Butcher block countertops can be made from a wide variety of wood types and grades (or finishings). All butcher block worktops are made in a similar way, cutting the wood to shape, sanding and buffing it, polishing and then sealing it before proceeding to install it. But the type and grade of the wood is what will give your butcher block the desired look and feel, so it’s worth spending some time choosing one you love. Different woods also mean different butcher block countertop prices, and more exotic woods will carry a premium.
What is the Best Wood for a Butcher Block
There is not a single “best wood for butcher block” because depending on your tastes and priorities certain types of hardwood will be better than others. For example, if price is a priority then cheaper woods from quick growing trees like birch can be preferable, whereas for the eco-conscious customer bamboo or reclaimed wood would be the top choice. If your main thing is fair trade, then look for woods that are guaranteed to come from managed forests and with respect to the local people working them, even if it involves higher costs. Or you may prefer to choose based on the colour of the rest of the kitchen, such as the cabinets and floors. A small kitchen would benefit from a lighter wood, whereas a very large one can go for elegant, darker hardwood countertops without looking opressive. Here is a small overview of some of the most common wood for a butcher block countertop.
Maple Butcher Block Countertop Wood
Maple is a traditional choice of hardwood for butcher blocks, with fine grain and generally light colours. It has a smooth texture but it’s very resistent and durable, so a good choice for almost any kitchen and one of the most popular types of wood.
- For Where You Work: Create a stable, solid surface for your kitchen, garage, art room, or office. Update tables and counters or create custom butcher...
- Versatile Surface: Bring practical farmhouse decor to your home or workspace. Enjoy neutral and natural tones that mesh well with a variety of...
- USA Grown Hardwood: Only made from USA grown hard maple solid wood.
- Food-safe Oil: The wood surface is finished with natural food grade oil. The countertops can be used as a cutting surface.
- One-Piece Maple Table Top : This Wood Butcher Block Counter Top measuring 36" L x 25" W and with a thickness of 1.5".
- High-quality Solid Wood: Our Wood Butcher Block Counter Top is specially crafted from premium solid maple wood, ensuring durability and longevity....
Oak Butcher Block Countertops
Red oak is popular in the northeastern U.S. because it fits great with colonial style homes, whereas white oak has a medium tone and fine grain that make for beautifully neutral butcher blocks. Oak butcher block countertops with white cabinets look understated and classic, for example.
- USA Grown Hardwood: Only made from USA grown oak solid wood.
- Food-safe Oil: The wood surface is finished with natural food grade oil. The countertops can be used as a cutting surface.
- USA Grown Hardwood: Only made from USA grown hard maple solid wood.
- Food-safe Oil: The wood surface is finished with natural food grade oil. The countertops can be used as a cutting surface.
- 🌳UNFINISHED HIGH-QUALITY HEVEA WOOD: Our butcher block counter top is crafted from solid sustainable hevea wood of the maple family with strong...
- 🌳FOUR LAYER PROTECTIVE PACKAGING: The multilayered packaging undergoes meticulous production to upgrade protection ability, thus prevent the...
Bamboo Butcher Block Countertop Wood
Bamboo may sound like a strange choice for a hardwood kitchen countertop, but it’s actually really practical and has impeccable green credentials. Bamboo is actually a herb that grows incredibly quick, so there is no damage to the environment. At the same time, bamboo countertops are naturally anti-microbial, resistant and durable.
- 🌳UNFINISHED HIGH-QUALITY HEVEA WOOD: Our butcher block counter top is crafted from solid sustainable hevea wood of the maple family with strong...
- 🌳FOUR LAYER PROTECTIVE PACKAGING: The multilayered packaging undergoes meticulous production to upgrade protection ability, thus prevent the...
- 🌳TIMELESS WOODEN BEAUTY: Transform your home with the organic beauty of our butcher block island. This butcher block tabletop has the charm of real...
- 🌳HIGH QUALITY WOOD: Our butcher butcher block island are made from sustainable solid birch. A material known for its outstanding durability and...
- 🌳UNFINISHED HIGH-QUALITY HEVEA WOOD: Our butcher block counter top is crafted from solid sustainable hevea wood of the maple family with strong...
- 🌳FOUR LAYER PROTECTIVE PACKAGING: The multilayered packaging undergoes meticulous production to upgrade protection ability, thus prevent the...
Birch Butcher Block
Birch worktops show off the rings caused by the quick growth of the tree. Fine-grained and pale, it has a satin-like sheen that will darken with age. It can be found at major retailers at relatively unexpensive prices.
- BUTCHER BLOCK CUTTING BOARD: Unfinished Birch Hardwood Butcher Block features finger-jointed slats in a rustic design. Available in one-piece table...
- SOLID WOOD TABLE TOP: Each desk top has an A (upper) side, which is more pristine, and a B (bottom) side, which is more rustic. Pair your birch...
- 🌳TIMELESS WOODEN BEAUTY: Transform your home with the organic beauty of our butcher block island. This butcher block tabletop has the charm of real...
- 🌳HIGH QUALITY WOOD: Our butcher butcher block island are made from sustainable solid birch. A material known for its outstanding durability and...
- High Quality — This pure solid one-piece tabletop is made of high-quality birch, which is sturdy, environmentally friendly, wear-resistant,...
- Highly Protective Packaging — Our cutting boards are carefully packaged to high standards to prevent deformation during transportation; professional...
Teak Butcher Block
If you are after a centerpiece for your kitchen, teak is one of the hardwoods better suited for a dramatic statement, particularly against solid coloured countertops. The wood is highly textured with light and dark brown grain.
