Anyone have butcher block counters?

[Soliloquy]

We are re-doing our island. It's a bi-level with a cooktop. We are removing the cooktop, making the island all one level, and buying a range to go where the wall oven is (not part of the island).


We are getting butcher block for the island for a few reasons. One, I think it looks lovely. Two, we eventually plan to replace the other counters but we don't know with what. I don't want to have to try and match what we get for the island.

Wondering if anyone else has butcher block counters and how you've cared for them.

[Laurlor]

We had them in our last house. I loved how they looked but they felt high maintenance. Ours butted up to the sink and water definitely damaged them. I also didn't love that I couldn't put hot things on them. But the good thing was that we did sand them and re-oil them once and they looked good!

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---------- Post added at 04:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:47 PM ----------

I just looked on Redfin and found pictures of our old kitchen. We installed them 24 years ago and they still look good in the pics!

[MudPies]

Our island is butcher block- unsealed. I use wax or oil when it needs it. I really like it.

[Singingmom]

Laurlor, your photos would sell me on it! So warm and beautiful.

[Soliloquy]

Originally Posted by Laurlor

We had them in our last house. I loved how they looked but they felt high maintenance. Ours butted up to the sink and water definitely damaged them. I also didn't love that I couldn't put hot things on them. But the good thing was that we did sand them and re-oil them once and they looked good!

I absolutely love white kitchens! Eventually I'm going to have the cabinets painted white or replaced with white. Your white kitchen is gorgeous! They do still look really good after 24 years!



I did read about water and butcher block next to the sink. That's why I don't think we'll do the whole kitchen with butcher block. I think having it on the island will look nice.

[RealLifeMama]

I would love a butcher block island because it is a perfect bread making surface. I'd make sweet rolls every day!

[domesticzookeeper]

We replaced one of our kitchen counters (where the sink is) with butcher block this year, and plan to do the rest of the counters and island with butcher block next year.

My parents already have butcher block counters in their place, and they opted to seal them with polyurethane, which gave them a nice sheen and made them absolutely impervious to water. I think Tung Oil, which is a marine sealant, has the same effect.

I personally like the way that butcher block ages with time, so I opted to do upkeep with wax and oils. It's a lot more work up front when the wood is still dry and continuously absorbing layers of oil, but eventually you can move to products with a higher wax-to-oil ratio that lasts longer and gives a smoother finish. The patina will build up to the point where you don't need to re-apply so often; we're a little less than 3 months in now and only need to re-apply it bi-weekly. We do have trivets to hold our hot items and are mindful of sitting water near the sink, but I don't feel particularly nervous about the water or wear on the counter.

[Soliloquy]

Originally Posted by domesticzookeeper

We replaced one of our kitchen counters (where the sink is) with butcher block this year, and plan to do the rest of the counters and island with butcher block next year.

My parents already have butcher block counters in their place, and they opted to seal them with polyurethane, which gave them a nice sheen and made them absolutely impervious to water. I think Tung Oil, which is a marine sealant, has the same effect.

I personally like the way that butcher block ages with time, so I opted to do upkeep with wax and oils. It's a lot more work up front when the wood is still dry and continuously absorbing layers of oil, but eventually you can move to products with a higher wax-to-oil ratio that lasts longer and gives a smoother finish. The patina will build up to the point where you don't need to re-apply so often; we're a little less than 3 months in now and only need to re-apply it bi-weekly. We do have trivets to hold our hot items and are mindful of sitting water near the sink, but I don't feel particularly nervous about the water or wear on the counter.

Thanks for all this info! What products are you using?



We are having ours installed and he said he would oil them but I want to look into the options and decide what oil I want to use moving forward (and maybe what should be used the firs time? I don't know if it matters).

[knitlove]

My mom had wood counters in her house. She used a sealent that was designed for wooden boats. They were amazing - you couldn't cut on them but they were beautiful and held up well to lots of cooking and spills.

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[passthemanna]

Following...I'm thinking of doing butcher block in the kitchen I'm building. My dad has all. The. Wood. Tools. So I can make it exactly like I want.

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