How to Build a Rolling Butcher Block Table

Form two planks of 35-inch and two planks of 15-inch 1-by-2 lumber into a rectangle with the 15-inch ends on the inside of the 35-inch ends to make the corners. Slot two more 15-inch planks 4-inches in from each end of the frame, and a third plank centered between them.

Glue the ends of the 15-inch planks to the sides of the 35-inch planks and set the frame in corner clamps to dry.

Drill two pilot holes sized for 1 5/8-inch screws through the side planks into the ends of all the 15-inch planks and secure in place with 1 5/8-inch screws. Repeat so you have two identical frames. One frame will be the apron frame under the butcher block, the other a brace frame that will also support a shelf.

Cut a 5-by-5-inch square out of the corners of a piece of 17-by-35-inch 1/2-inch plywood. Place the plywood over the top of the brace frame, the cut-out corners will leave a square opening at each corner of the frame for the legs to pass through. Secure the plywood to the frame with 1 5/8-inch screws driven through the plywood every 6 to 8 inches around the frame and the cross planks in the frame.

Lay a 20-by-40-inch butcher block wrong-side up on a work surface and center the apron frame on top. Secure the apron frame to the underside of the butcher block with 3-inch screws driven every 6 to 8 inches around the frame and the 15-inch cross planks.

Insert a piece of 30-inch 4-by-4 lumber, the table legs, into each corner of the apron frame, with the top of the legs flush against the underside of the butcher block. Clamp in position with G-clamps.

Drill two pilot holes sized for 3-inch lag bolts through each side of the apron frame corners into the legs and secure the legs to the frame with 3-inch lag bolts through the pilot holes. Remove the clamps.

Slide the brace frame, plywood side down, over the legs, with the legs going through the cutout corners until the brace frame is 10 inches from the end of the legs. Clamp the brace frame in position and secure to the legs as you did with the apron frame. Remove the clamps.

Center a heavy-duty caster on the end of each leg. Secure the casters to the end of the legs with the hardware accompanying the casters, which typically involves screwing the plate mount of the casters into the ends of the legs through the screw holes in the caster mounts.

Turn the whole table up the right way, so that the butcher block is the right way up and the table is resting on the casters on the legs.

Finish the butcher block with a coat of mineral oil rubbed into the top, and the rest of the table can be finished as desired in paint, stain, varnish or lacquer.