Friend wants to make end grain countertops

Alan Bienlein

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I need some help here For a friend of mine that wants to build end grain countertops for his kitchen.

He was wondering what thickness to cut the pieces and if he should glue them to another substrate? He was thinking of 1/4" pieces glued to plywood but I think that will just create problems with expansion and contraction of the wood.

If we make it a full 1-1/2" thick is there anything we need to do or look out for. The tops will be about 28" deep and anywhere from 3' to 8' long.

Then we need to think in terms of a finish for them.
 
Hmm, I think wood likes to expand and contract more across the grain. I'd imagine a full sized end grain counter top would want to 'move' quite a bit.

And while end grain does have some 'self' healing properties in a cutting board, I'm not sure I'd want it oriented that way on a counter.

It would be tough to have a good finish on it and it would drink up any stains that happened to get spilled on it.

Do they really want to be able to use the whole thing as a cutting board? :huh:
 
It's not that they want the whole top as a cutting board but are more after the look of the growth rings. They were even thinking of using a 2 part epoxy for the top but I know that wouldn't be a good idea.

I'm just wondering if there is a way to make the top and get the look they are after without the problems of an end grain top that large.:huh::dunno:
 
Well, a bar top finish would keep it from getting stained.

And it would be unique looking, if they used big enough around pieces of wood.
 
You can dissolve paraffin in mineral spirits and soak the counter top with the heated mixture. It should take up a lot of the mixture and it is food safe and renewable. I am way late making a small section of counter top for my brothers kitchen remodel. I have been thinking about cherry, maple and walnut end grain. I would wonder about setting hot pans on this type of counter top though. The piece I will make is for the micro-wave
 
You can dissolve paraffin in mineral spirits and soak the counter top with the heated mixture. It should take up a lot of the mixture and it is food safe and renewable. I am way late making a small section of counter top for my brothers kitchen remodel. I have been thinking about cherry, maple and walnut end grain. I would wonder about setting hot pans on this type of counter top though. The piece I will make is for the micro-wave

I use a mixture of Mineral Oil and Paraffin wax and heat that in a double boiler for my end grain cutting boards. Are you sure about the mineral spirits?

I set hot pans on some maple squares all the time. REALLY hot pans will scorch them pretty bad, but a little sanding will bring them back. I wouldn't set hot pans on any counter top though, cause it's so easy to have a small wooden square handy instead...

I've made boards out of Cherry and Maple and I love the way they contrast. Walnut would probably add a nice darker touch as well. :thumb:
 
I cant help Alan but i am watching the comments.

Thought i had for what its worth is that each wood has its own rate of expansion across the rings. Surely if there is a mix there might be a degree of cancelling out each other. It sure would look great.

The solution would be to do a small piece and experiment with it. Do say a 12x12 and try different coatings put hot pots and frying pans on it, leave a wet condensing glass of water on it. etc give it a work out then decide. Easier than having the whole thing done and having issues. You could also measure expansion contraction by heating it in a oven. You only looking for houshold temperature fluctuations. Its not mil spec.

What about a compromise of mixed. Some straight strips captivating some end grain in a pattern. Sort of Toms block with butcher block end grain inserted for a few rows. How you would make it is another thing all together.:dunno:
 
...What about a compromise of mixed. Some straight strips captivating some end grain in a pattern...

In my experience with cutting boards, mixing end and long grain is a recipe for disaster. I had a quilt pattern end grain board that I put a long grain border around. Within a few weeks, it had a crack big enough to put a business card through. The end grain in the center swelled and opened the face grain border apart. It also cracked one of the end grain pieces in the process.

You can see how the lower right corner is not lined up anymore with the part above it...

Full 800.jpg

And here's a closer look at that corner...

Detail2 800.jpg
 
Here is 2 more reasons why you don't mix them.
I knew that I shouldn't put the boarder on and did anyways.:thumb:
But at least I did it to 2 of them:thumb:
 

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Assuming the grain is all oriented the same way, wouldn't there be movement in any orientation? correct me if I'm wrong, but the pieces are going to move apart with face grain and edge grain counters too.

Speaking from the perspective of the cook, end grain is best for the knives. Edge and face are best for glamour.
 
Cynthia, as I understand it (and I could be wrong) the issue is not so much the inevitable movement, but the movement at different rates that mixed grain orientation allows.
 
Cynthia, as I understand it (and I could be wrong) the issue is not so much the inevitable movement, but the movement at different rates that mixed grain orientation allows.

yeah, but if it's all end grain, do you call that mixed orientation? This is important to me because I want end grain countertops when I renovate my kitchen. I mean they are possible, no?
 
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