Warm and accommodating, butcher block is an affordable countertop material with a lot going for it. Maintain it regularly and your butcher block will reward you by aging gracefully. But without proper upkeep, it can dull and crack. Is it the right material for you and your kitchen" Read our butcher block counter primer to find out.

Above: A butcher block countertop in a British Standard Cupboard Kitchen by Plain English.
What is butcher block"
Butcher block is made from straight cuts of wood glued together into thick slabs that provide a particularly sturdy and stable work surface in a kitchen, whether as a cutting board, tabletop, or counter.
Are there different types of butcher block"
There are three basic construction styles of butcher block: edge grain, face grain, and end grain.
Above: San Francisco architect Mark Reilly used end-grain butcher block counters in a kitchen in a turn-of-the-century house in Palo Alto, California. “The countertop was originally Formica, but the client wanted a material that didn’t clink when glass or serving wares were placed on it,” Reilly says. “After exploring several options, we decided on end-grain butcher block because of its warmth, soft feel, and vintage-inspired look.” Photograph by Mark Reilly. N.B. See how the architect created an open kitchen in a Victorian house in Remodelista Best Design Professional Space Winner: Mark Reilly.
Edge Grain

Above: Edge grain is the one mos...