness, as already discussed. Hard Maple is the most widely used matrial for this purpose. BOARDS THAT DO IT ALL: The smooth, easy-to-maintain surface of our cutting boards means they're perfect for a wide variety of uses. Beech it is then. This cherry wood countertop measures 36 inches wide, 25 inches long and 1.5 inches thick, Varnique Finish: this countertop is finished with a virtually maintenance free semi-gloss Varnique finish. a good amount of sunlight/UV, and cooler temperatures at night while warmer during the daytime). Thats not actually true--daily care for butcher block is essentially the same as any other countertop. Warping/expanding: which is less prone to this? I believe the common wood for that type of aesthetic is Ash? Butcher block can expand and contract with dramatic changes in temperature, causing warping over time. The majority of options are on the lower end of that price scale. Good ventilation prevents this long-term, but theres something you should do before the countertop is installed: Let it sit in your house for at least a week to give it time to acclimatize to your homes humidity. Oak butcher block countertops with white cabinets look understated and classic, for example. Marble and quartz countertops might be elegant, but they come at an eyebrow-raising cost: $100-250 per square foot. The wood hardness of different types of wood will vary depending upon the orientation of the wood sample being tested. So to keep butcher block at its most impervious and looking its best, liberally apply mineral, bees oil (a mix of mineral oil and beeswax), or another food-safe oil to the surface once a month, wiping up any excess. Want to be eco-friendly with your kitchen remodel? ALL OF OUR TOPS ARE EDGE GRAIN BUTCHER BLOCK. The finishes should contrast (think: navy cabinets and a maple top) for the most pleasing effect. if my choice is between birch and beech then Beech wins everytime, harder,tighter grain, almost equal to Maple. Odds are youre searching for a wood that will look great regardless of its destination. Its a critically important variable to weigh when choosing a material for kitchen, commercial or industrial countertops. First, you can chop and prep food directly on the surface. Butcher block is a good choice as long as the wood source is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. Your email address will not be published. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Oil based finishes also tend to pull out natural yellows. Enter code: 10BBCCT. Our Solid Maple Hardwood Butcher Block Measures 30 inches Deep by 48 inches Long and is 1 inch thick, Natural Wood Surface Is Sanded Smooth and Finished With Mineral Oil. 10 Things You Need to Know About Butcher Block, Photo by Lincoln Barbour; written by Paige Porter Fischer, Boos End-Grain Rectangular Chopping Block, Walnut, A Surprising New Garden Trend Lets You, Ahem, Let It All Hang Out, Soho Houses New West Hollywood Club Has the Swankiest Rooftop in the City, Is a $500 Countertop Composter Worth It? CONSDAN Butcher Block Counter Top, USA Grown Hard Maple Solid Hardwood Countertop, Washer/Laundry Countertop, Table Top, Polished, Prefinished with Food-safe Oil, 1.5" Thickness, 96" L x 25" W, 1" Thick Solid Butcher Block Maple Top - 30"D x 48"L - By BenchPro, John Boos Pca2 24x18x10" Maple Butcher Block w/Knife Holder,Black Legs, John Boos Blended Oak Butcher Block Countertops - 1-1/2 Thick, 72" L x 30" W, Oil Finish, CONSDAN Butcher Block Counter Top, USA Grown Hard Maple Solid Hardwood Countertop, Washer/Laundry Countertop, Table Top, Polished, Prefinished with Food-safe Oil, 1.5" Thickness, 36" L x 25" W, Kaboon 60 x 24 inch Wood Table Top Solid One Piece Desktop Only, Rectangular Tabletop, Laminate Wood Countertop, Double Desks, L-Desk Home and Office(59.1" x 23.62",Light Oak), Cutting Board Butcher Block Organic Soap - All Natural Castile Based and Enriched with Lemongrass Extracts - Cleaner for Kitchen Countertops, Butcher Blocks, Bamboo, Wooden Bowls and Utensils - Cleans and Restores Wood and Food Safe, HDSticker Self Adhesive Vinyl Butcher Block Wood Contact Paper for Kitchen Countertop Cabinets Door Table Desk Furniture Decal 15. Different woods also mean different butcher block countertop prices, and more exotic woods will carry a premium.