Photo: Zillow Digs home in Gilbert, AZButcher block, consisting of individual wooden strips fused together into a sleek slab, is a timeless and trendy material for kitchen countertops. But its warm tones and “country kitchen” vibes aside, there is a lot about the surface that homeowners don’t know—including real estimates on its cost and required maintenance. To find out if this material right for your kitchen, read through this comprehensive list of butcher block countertop pros and cons before committing to an installation. PRO: Butcher block is one of the more affordable countertops.Butcher block countertops will run you only $20 to $60 per square foot in supplies. That beats the cost of most other popular options, including stainless steel ($20 to $150), glass ($25 to $100 per square foot), concrete ($25 to $75 per square foot), marble ($25 to $75 per square foot) and soapstone or limestone ($20 to $75 per square foot).You can save even more money by choosing a over hiring contractors to do the job. Pro installation typically adds $5 to $10 per square foot to the total cost. For handy homeowners, a DIY butcher block countertop installation isn’t tricky business, either: It entails cutting sheets of wood down to size with a circular saw, creating the necessary holes for sinks and other fixtures, then mounting the various segments over a cabinet with screws.For context, let’s compare that to another trendy countertop material like. Not only does this cost almost double in supplies ($70 to $100 per square foot), but it’s generally not DIY-friendly—the countertop slab is too heavy for one person to lift, has to be cut with a wet saw, and can seriously damage surrounding surfaces in the home if dropped.

CON: It’s ultra-sensitive to liquid.You’ve likely been warned to keep wood out of the bathroom because of how it reacts to water. Wood can gather germs, grow mold, stain, or even warp in shape when exposed to moisture. To counteract these unwanted effects, you’ll need to seal your butcher block countertops immediately following installation and on a monthly basis afterward—one bit of maintenance more than non-porous countertop made of glass, stainless steel, quartz, or ceramic tile take. Fortunately, all it takes is one to two coats of food-safe mineral oil or walnut oil applied with a soft cloth. These non-toxic sealants create barriers that keep spills collected on the surface and thus prevent water damage.Every 10 years, or as needed when stains grow numerous, (start with 80- to 100-grit, then move up to 220-grit sandpaper as the surface smoothens) to sand away the old sealant. Re-oil the sanded surface to make it look like new. PRO: You can keep it spic-and-span with mere household cleaners.While soap can streak or spot shiny glass or stainless countertops and acid-based cleaners can erode quartz countertops, both are safe to use on a butcher block. In other words, cleanup is not rocket science!For, scrape off food debris with a plastic spatula, then use a dish sponge saturated in a solution of two cups warm water and one teaspoon dish soap to wipe away the residue.Vinegar works great as a stand-in for soap and water.

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Plus, it’s capable of both cleaning and disinfecting the countertop.Need to banish a stain? Sprinkle table salt over the stain, then gently rub it with half of a lemon to remove it. CON: Butcher block countertops ding easily.Being softer and more yielding than glass, granite, and stone, butcher block countertops are more 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 chop directly on its surface. Knife blades can cause uneven wear on certain regions of your countertop, so use a dedicated cutting board for cooking prep work, instead.If a wayward knife stroke dents the countertop, sand down the dent with a fine-grit sandpaper (220-grit or greater) and then apply mineral oil to the spot. You can use this same solution to remove burn marks on the countertop left by a hot pot.

Photo: Zillow Digs home in Seattle, WA PRO: You can have your pick of hardwood and grain.Unlike uniform countertops of glass or stainless steel, butcher block allows you to customize the hue and pattern of your countertop through your choice of wood and wood grain. You can choose from, each lending a distinct color and character to the countertops and your kitchen’s overall scheme. Teak and cherry wood confer a dark and dramatic effect; oak evokes a classic, colonial feel; and blonde bamboo is an excellent option for a modern sustainable home.You can further define the look of the space through your choice of wood grain, or the pattern visible on the surface of your butcher block countertop. The two primary types of grains are edge grain and end grain. the surface of edge grain butcher block resembles a series of long, lean strips like the sides of a 2×4.

The surface of end grain butcher blocks looks like a checkerboard comprising the short ends of a 2×4. CON: It expands or contracts as the temperature fluctuates.As it does with water, wood swells or shrinks with changing temperatures. Homeowners can expect their butcher block countertops to expand by roughly one-eighth of an inch in summer and contract by the same amount in the winter. Now, if you don’t prepare for this by leaving enough room along the perimeter, the expansion could cause it to warp or crack. The best way to create ventilation and wiggle room for your countertop is to install it over an open cabinet top (not over a solid underlayment) and leave one-eighth of an inch between the edges of the countertop and the walls if installing the countertop between two walls. If your cabinets have a solid top, mount furring strips above the cabinet top and then rest the countertop on top of the strips so that it has room to breathe.

PRO: It can last for a couple of decades.Follow the above tips on installation, sealing, and cleaning your butcher block countertops, and the surface should last for 20 years or longer. This gives it a major advantage over laminate countertops (which typically last for only 10 to 15 years before an inevitable replacement) and puts it on par with the ever-durable (which also last at least 20 years).If these butcher block countertop pros and cons leave you thinking that wood isn’t the best fit for your future kitchen, consider installing.