- 🌳UNFINISHED HIGH-QUALITY HEVEA WOOD: Our butcher block counter top is crafted from solid sustainable hevea wood of the maple family with strong...
- 🌳FOUR LAYER PROTECTIVE PACKAGING: The multilayered packaging undergoes meticulous production to upgrade protection ability, thus prevent the...
- PREMIUM ACACIA HARDWOOD: Our unfinished butcher block countertop 5ft is crafted from solid, sustainably forested hardwood Acacia, known for its...
- DIVERSE FINISHED OPTIONS & SIZES: Our acacia butcher block countertop is available in both unfinished & finished types (dark walnut & teak look) and...
![XXL End Grain Butcher Block Cutting Board [1.5' Thick]. Made of Teak Wood and Conditioned with Beeswax, Flaxseed Oil & Lemon Oil. 23' x 17' Chopping Board by Ziruma.](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/516GvsK4LoL._SL160_.jpg)
- Conditioned with beeswax, Flaxseed & lemon oil.
- Free of BPA, phthalates, and petroleum-based mineral oil.
Cherry Butcher Block Countertops
American or Black Cherry has a naturally deep red or light red-brown colour that darkens with age to a deep brown-red colour in a variety of textures, from straight to wavy or curly streaks. It’s not the most durable type of butcher blocks, but it’s definitely beautiful. You can also find it in a lovely light, creamy pink colour with dark wavy streaks.
- UNFINISHED HIGH-QUALITY HEVEA WOOD: Crafted from durable hevea wood, our butcher block counter tops and computer desk surfaces are ideal for DIY
- FOUR LAYER shielding PACKAGING: Secure packaging prevents warping, safeguarding your butcher block wooden cutting board or live edge wood slabs
- UNFINISHED PREMIUM HEVEA WOOD: Our butcher block countertop are crafted from solid sustainable hevea wood of the maple family with strong grains; Well...
- HIGHLY PROTECTION PACKAGING: Our unfinished butcher block slabs is carefully packaged to meet high standards to prevent warping during delivery;...
- Wooden Countertop: Elevate your prep space with the John Boos kitchen counter. It’s great for preparing meals, rolling out dough, serving food, and...
- Crafted for Your Home: This wooden slab counter features a standard eased edge, blended heartwood, sap, natural mineral, and grain construction, and...
Hickory Butcher Block Countertops
Hickory has a warm, reddish tone once sealed that looks amazing. This is a very heavy and hard wood, and so very durable, with a lot of beautiful texture.
Other commonly used woods for butcher blocks are pine, poplar, beech or alder. Depending on your location some will be more available and affordable than others, as importing wood is generally expensive.
- UNPARALLELED CRAFTSMANSHIP: Our unique Forever Joint technique ensures that each top is 99% free from unsightly gaps or wood putty, a common sight in...
- INSTALLATION READY: Every top comes unfinished, sanded to a 150-grit finish, and coated with food-safe mineral oil. Ready for immediate installation...
- IMPORTANT NOTE: The board being sold here is shown in only the first 3 pictures. The other pictures are just to showcase a sample range of our other...
- Approximately 27" x 14 x 1.25” (approximate because the live edges are rugged and irregular in shape and dimensions). Each board is selected and...
- UNPARALLELED CRAFTSMANSHIP: Our unique Forever Joint technique ensures that each top is 99% free from unsightly gaps or wood putty, a common sight in...
- INSTALLATION READY: Every top comes unfinished, sanded to a 150-grit finish, and coated with food-safe mineral oil. Ready for immediate installation...
Wood Grades For Kitchen Countertops
The grade, or quality, of a butcher block countertop depends on how the different blocks of wood are glued together. Wood is very strong when parallel to the grain, and the bonding is also stronger when using the face and edge grain, but less strong on the end grain.
There are 3 wood grades.
Edge grain is the cheapest, second stronger and most stable of the three, and as such the most popular. The surface is made with the long and narrow edges of the boards, so it has a striped pattern.
Flat grain on the other hand is arranged so the surface is formed by the width of the boards, which means less of a pattern than with edge grain.
Finally, end grain grade uses smaller blocks of wood placed so the front of the wood (the bit that would go at the end of a board) forms the surface. As such it shows a lot of pattern with the knots and grow rings, and since the pieces are very small it’s very strong. However, it’s also the most expensive and the one with more room to get damaged by water being absorbed into the wood and expanding it.
- 🌳UNFINISHED HIGH-QUALITY HEVEA WOOD: Our butcher block counter top is crafted from solid sustainable hevea wood of the maple family with strong...
- 🌳FOUR LAYER PROTECTIVE PACKAGING: The multilayered packaging undergoes meticulous production to upgrade protection ability, thus prevent the...
- High Quality — This pure solid one-piece tabletop is made of high-quality birch, which is sturdy, environmentally friendly, wear-resistant,...
- Highly Protective Packaging — Our cutting boards are carefully packaged to high standards to prevent deformation during transportation; professional...
- UNFINISHED HIGH-QUALITY HEVEA WOOD: Crafted from durable hevea wood, our butcher block counter tops and computer desk surfaces are ideal for DIY
- FOUR LAYER shielding PACKAGING: Secure packaging prevents warping, safeguarding your butcher block wooden cutting board or live edge wood slabs
As you can see, deciding what is the best wood for butcher block countertops is not easy because there is not really a bad or a absolutely superior type of hardwood. However, price and desired end result will help you choose the one more suitable for your needs.
looking for a 8’x25″x2″ butcher block countertop that work with a mocha glazed maple cabinets. would like to know price also.
Will an unfinished birch butcher block accept a stain for a kitchen countertop in a little rental? Can it be sanded if it needs refinishing?