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'countertopsfaq_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_3',109,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-countertopsfaq_com-medrectangle-3-0')}; There is not a single best wood for butcher block because depending on your tastes and priorities certain types of hardwood will be better than others. Would love any insight you all have :) Thank you in advance! I do plan to use a cutting board for most cutting but the counter itself will come into contact with food probably. If youre the type of chef who prefers a cutting board for cutting, slicing and chopping and will rely on your countertop for less aggressive tasks such as rolling and kneading dough and cutting out cookies for baking, or if the most rugged work you will do atop these counters is pushing papers or giving customers change, you will have the option of considering even soft woods, giving you many more options you might want to consider. Your consideration set might well vary depending on whether you will be installing these countertops in a residential or a commercial kitchen; in an office or a garage workshop; in a commercial showroom or a manufacturing plant. Its not the most durable type of butcher blocks, but its definitely beautiful. Hard Tier three includes Walnut, American Cherry and Mahogany, each registering about 1000 lbf. This cherry wood countertop measures 12 inches wide, 25 inches long and 1.5 inches thick, Penetrating Oil Finish: Natural wood surface is finished with food-safe oil, allowing you to use the countertop as a cutting surface, Blended Cherry Butcher Block Countertop - 1-1/2" Thick, 145"L x 30"W, Varnique Finish. Hickory comes in second, scoring just under 2000 lbf. The amount of force required to accomplish this feat, as measured in pounds-force (or lbf) tells us a lot about a woods resistance a proxy measure for its hardness. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'countertopsfaq_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_6',110,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-countertopsfaq_com-medrectangle-4-0')}; Bamboo may sound like a strange choice for a hardwood kitchen countertop, but its actually really practical and has impeccable green credentials. John Boos PCA2-BK Butcher Block Table measures 24 inches wide, 18 inches long and is 10 inches thick. Filed Under: Wood Worktops Tagged With: affordable countertops, Countertop, durable countertops, Kitchen, luxury countertops, maintenance, rustic, wood countertops. Decorative butcher block self-adhesive vinyl film has a peel away backing with measure and grid lines to make it easy for you to create new looks or Our Solid Maple Hardwood Butcher Block Measures 24 inches Deep by 48 inches Long and is 1 inch thick, This walnut wood countertop measures 72 inches long, 30 inches wide, and is 1.5 inches thick. Yellowing/turning orange and warm-toned: I'm not a fan of warm, orangey tones in wood at all and I want the opposite of that (from the looks of the website pictures, I cannot really tell a difference between the two products listed above so I'm hoping someone could provide me some expertise about birch and maple colouring in general. Getting a heavy, solid wood top because I need to upgrade from my IKEA Linnmon (it shakes whenever I type!). Not so Hard Softest among the bunch are Spanish Cedar, Knotty Alder, Knotty Pine and Poplar, at 500 to 700 lbf. Lumber Liquidators sells maple butcher block material which is better suited for an active kitchen and not just for looks. It will show nicks and stains over time, but thats all right, because the second advantage is that you can sand away imperfections and reseal or re-oil butcher block yourself. This is a stupid question, but how soft is softwood -- since birch is on the softer side? With 2 Inch High Edge Rails. I was asking about your intended usage because if the butcher block is used as a cutting board or food preparation surface then it limits the types of oil that can be used and also the recommended type of wood that the block is constructed from. Depending on your location some will be more available and affordable than others, as importing wood is generally expensive. With 15 different species of wood to choose from for your butcher block, you might feel a bit overwhelmed by so many great-looking options. I live in a pretty dry climate if that makes and difference. My choices (Ikea) are birch, beech, or oak. At the same time, bamboo countertops are naturally anti-microbial, resistant and durable. One caveat: Butcher block is porous, so its not usually recommended for the area around a sink to avoid the risk of mold growth and rotting. The general rule is any hard tight grained wood. We hope this guide will help you think through the decision-making process and find the wood thats perfect for your new countertops. All achieve Janka scores between 1200 to 1500 lbf. