Many people love the look and feel of butcher block countertops, but at the same time they wonder how practical these countertops are. Fearing that the price of an entire kitchen will be too expensive, many people will opt to but a butcher block kitchen island instead. However, butcher block tops are very practical and easy to take care of as long as a person follows a simple maintenance routine.  When taken care of properly, there really is no lifetime limitation to butcher block countertops.

First off, butcher block countertops should be treated just like most other countertops and most of the countertop should not be used to make cuts directly on.  A person should designate a cutting area, like next to the stove, and seal the other countertop space.  This keeps the countertop looking new and eliminates most of the regular maintenance needed on unsealed butcher block countertops.  A person may even decide to seal all of the countertop area and use a butcher block cutting board when preparing food.

If a person decides to leave a portion of the countertop unsealed to use to prepare food, there are some basic cleaning and maintenance techniques to use to keep the countertop in top condition.  About every six weeks a person should lightly buff out any scratch marks or burns with a block sander and apply a food grade mineral oil, not mineral spirits, to the board.  After the mineral oil soaks in, apply another coat and keep applying coats until the oil no longer soaks in.  Wipe away excess oil.  For everyday cleaning, simply use an antibacterial soap and water like you would on any other countertop.