How To Install Butcher Block Counter Top | PRO Tips
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- Опубликовано: 30 июл 2024
- Installing Butcher Block Countertop
DETAILED ARTICLE: www.aconcordcarpenter.com/how...
Create a Template
Butcher block is created from straight pieces of wood glued together into thick slabs. This creates a particularly strong work surface that's ideal for cutting blocks and boards.
One simple way to make a template is to use luan plywood strips.
Butcher block for countertops usually comes in a 25-inch depth. This covers a standard 24-inch-deep cabinet with room for an overhang and enough excess width to fill gaps along the wall.
Lay out the strips to form the perimeter of the butcher block countertop. Be sure to keep the strips tight to the sides of the counter and back wall and remember to include your overhang. In my situation I was matching an existing granite overhang.
Connect the strips with hot glue. Once the glue is dry, I place a few short screws into the strips for reinforcement. I use a pencil to mark the strips and also a marker to mark the front, back and sides of the template so I don’t get confused back at the saw.
Pro Tip:
If a back wall has a curve or bow I will scribe and cut the back template board first to fit and conform to the shape of that area, then make my 4-sided template.
Cutting To Size
Like a lot of wood species today, Butcher block has two faces. Side A, the countertop side, is the better side and side B shows more knots. Make sure you look at the faces, line up your front edge to the template and trace your template on that best face.
I placed my template on the butcher block counter, clamped it in place, and traced my template lines to the block.
I used a track saw to cut the sides of the butcher block at 90-degrees and on the back edge I cut a 5 or10-degree back bevel.
Pro Tip:
A back bevel allows me to easily fine tune the back wall fit with a hand plane if needed. The back bevel creates a sharp tip that touched the wall a the top edge. When planning for a tighter fit I only have to place that sharp edge.
I then dryfit the butcher block to the granite counter opening and make adjustments util I am satisfied with the fit.
Pro Tip: Its important to note that when butcher block countertops are installed next to any hard surface, like granite, you should leave a little room for the expansion and contraction of the wood. I left 1/32” on both sides and hope that’s enough.
Easing the Edges
The butcher block countermeasures 1-1/2” and the granite is 1-1/4” so I needed to round over the butcher block edges as they would be higher and exposed.
I used a 3/8” radius bit and ball bearing and my router to round over the front and two sides of the butcher block counter
Sanding the Butcher Block
I sanded the top and 3-edges evenly with 100-150 grit sandpaper and a random orbital sander to remove any scratches and mill marks from the router bit, that may only be seen after applying a finish.
One trick to see mill marks is to wipe the wood with a rag and denatured alcohol. This will often show mill marks and will raise the grain on the wood.
Pro Tip:
Resist the temptation to sand to a higher grit as this will prevent the sealer from absorbing. Also, lightly sand the bottom face of the butcher block to etch the wood better absorption of the finish.
Pro Tip:
This is also the stage where you can address any defects or voids in the wood and fill it with either epoxy or CA glue.
Apply Food Grade Finish
Remember you have to seal all six sides and edges on a wood counter top to prevent cupping from seasonal humidity absorption.
Fastening
Drill ⅝ inch holes in each of the four corners braces of the cabinet. If possible, and in a perfect application, you will want to fasten your counter top every 24 to 30 inches back and front. Too many fasteners can keep the butcher block from moving properly.
After drilling I removed some drawers and a few drawer slides for better access
I then drilled ⅛ inch pilot holes through the larger hole I just drilled and into the butcher block. I set my drill bit to drill ¾ to 1” penetration into the 1-1/2” thick butcherblock. I know this is obvious but its worth mentioning, pay attention here, do not to drill all the way through the countertop!
When drilling the pilot hole, be sure to center it within the larger 5/8” holes.
To secure the countertop down to the cabinet use 1½ inches diameter fender washers and a pan head screw that will penetrate at least one-half of the thickness of your top.
