- 1). Plot your design for the wooden countertop. Doing a drawing on graph paper may help. Take accurate measurements of the counter area you are building and keep your drawing to scale.
- 2). Buy lumber. Maple is a good choice because it's hard -- that's why it's chosen for bowling alleys and basketball courts. Maple lumber traditionally comes in thicknesses of 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch. Other choices are walnut, teak or any other hard wood.
- 3). Inspect the surface of the wood. If it is uneven, you can plane it, which will ease the process of gluing the wood together as you make the countertop.
- 4). Rip the lumber down into strips with a table saw. The width of these strips can be 1 inch or up to 2 inches -- this is up to you. Once you have stripped down the lumber, cut each piece into uneven lengths.
- 5). Clean the surface thoroughly to eliminate dirt or sawdust that could keep the glue from adhering properly. Lay down wax paper on your gluing surface, then set up your clamps. Bar clamps work well for this application. Use two pieces of wood as supports that will hold the wood you're gluing between them.
- 6). Apply glue to the surfaces of the wood, and clamp them together. Lay wax paper on top of the glued wood and press down with another board to make sure the surfaces are as even as you can manage at this point. Stagger the wood lengths for visual interest and strength. The same technique is used for laying wood floors. Wipe away any excess glue. Allow the glue to set up for at least 24 hours.
- 7). Smooth the surface of the glued wood with a belt sander. Use a coarser grit first, then sand it again and again with finer and finer belts, finishing with a finish sander.
- 8). Inspect the butcher block for gaps. Reglue as necessary. If your design calls for rounded corners, cut them as needed with a router, and round the edges. Install your wood countertop.
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