

Fortunately, all it takes is one to two coats of food-safe mineral oil, such as Howard Products Cutting Board Oil or walnut oil (like Mahoney’s Finishes Walnut Oil Wax) applied with a soft cloth. Sealing butcher block countertops immediately following installation (and once a month or so afterward) can counteract these unwanted effects, Yes, butcher block countertop maintenance is a little more involved than it would be had you opted for a nonporous countertop made of glass, stainless steel, quartz, or ceramic tile. Wood can absorb germs, grow mold, stains, or even warp when it’s exposed to moisture.

You’ve likely been warned to keep wood out of bathrooms and kitchens because of how it reacts to water. Rule number one for butcher block countertop care: Limit its exposure to moisture. CON: Butcher block is ultra-sensitive to liquid. A quartz 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 (or your feet) if you drop it. Not only do the materials cost almost twice as much ($70 to $100 per square foot) as that of butcher block, but a quartz countertop installation is not generally a DIY project. For handy homeowners, a DIY butcher block countertop installation isn’t tricky business, either: It involves 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.įor context, let’s compare that to another trendy countertop material like quartz.
#BUTCHER BLOCK BOX PROFESSIONAL#
Professional installation typically adds $5 to $10 per square foot to the total cost. You can save even more money by choosing a do-it-yourself installation over hiring contractors to do the job. This range is far more affordable than most other popular options, including stainless steel countertops ($50 to $150), glass ($25 to $100 per square foot), concrete ($25 to $75 per square foot), marble ($40 to $100 per square foot) and quartz ($50 to $200 per square foot). The average butcher block countertop cost of materials runs just $20 to $60 per square foot. PRO: Butcher block is one of the more affordable types of countertops.
