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Butcher engine block , which is made from individual wooden strips fused together into a sleek slab , is a timeless and trendy material for kitchen countertop . But its warm tones and “ country kitchen ” vibes aside , there is a deal about the airfoil that homeowners do n’t know — include actual estimates on its cost and required maintenance . To find out if this cloth right for your kitchen , study through this comprehensive list of butcher block countertop professional and con before committing to an installation .

PRO: Butcher block is one of the more affordable types of countertops.

The average butcher block countertop cost of materials runs just $ 20 to $ 60 per square foot . This range is far more low-cost than most other democratic options , includingstainless sword countertops($50 to $ 150 ) , glass ( $ 25 to $ 100 per square foot ) , concrete ( $ 25 to $ 75 per square foot),marble($40 to $ 100 per satisfying foot ) andquartz($50 to $ 200 per substantial base ) .

you may save even more money by choose a do - it - yourself installment over hiring contractor to do the line of work . Professional facility typically adds $ 5 to $ 10 per square foot to the full cost . For ready to hand householder , aDIY slaughterer city block countertop installationisn’t slick stage business , either : It involves cutting sheets of wood down to size with acircular power saw , produce the necessary hole for cesspit and other fixture , then bestride the various segment over a cabinet with gaoler .

For linguistic context , allow ’s compare that to another voguish countertop textile likequartz . Not only do the materials be almost twice as much ( $ 70 to $ 100 per square foot ) as that of butcher block , but a quartz countertop installment is not generally a DIY task . A quartz glass countertop slab is too ponderous for one person to lift , has to be cut with awet saw , and can seriously damage palisade surface in the household ( or your feet ) if you drop it .

Butcher Block Countertops Pros and Cons

Photo: Zillow Digs home in Gilbert, AZ

CON: Butcher block is ultra-sensitive to liquid.

Rule number one for bumbler block countertop care : Limit its vulnerability to moisture . You ’ve belike been monish to keep wood out of bathrooms and kitchen because of how it oppose to water . woodwind instrument can take up source , grow mould , stain , or even warp when it ’s exposed to moisture . Sealing butcher block countertops straight off fall out facility ( and once a month or so afterward ) can counteract these unwanted effects , Yes , butcher block countertop sustainment is a little more involved than it would be had you opted for a nonporous countertop made of glass , unstained sword , quartz , or ceramic tile . Fortunately , all it takes is one to two coats of nutrient - safe mineral crude , such asHoward Products Cutting Board Oilor walnut oil ( likeMahoney ’s Finishes Walnut Oil Wax ) applied with a sonant cloth . These nontoxic sealants make barrier that keep spills from penetrating the wood , thus preventing body of water impairment .

Every 10 age , or as needed when the countertop grow maculate , use sandpaperto backbone away the old sealant . begin with 80- to 100 - grit , then move up to 220 - grit emery paper as the Earth’s surface smooths out . Go over the sanded surface again with oil to make it seem like new .

PRO: Cleaning butcher block countertops is a cinch using basic household ingredients.

While soap can mottle or spot glistening glass or stainless countertop and dose - based cleaner can erode vitreous silica countertops , both are safe to use on a butcher block . In other discussion , cleansing is not rocket science !

Foreveryday cleaning of fuckup mental block countertops , scrape off food debris with a pliant spatula , then practice a dish leech impregnate in a solution of 2 cups warm body of water and 1 teaspoon of dish soap to pass over aside the residue . Vinegar cleans butcher blocking as well as soap and water , and disinfect the countertop as well as pick it . To tackle butcher mental block countertop filth , sprinkle table salt over the blot , then gently rub them with one-half of a lemon to murder it .

CON: Butcher block countertops ding easily.

Because they are softer and more yielding than glass , granite , and stone , fumbler block countertop are morevulnerable to scraping and dents . One way that homeowners prematurely wear their butcher block countertops is by using them as cutting boards .

Despite the name “ butcher block , ” you ’d do well to resist the urge to hack directly on its airfoil . tongue blades can cause mismatched wear on certain regions of your countertop , so use a dedicatedcutting boardfor cooking prep work instead .

If a wayward tongue virgule dents the countertop , sandpaper down the dent with a fine - grit sandpaper ( 220 - grit or greater ) and then apply mineral oil to the topographic point . you may use this same solvent to polish off burn mark stigma on the countertop go forth by a raging pot .

butcher block countertops gloved hands wiping countertop with soft cloth

Photo: istockphoto.com

PRO: You can choose from a variety of hardwoods and grains to suit your style.

Unlike uniform countertop of drinking glass or stainless steel , fumbler block allows you to customize the hue and radiation diagram of your countertop through your alternative of Natalie Wood and wood grain . you’re able to choose from avariety of hardwoods , each add a distinct colour and grapheme to the countertops and your kitchen ’s overall schema . Teak and cherry Natalie Wood confer a dark and dramatic effect ; oak tree evokes a classic , compound feel ; and blonde bamboo is an excellent choice for a mod sustainable home .

you’re able to further delineate the look of your blank space through your pick of wood cereal , or the pattern seeable on the Earth’s surface of your butcher city block countertop . The two primary types of grains are edge cereal and terminate grain . The Earth’s surface of edge - caryopsis bungler city block resembles a series of foresighted , lean strip like the sides of a 2×4 . The surface of end - grain butcher block ( see below ) looks like a checkerboard represent the short ends of a 2×4 .

CON: Butcher block expands or contracts as the ambient temperature fluctuates.

As it does with water , wood swells or reduce with changing temperature . householder can await their slaughterer block countertop to expand by approximately ⅛- column inch in summer and contract by the same amount in the wintertime . Now , if you do n’t organise for this fluctuation by leaving enough way along the margin , the woodwind instrument ’s expansion could stimulate it to heave or crack .

It ’s not difficult to make enough squirm way for your countertop to expand and contract . If you ’re installing a sad sack pulley countertop over an undefendable cabinet top ( rather than a substantial underlayment ) , bequeath 1/8 inch between the edges of the countertop and the walls . If your console have a unanimous top , mount furring strips to the top of the cabinet . Then , rest the countertop on top of the strip so that it has elbow room to breathe .

PRO: Butcher block countertops can last for a couple of decades.

If these butcher block countertop pro and cons leave you thinking that woodwind instrument is n’t the best primed for your future kitchen , consider installingone of these other countertop materials .

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closeup view of butcher block countertop

Photo:Vermont Butcherblock Company

Butcher Block Countertops Pros and Cons

Photo: Zillow Digs home in Seattle, WA

butcher block counter top end grain

Photo: istockphoto.com

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