The oversized ⅝ inch holes and the fender washer/Panhead screw assembly allow the screw to move as the butcher block countertop expands and contracts
Pro Tip:
Do not glue or silicone your top down to prevent expansion and contraction that can cause warping, or cracks.
Do not install your butcher block countertop directly on a solid surface such as plywood, as this prevents the underside to breath.
@Rust-oleum @MakitaToolsUSA #butcherblock #cuttingboard #butcherblockcounter 
Хобби
Thank so much for ACTUALLY showing how to secure the butchblock to the cabinet!!!!!
There are so many youtube videos on installing butcher block countertops, they show all the steps, the sanding, the staining, but almost never show the actual "installation" part.
This is just what I was looking for! My kitchen is a U shape with the sink in the center. I'd like butcher block on the sides but granite or quartz in the center around the sink area. Hoping I can pull this off as it would certainly be more budget friendly than doing the entire 43sf of counters in natural stone. Thank you very much for taking the time to post such an informative video. Your daughter is very fortunate!
Dude, this is the exact video I needed right now, installing a solid wood countertop on to MDF cabinet without trying to screw expansion plates to MDF. Thank yoU!I Inspired idea!
Hopefully, your daughter will make this coming Father's day a special one for you, Rob! This is the work you excel in! And, it shows! Congrats to your daughter for becoming a homeowner!
It's nice to see a handy father help out his daughter .
Thanks for the template example and the GRK screw idea. Im re-doing our entire kitchen in the exact same butcher block pieces in your video. Staining and then covering with a food safe 2 part clear epoxy. Going to use these exact methods!! Great looking counters in your daughters home, definetly a very nice touch with the wood!!
6:15 -- The back bevel tip is brilliant.
What a good dad will do for his little girl, so sweet 👏🏻 thanx for urethane tips 👍🏻
You explain very well with clear directions. Way to go!
Great instructions - covered everything, very clearly, on to install a butcher block counter. What is very helpful is that the reasons for doing it a particular way are explained. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Good one Rob. Liked to detail on handling the wood movement. While cost effective it is still a good look and practical too. Thanks a bunch. KMDC from Oz.
When someone sees that butcher block, they would appreciate the functionality and interest it adds to the kitchen. Without even knowing the main reason you went with it- you didn't have enough of that granite to cover everything. Good installation tips.
Love to see this kind of resourcefulness - brilliant job! 👍
what a lovely project really fantastic! every kitchen should have one
This was a great tutorial. A buddy of mine glued and screwed their top and for years never knew why their block bowed then cracked. Awesome as always!
Thanks for commenting!
I never would have thought of a drop in section like that. We are in the planning stages of rehabbing our kitchen and might incorporate that if it fits somewhere. Thanks!
This is great! Also worth noting that if you're not going to cut food directly on the butcher block (i.e. you'll always be using a cutting board of some type for chopping food) you can use something more durable to seal your butcherblock that doesn't need so many coats nor so frequent re-coating.
What a great Dad, good for you!
Great looking kitchen! The butcher block adds a really nice touch as it matches well with the floor.
Thx
Great video! Super informative and easy to follow. Thanks for sharing.
A lovely job mate! Cannot fault it.
Very informative, getting ready to replace a 3ft piece of counter with butcher block
Thanks! Really nice explanations! I was looking to other videos where it was advised to use special fasteners..but to be honest this proposal did seem to me more logical and argumented; and more easy as well.
Thank you so much for this. You clearly know what you are talking about. I feel much better about my husband and I installing ours.
Glad it helped and thank you for commenting
Thanks for sharing this wonderful video, I learned a lot from you.
WOW! No one would ever have guessed that that's what a "recycled" kitchen looks like 😳
Great work, Rob! Very lucky daughter 😂 She better cook you some delicious stews this fall and winter.
4:40 -- Also appreciate you showing the construction and use of the template. This is an important trade skill that lots of pros don't bother showing and the RUclips posers don't even know about. Rookies like me appreciate the detail.
Very welcome sir, glad you found that useful
wow really nice work making due and recycling in the process!
Awesome job dad!
