Kitchen Design DIY (Do it Yourself) Project

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Issue 43

The Small Spaces Issue

Buy Your First Home
Southern BBQ, City Style
A-Frame House
Bikes of Portland

Build Your Own Butcher Block

Julienne it just right with this artisanal chopping board.

by Chris Gardner

Photos by Dustin Aksland

You’ve got your knife skills down. You can wield those eight inches of German steel like a dicing samurai. Don’t you deserve a chef-quality cutting surface? This block’s unique end-grain construction has natural antiseptic properties, and lets the blade cut between the wood fibers, allowing the surface to heal itself. With most commercial products priced far higher than their craftsmanship demands, there’s every reason to make your own.

Rip your hardwood into 10 strips, 1 ¾” wide and 22” long. (The width will be the eventual height of your butcher block.)
Lay the strips next to each other to form a 17 ½” x 22” block. Spread wood glue on both sides of each strip (except on the end pieces), and press together.
Clamp the block, alternating the placement of the clamps on top and bottom. Tighten only until a thin bead of glue appears at each seam, then wipe away the glue with a rag. Allow to dry overnight.
Remove the clamps, then crosscut (perpendicular to the first cuts) the plank into 1 ¾” strips.
Turn these strips so the end grain is facing up, and arrange the strips in a pleasing pattern.
Repeat the same gluing and clamping procedure as described in steps 2 and 3.
Remove the clamps and, if desired, route a “ roundover or chamfer on the edges.
Using the electric sander and beginning with 60-grit sandpaper, sand until the surface is flat. Then sand with progressively finer grits until you get a smooth finish.
Glue a rubber foot to each corner.
Coat the butcher block with mineral oil. Flood the oil on the surface, then spread it evenly with a rag. After about 15 minutes, wipe away any extra.
To care for your butcher block, clean it with soap and water, and dry with a clean towel. Reapply oil every few weeks or more if it looks dry. Be sure to oil the bottom and sides as well, to prevent warping.
Chop chop!