When it comes to butcher block products, there are quite a few misconceptions about the construction and durability of hardwood countertops.

With butcher block countertops rising in popularity due to the unique, natural look they offer, the McClure team is here to set the record straight about butcher blocks and other countertop surfaces. Some of the most common butcher block myths involve qualities such as water resistance, bacteria resistance, durability, and more.

Depending on how you plan to use your countertops, McClure’s custom finishes can offer different forms of protection for butcher block countertops to ensure that they remain pristine. Whether you’re looking for a water-resistant finish like McClure’s Organic Color Seal, a low-maintenance, tough coating like McClure’s Durable Acrylic, or a food-safe, bacteria-resistant finish like McClure’s Chef’s Choice, McClure can custom finish your countertop to best fit your lifestyle.

By treating butcher block countertops like any other counter material and not working directly on the surface, you’ll find that hardwood countertops stand up to other materials in a number of areas. Those include bacteria resistance, water resistance (when properly oiled), heat resistance, and ease of repairs, in addition to the fact that wood surfaces are much easier on knives and sharp cutlery. However, for those that want to dedicate an area of their countertop to prepare food directly on, hardwood countertops offer a functional space that no other material can provide due to end grain butcher block’s ease on knives and sharp cutlery. While most materials would be damaged by blades and knives, end grain butcher block’s fibers will separate and mend to preserve both cutlery and the wood surface.

1. “Butcher Blocks Harbor Germs”

This myth most likely stems from butcher block cutting boards and the fact that they cannot be washed under water or in the dishwasher. However, according to a study conducted by the Food Research Institute at University of Wisconsin (1993), wooden cutting boards have been shown to be safer than plastic ones when it comes to harboring microbes such as E-Coli, listeria and salmonella. The same applies for butcher block countertops.

Additionally, most butcher block countertops are finished with a water-resistant coating like McClure’s Organic Color Seal to ensure that moisture doesn’t seep into the surface. This mineral oil coating combined with routine maintenance should ensure that your countertop remains bacteria free.

Overall, if you can avoid working directly on your countertops like you would with any other counter material, bacteria should never be an issue in the first place.

2. “They Aren’t Water Resistant”

With a coating of water-resistant, food-safe mineral oil like McClure’s Organic Color Seal, water and moisture shouldn’t be a problem for butcher block countertops. Water-resistant finishes are widely available and should prevent all moisture from seeping into hardwood countertops.

With regular applications of mineral oil applied to your countertops every six months, particularly in areas surrounding a sink or faucet, your butcher block countertop will be looking like new for years to come.

3. “They Aren’t Heat Resistant”

It’s not advised to put a hot pan on your butcher block countertops, but the same goes for any other kind of countertop. Despite common belief, butcher block countertops are actually more resistant to heat than granite, and hardwood surfaces take longer to burn or char than any other countertop material.

While it’s true that butcher block countertops can be damaged by excessive heat, laminate countertops will melt or peel while stone countertops can warp under similar conditions. At least with butcher block countertops, heat marks or charring can be sanded out should they occur. Repairs for other materials are not quite so easy.

4. “Butcher Block Countertops Will Show Scratches or Damage”

By avoiding cutting directly on butcher block like you would with any other countertop material, you’ll find that butcher block is one of the most durable and rugged materials available.

However, if you’re hoping to use a dedicated area of your butcher block countertop for chopping or food preparation, coating the area with a scratch-resistant, food-safe finish like McClure’s Chef’s Choice should keep damage to a minimum. Naturally, hardwood surfaces give way to knives and sharp cutlery, leaving knives sharp and damage to the counters to a minimum as the fibers bend back and mend themselves. Though if damage does begin to show after prolonged use, wood can be easily sanded and resealed for a good-as-new look.

5. “Butcher Block Is Expensive To Maintain Or Repair”

One advantage of butcher block countertops is that they are easier to repair than any other countertop material. While butcher block countertops do require routine maintenance, resealing the surface is only required after every 6-12 months depending on the level of use. The same goes for natural stone countertops, which must be resealed over time to maintain the original quality and look.

Some finish options such as McClure’s Durable Acrylic can be used as a maintenance free option for butcher block countertops. If you don’t plan on working directly on your butcher block countertops, coating the surface with a finish like Durable Acrylic can be a great option for tough, low-maintenance countertops.

Repairing butcher block countertops is relatively painless and sanding and resealing can be done on your own. That’s quite different from laminate or stone, where self repair is typically not an option and professional repair jobs can be very expensive.

The Advantage of Butcher Block Countertops

Though excessive heat, moisture, or direct contact with knives can damage butcher block countertops, the same damage, if not worse, would form on counters made from other materials.

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So despite the occasional maintenance that may be needed for butcher block countertops, they’re a great option for those who love working in the kitchen. Additionally, butcher block countertops are very affordable compared to other counter surfaces, with even the thickest butcher block countertops by McClure (3 inches) priced at less than $100 per square foot.

Thinking of what butcher block countertops would look like in your home? You can find all of McClure’s premium, handcrafted butcher block countertops listed here. For a natural-looking countertop that’s sure to bring beauty and functionality to your kitchen for years to come, go with McClure.