DIY Butcher Block Countertop Installation

A butcher block countertop is a beautiful addition to a kitchen, but common problems with improper installation include cracking and splitting. Never glue or screw a wood countertop to the cabinetry. A butcher block countertop can expand as much as 3/8 inch in summer and shrink with dry heating in winter. If you fasten the wood to the cabinets, the movement of the counter will cause it to split or crack. Instead, attach the underside of the countertop to furring strips within the cabinet cavities. Large holes drilled into the furring strips will hold narrow screws with washers, allowing the wood to breathe as humidity changes throughout the year.

Measuring tape
Furring strips
Metal L brackets
Screws
Drill with bits
3/4-inch spade bit
Circular saw
100-grit sandpaper
Deck screws
Washers

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the inside cavity, from left side to the right side, of each kitchen cabinet. Cut furring strips according to these measurements.
- 2
  Attach the furring strips to the inside of each cabinet, making sure that the top of the furring strip is flush with the top frame of the cabinet. Use metal L brackets to connect the furring strips to the inside of the kitchen cabinets.
- 3
  Drill three large holes in the furring strips with the spade bit.
- 4
  Measure the length of the run of kitchen cabinets. Allow a 1-inch overhang for an end run of cabinets for a more professional, finished look. Cut the butcher block section according to your measurement.
- 5
  Sand the edges of the countertop with 100-grit sandpaper.
- 6
  Set the countertop onto the kitchen cabinets.
- 7
  Crawl into the first cabinets to access the furring strip and the underside of the countertop. Place a washer on the screw and insert the screw into the first hole you made with the spade bit. The washer should not go through the hole but should overlap the hole at the surface of the furring strip. Use the drill to screw in the screw and washer tightly through the hole in the furring strip and into the butcher block.
- 8
  Repeat drilling in screws with the washers until you have filled all the holes and secured the countertop to the furring strips.

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