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. However, its also the most expensive and the one with more room to get damaged by water being absorbed into the wood and expanding it.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'countertopsfaq_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_5',113,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-countertopsfaq_com-large-leaderboard-2-0')}; As you can see, deciding what is the best wood for butcher block countertops is not easy because there is not really a bad or a absolutely superior type of hardwood. Get the warmth and utility of butcher block with a cutting board. All Rights Reserved. FRESH SCENT leaves your wooden kitchen items smelling great. But the type and grade of the wood is what will give your butcher block the desired look and feel, so its worth spending some time choosing one you love. Make sure its thoroughly dry before placing anything on the surface. Not in the middle of a kitchen remodel? YMMV. But almost any hardwood can get the treatment: cherry, oak, beech, birch, tigerwood, and walnut are other great options. As I understand it people can take one of two directions. Moreover, there can be variation in hardness across wood harvested from different trees of the same species and even across specimens collected from a single tree. Face grain and Mixed butcher block tops are not as dense and long lasting as edge grain tops. Can anyone educate me when it comes to advantages/disadvantages of any of my choices? Hi everyone, wondering if I can get some of your thoughts on whether to get a maple or birch butcher block to use as a desk top for my standing desk. 7X117 Inches, Brown, CONSDAN Butcher Block Counter Top, USA Grown Hard Maple Solid Hardwood Countertop, Washer/Laundry Countertop, Table Top, Polished, Prefinished with Food-safe Oil, 1.5" Thickness, 60" L x 25" W, 1" Thick Solid Butcher Block Maple Top - 24"D x 48"L - By BenchPro, John Boos WALKCT-BL7230-O Blended Walnut Island Top with Oil Finish, 1.5" Thickness, 72" x 30", Sonder Los Angeles, XXL Thick Teak Wood Cutting Board with Juice Groove, 23x17x1.5 in Large (Gift Box Included), Food Grade Mineral Oil for Cutting Boards, Countertops and Butcher Blocks - Food Safe and Made in USA, Labell Wood Cutting Boards - Large Canadian Maple Chopping Board for Meats, Vegetables, Fruits, and Cheeses - Flat Board Perfect for Carving, Serving, and Charcuterie (18" x 24" x 0.75"), John Boos CHYKCT1225-O Cherry Kitchen Counter Top with Oil Finish, 1.5" Thickness, 12" x 25", John Boos Blended Cherry Butcher Block Countertop - 1-1/2" Thick, 84" L x 30" W, Natural Oil, John Boos CHYKCT-BL3625-V Blended Cherry Counter Top with Varnique Finish, 1.5" Thickness, 36" x 25", Forever Joint Hickory Butcher Block Bar Top - 1.5" x 18" x 72, 20 Slot Universal Knife Block: Shenzhen Knives Large Bamboo Wood Knife Block without Knives - Countertop Butcher Block Knife Holder and Organizer with Wide Slots for Easy Kitchen Knife Storage, Hardwood 4 ft. L x 20 in. Kitchen Tips How To Clean Butcher Block. Edge grain is the cheapest, second stronger and most stable of the three, and as such the most popular. Of course, theres more to consider than wood hardness when choosing a wood for new countertops. There is no kitchen style that butcher block wouldnt be at home in. I am in the same boat and prefer non-yellowing finishes. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. However, price and desired end result will help you choose the one more suitable for your needs.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'countertopsfaq_com-leader-1','ezslot_14',114,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-countertopsfaq_com-leader-1-0')}; looking for a 8x25x2 butcher block countertop that work with a mocha glazed maple cabinets. What is the Best Wood for a Butcher Block. With a little elbow grease, it will look like new and can last decades. Doesn't have to be literally cool toned, I'm fine with if it's a light, warm-toned wood -- just not orange. On the other hand, if you will be doing serious cutting, chopping and pounding, or operating power tools and maneuvering heavy hammers and wrenches for example, then of course it will make more sense to stick with a wood hardness that is less likely to suffer dings, dents and gouges.