Find the top Butcher Block in Escondido, CA

Every chef wants butcher block countertops in their kitchen. You will never have to use a cutting board again! Butcher block adds warmth and timeless beauty to your kitchen. It can easily blend well with any design taste; from traditional to vintage to rustic to contemporary. Butcher block countertops are made out of thick strips of hardwood glued together to form one solid piece. Popular wood choices for butcher block countertops are maple, oak, cherry, and walnut, but any type of wood can be made into a butcher block countertop. When considering butcher block countertops, you need to decide if the countertop is for aesthetics or if you intend to cut on them. A butcher block that is sealed cannot be used for cutting directly on and will allow water damage to occur. The knife can ruin the sealer and leave scratches that cannot be easily sanded away. The sealer, however, does protect the countertop from water and helps the wood to maintain an even color. An unfinished or oil-finished butcher block is the best choice for cutting and chopping. Any stains or scratches on the countertop can be sanded away. A disadvantage of an unsealed butcher block is that it can warp or turn black from excess water, so areas near the sink and water supply should be sealed.

Step 1. Choose A Wood Species

• Walnut / Black Walnut

• 
  Walnut End Grain
• 
  Walnut Edge Grain
• 
  Walnut Plank

Characteristics

• Mellows and turns more golden with age

• 1010 on the Janka Scale

• Grown in the USA

• Jatoba / Brazilian Cherry

• 
  Edge Grain Jatoba
• 
  End Grain Jatoba
• 
  Plank Jatoba

Characteristics

• Darkens some with age

• 2350 on the Janka Scale

• Grown in Central America

• American Cherry

• 
  Edge Grain American Cherry
• 
  End Grain American Cherry
• 
  Plank American Cherry

Characteristics

• Darkens significantly with age

• 995 on the Janka Scale

• Grown in the USA

• Hard Maple / Hard Rock Maple

• 
  Hard Maple Edge Grain
• 
  Hard Maple End Grain
• 
  Hard Maple Plank

Characteristics

• Darkens little with age

• 1450 on the Janka Scale

• Grown in the USA

• Hickory

• 
  Hickory Edge Grain
• 
  Hickory End Grain

Characteristics

• Darkens little with age

• 1820 on the Janka Scale

• Grown in the USA

• Iroko

• 
  Plank Iroko
• 
  Edge Grain Iroko

Characteristics

• 1260 on the Janka Scale

• Darkens significantly with age

• Grown in West Africa

• Zebrawood

• 
  Zebra Edge Grain
• 
  Zebra Wood End Grain
• 
  Zebra Wood Plank

Characteristics

• Darkens little with age

• 1575 on the Janka Scale

• Grown in West Africa

• Weathered White Oak

• 
  Kama-weathered-wood-finish
• 
  Belita weathered-wood finish
• 
  Charu weathered-wood finish

Characteristics

• Darkens little with age

• 1290 on the Janka Scale

• Grown in the USA

Step 2. Choose A Finish

In addition to wood species, you’ll want to make sure that the countertop is properly finished. Three types of wood finishes are available:

1. Permanent Conversion Varnish Top Coat. This is sprayed on and provides the best protection against. The ideal finish for most counter top uses. It permanently and completely seals the wood protecting it from staining and water damage. It also offers significant scratch resistance when compared to raw wood. The finish soaks deep into to wood fiber reinforcing it. You should not cut on this surface.

2. Rubio Monocoat Oil Sealer. This is a 100% zero VOC sealer great for “ GREEN” projects. It saturates the color but the surface looks like raw wood, much like typical butcher block. The wood is very well sealed against water and other common household liquids so it’s good to use on countertops with wet areas like undermount sinks.

3. Mineral Oil. This is a 100% food grade oil, perfect for chopping surfaces. This is not a sealer, rather a wood conditioner designed to keep the wood healthy. Wine and other liquids will stain the surface and wet areas are not recommended.

Step 3: Choose A Construction Style

There are three styles to choose from, each with it’s own look, and in some cases function.

• Plank/Face is a design and cost driven construction style. It has the look of furniture and because labor/scrap is minimized it is the most cost effective of the three styles. The boards are typically between 4”-6” wide and run the full length of the top. For most species thicknesses of up to 1- 3/4” is the maximum available.

Example: Plank / Face

• Edge grain is a construction style where the top surface of the countertop is the edge of the board, as seen below. The boards are typically 1-3/4” wide and run the full length of the top. Thicknesses of up to 4-1/2” can be achieved with this style. Historically this is the look people think of when using the term “butcher block”.

Example: Edge Grain

• End grain is another construction style that is very popular for butcher blocks, chopping blocks or food preparation areas. Here, a piece of wood is stood on its end giving the surface a checkerboard look. Some end-grain construction countertops are subtle, using the same wood species to form a tone-on-tone offset checkerboard, while others are more dramatic and use contrasting dark and light woods to form a very visual checkerboard. The blocks are typically 1-3/4” x 1-3/4” with thicknesses of up to 4-1/2” achievable.

Example: End Grain

Step 4. Choose A Edge

Simple Edges $