You are a great Dad.
Great video and thanks for the pro tips.
great informative video - like having a handy neighborly advise at your fingertips thanks
Thanks so much for doing these and sharing your expertise. Massive help to this loon currently doing and (endless) home renovation
@@horsetowater thx for commenting
Excellent
excellent pro tips
This is a great way to maximize the use of used cabinetry and countertops.
You can always make a filler and leave dead space in corners or between certain cabinets if you need to. But making use of used countertops is harder dimensionally when they’re L-shaped already.
Used in a corner like this means you only need straight run sections from the used counters. And you can chop the L-shape tops in to straight runs if you need.
Great vid. Was everything I was looking for 👍👍
Nice to hear
Glad i watch your video about sister jointing because my house was built in 1870 and have old joints, this guy told me I will have to get a crane to redo my joints. He can sister joint each of my joints that's holding up the floor. It don't call for all the work he told me about. Just sister joint tne beams , mine is going across , and your method look quite easy. So thanks for the video. My beams need supporting so sister jointing can strengthen the beams? Because my floor shake a little especially in the dining and living room.
Pilot holes is something noone else memtioned
Awesome!
awesome tutorial, really useful! Thank you
Thanks for commenting
Thanks Rob!
I almost passed the video up because it was such a small countertop. I'm glad I didn't it was very informative. 👍
Great video and tips. I had a guy put together some of these in my garage. I think he only stained them but didn’t out the sealant on. Since they are already attached, what are my options? Apply several coats of sealer anyways? Any advice is appreciated!
Perfect timing. In the process of doing a budget friendly kitchen remodel on my house and using butcher block countertops. Thank you for the tips!
Not sure if the home depot brand butcher block counter tops require sealing but it's probably worth doing. nice video
Really appreciate the detailed walk-through on fixing the block to the cabinet. We bought a house with an unfinished butcher block we're trying to fix up and install properly. Any idea why folks out on RUclips are saying to sand blocks down from 80-120-150-220 and so? I thought beyond 120 gets dicey as far as blocking pores exactly like you're teaching here.
I am starting this project soon. Thank you for this! Would you believe butcher block is more expensive than granite installed where I live in Maine? Very perplexed by it. Butcherblock is my preference and allows me to do it myself so I will save a bundle and have bought some sweet tools to do the job that will outlive the project. I will need a proper orbital sander and tracksaw so am going top of the line. Eventually, I think we will do the opposite of what you did and put a section of granite in arount the sink and for rolling dough. That is down the road though, but if we do it you were the inspiration. I really think what you have done looks great AND better than if you done it all in granite! Thanks again.
Hi Rob, wish you were my dad. Great video. Wish I watched it BEFORE I had my butcher block installed. My handyman installed an Acacia butcher block on top of my upstairs hallway cabinet. Three of the four sides are up against walls and quite snug so only needed 3 screws to keep in place - didn't add the washer or large hole like you recommended. Wondering If I can do anything now that it's installed. I already noticed a crack and it's only been 3 weeks since install. I live in San Diego where weather is mild and low humidity. Temps range from 40s lows in winter and 80s high in summer. It is sealed on all 6 sides and 3 screws directly into the butcher block. It's firmly snug in so didn't need many screws to keep in place. Is there anything I can do now that it's installed or do I need to rip out and do over (hope not)? Would appreciate any tips you have. Thanks.
I have watched many of your videos and I would love to hire you to do some work for me at the house, i cant believe you dont have 1mill subs.
Wish I did. Do you live near Concord MA?
Unfortunately I do not live anywhere near Concord.
Keep a spray bottle with 1:1 water and distilled vinegar. Great for cleaning and disinfecting
Nice Ryobi Rotary Tool will be reviewed, how is it doing?
In my last house I did exactly the same thing. Installed a small section of butcherblock counter right beside the stove for ease of use when doing food prep. In my case I mated it to cheap laminate countertop and I did end up using silicone to seal the edge of the laminate to the bb section. Had no major issues with movement though it certainly varied a little from season to season.
