Cutting directly on butcher block countertops?

We’re renovating a kitchen (a whole house, really) and love the idea of putting butcher block on just our island that we could cut directly on. No meat/fish, just everything else. We don’t mind scratches and things looking lived in. Is this a bad idea? Ok? Anyone have experience with butcher block used as actual kitchen cutting surface?

mamalove

in Brownstoner Renovation 12 years and 2 months ago

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slopegirl | 12 years and 2 months ago

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yes, just buy a bottle of mineral oil and wipe it on when you think of it   annually use plain steel wool to scrub the counters clean and then soak the newly scrubbed wood with good coating of mineral oil.   we used to do this at my mom’s in summer, takes a day or two, and you can probably skip it for an island but this was her entire kitchen counter (next to stove, under appliances etc so it made sense there.   we currently have butcher block island and all I do is wipe mineral oil on it from time to time

mamalove | 12 years and 2 months ago

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Thanks for all the helpful responses!  I just like the idea of having what’s essentially a giant cutting board that several people can work on at once. I knew not to put it around the sink, just on the island. But a lot of what I’ve read on shelter sites makes it seem that people just put in butcher block counters for the appearance, and like to keep them all perfect looking, not weathered and full of knife marks. Also I was concerned about the hygiene thing and flavor thing, so thx for the tip not to cut onions/garlic there. I think I just have to understand what the upkeep entails (oiling annually or whatnot) but we’re going to go for it.

curated | 12 years and 2 months ago

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Butcher block on an island is a great place to chop. Just make sure to use end geain rather han flat/edge grain. End grain is what real cutting blocks are made of, are easy on knives and don’t show scratches as much as flat/edge grain.

slopegirl | 12 years and 2 months ago

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my mom has a 40 year old kitchen with butcher block counters throughout and yes we cut right on them and have been for decades. the wood looks AMAZING and probably better now with patina of age.   however I will say from experience living in this house, if you have wood next to your sink you need to be careful and wipe up standing water. also the butcher block needs to be scrubbed with steel wool and treated with mineral oil annually. And the wood will also show burn marks from hot pots so you need to be conscious about that too… but it looks amazing and is incredibly functional.   I would absolutely put butcher block in my own house, just not around the sink, but even that part works for my mom. I would say use separate boards not just for raw meats but also for onions and garlic to keep other flavors clean. Also probably good idea to oil the well-used parts more often than once a year. I LOVE butcher block!! go for it!!   p.s. my stepmother put in a fancy new kitchen with butcher block island 10 years ago, they coated the wood with polyeurathane and it looked terrible and we were never allowed to cut on it, which was stupid. a few years later she had the whole thing sanded and now it works like it should.

fawn | 12 years and 2 months ago

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When you are finishing the butcher block (or buying a finished piece) you have the choice of doing a more furniture-like finish or an oil finish. John Boos calls it varnique vs oil. I think it depends on the look you are going for and how you use your kitchen. I’m putting butcher block on an island and planning to use it to cut on.

slopette | 12 years and 2 months ago

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Yeah, what exactly are you worried about? People do this all the time.

brokelin | 12 years and 2 months ago

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Isn’t that what it was designed to be used for?