Countertops
Butchers block countertops are made using a technique that was developed in the Northern USA in the early 1800s to meet the sanitary needs of butchers who, up until that time, had been using slices of wood cut from a tree, that invariably ended up poisoning half the local population as bacteria seeped into the grain and slowly worked it’s way through in to the depths of the wood.
Enter butchers block, made from small pieces of wood glued together and arranged in such a fashion as the surface was sealed to the underlying wood meaning the surface could be sanded off and a new, bacteria free surface appears.
There are two types of butcher’s block; edge grain and end grain. As suggested by the name, edge grain uses pieces of wood that have been glued together with the grain direction parallel to the surface of the cutting board or countertop. The higher priced countertops will feature wood that has rails the length of the top or board and this may well push the price up.
End grain butchers block uses pieces of wood that have been glued together with the grain running perpendicular to the surface of the countertop or board. Professional chefs and butchers chefs prefer these because the end grain allows the knives to slip between the grains, meaning any knives or cleavers used will need less sharpening and therefore last longer. Savings throughout the life of the board thanks to this will offset the initial extra expense. The surface is sanded down to produce a new layer of wood and the block becomes molded into a unique shape as it ages. Once the blocks are made, many different types of countertop styles are available and it is possible to create almost any look or finish using varnishes or oils.
If there is no intention of using the countertop as a work surface, i.e. cutting food directly on it, a varnish can be applied which may not be food safe, but if the intention is to use the surface as a cutting board cutting board, some creams or non-toxic oils can be applied. But – on the whole, plain wood is best.
Kitchen counter tops made in this way are very pretty and they can be stained to match other less hard woods if needed. Perhaps the most attractive thing about furniture made from this material is the fact that the finishes are unique. No two blocks are identical to each other.