Good feedback on the silicone - thanks
It breaks up the monotony of that white based countertop. You may have started a new trend
great look, but a sealant between the butcher block and the granite would be oood to avoid build up in betweeen in places that are hard to clean. A thin bead of urethane maybe?
I agree something would be better, maybe a gasket or just a thin bead of silicone
Question. I’m doing Something similar. I have granite and I have a void from the end of the counter to the brick wall. Biggest difference is this is going there to allow a dishwasher and no cabinets would be underneath.
What kind of bracket would I use against the back wall that would hold the counter?
Depends on the depth of the DW. A simple 3/4. X 1” cleat could work, or use a few “L” brackets
Thanks so much for showing and discussing very important parts to installing butcher block tops, namely fastening to the cabinets and allowing for expansion. One question I have is, if there is expansion and contraction should one use silicone to seal the back of the counter to a tile backsplash, or should the tile backsplash be installed first and then have the butch block abut up to the tile with a wooden splash shield attached to the butcher block? Thank you for your content, advice and time, sharing this with us all.
@@Simon_Hawkshaw up to the tile would be good. We added the backsplash afterwards
@@ConcordCarpenter Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. What did you use for a backsplash? If I tile first and put the butcher block to the tile, do I silicone the join? Will that allow enough wood flex?
Question pls. That wood piece that that holds up the brace (the piece that iis a dado) that attaches to countertop- how did you attach that to the front of the cabinet frame?
What’s the time stamp in video?
I’d love to hear a follow up on how expansion/contraction works out with this.
Wood likes to expand more in width then length, so the way you ran the grain shouldn’t push on the granite to much.
Perhaps some kind of gasket could help to seal the gap for moisture and dirt sake IF that becomes an issue?
Gasket for crumbs would be cool
Ill try
This caught my attention too. I’m a new carpenter (hobby) but one of the things I’ve heard is that wood expands in width but not really in length. I wouldn’t expect this length of wood to expand almost at all. But again, I know nothing at this point haha
@@ThisTall a tar later and it’s still looking good. She’s been good to it. I might scape, sand and repost next heat TBD
@@ConcordCarpenter hey, thanks for the follow up!
I did a similar job this way butt joining post form in to slab like this. And chose to set the slab 3/16 higher than the laminate, but I left a heavy 1/16 gap between them that I siliconed as a gasket. And it seems to have held up all year
Have you ever dabbled with epoxy counter tops? Obviously, this is on the level of having a laminate countertop, but really shines when you are on a really tight budget and can’t afford to replace the laminate top that is there. I recently re-purposed used cabinets and built an epoxy countertop that had an MDF base. The entire project was about $1000.
Ive done a epoxy river table
Is there any connection between the block and granite? It's just setting next to each other. Was concerned about how to clean between the cracks. Thx for your response.
@@camihershkovitz4827 no connection. Vacuum
😎🛠️😎🛠️😎
So Birch stains so badly with moisture - How does it stand up to long term use? Birch plywood for cabinet sides is the standard in good joinery in the UK - But I have never seen Birch used as a worktop or counter top. It takes much more abuse and has 'sitting' water sometimes on it. Do you have to be ready careful to ensure it its very well seated and finished? No judgement on the choice of materials as cost was obviously the main priority here. I also appreciate most cheap products can be durable and effective if you know how to fit and finish them correctly.
Having that top 1/4" higher than all the rest for ME would have been annoying. I would have ran it through the widebelt and taken it down to 1 1/4" ,,,,just my own personal preference I know.
I know, and I thought about asking my mill shop but I was crunched for time. Still can unscrew it and do later too
1/8 4x8 is great for a template. Only $26
You mean Luann or Masonite?
It's quartz not granite
Yep your right, I call it all granite. Bad habit
Wood doesn't expand lengthwise, so you didn't need to leave any gaps. Also, hearing "I hope that is enough" was enough for me to stop watching this video and to stop listening to anything else this person had to say.
You know your craft very well Sir 👍