Q: We have a small urban kitchen, with not nearly enough counter space. Often, kitchen preparations spill over onto the dining room table, which is actually much larger and better suited for rolling out dough, etc. Rather than ruin the cheap stained veneer leaf table I currently have, I'd love to have a dining room table that can truly function as an occasional prep table. Any idea where to find a good, rustic, end-grain butcher block dining table that can hold up to knife abuse, dough, and other kitchen activities?
Sent by Tim
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Most likely this would have to be made custom. There are lots of butcher block islands and work tables, maybe these could be altered to serve your purposes. Otherwise I'd suggest going with a rustic farmhouse style table.
Ikea does butcher block counters custom cut. Get some cool legs there or elsewhere, and voila! Just a suggestion: maybe do a counter-height table to save your back. Good luck!
Anything made from quality wood could withstand the abuse. All the better if it's made to look rustic so the abuse will add to to it's character over time. An end grain butcher block in the size needed for a table will be VERY expensive. An alternative may be to buy one of the long lengths of IKEA butcher block and have someone chop it into halves and biscuit them together to get a square. Then you can just remove your current laminate table top and install the butcher block one.
John Bos not cheap but worth it. Great company really helpful
Here's a tutorial on how to make a conference table from Ikea butcher's block countertops and table legs.
http://www.ikeahackers.net/2010/06/inam-conference-table.html
I think there are a lot of similar other tutorials out there.
Try a custom butcherblock maker- someone who specializes in countertops. Then either find a solid table base to pair with it, or talk with them about having one made.
http://www.glumber.com/
http://www.paulgrothouse.com/
This whole idea sounds pretty un-savory to me. I don't think I'd want to eat off a dining table that has been used like a butcher block. Think of all the food particles left behind to fester in those knife marks. Ew. No thanks. Maybe go with a stainless steel prep table for your dining table if you must use it as such. Or just maybe buy a large cutting board to use with your current table.
Look up farmhouse tables for lots of ideas. This is someone who built their own table. ttp://www.domesticimperfection.com/2012/04/diy-farmhouse-table-and-bench/ I bet you could buy a cheap second hand table and just build your own top over the old top. Some places that sell wood will cut it for you. I mention this idea because often farmhouse tables are quite long.
Get one of those big cutting mats that seamstresses use, and put it on top of your existing table. They actually work pretty well for dough rolling.
Wood is naturally resistant to bacteria, as trees (even dead ones turned into furniture) have a sort of immune system. Resistant to bacteria is not the same thing as bacteria-proof, but bacteria will actually live longer on a stainless steel surface than on wood.
That's not to say that I want to eat off of a table that is still sticky, oily, or whatever after food was prepared on it, but I wouldn't worry about anything 'festering.'
I found a smallish old oak library table at an old furniture sale and added wood blocks and wheels on the bottom to raise it to a good height. It is the kitchen island/table in my counter-limited kitchen. The top is not in great shape, which is probably why it was relatively affordable. I refinished it, but it could also be swapped out or covered up with something better to make it look nicer and work better as a dining room table. It took a bit of patience and dedication to visiting sales to find something that would work, but has worked out well. If you aren't absolutely set on a butcher block top, and don't mind a less traditional look, oak risers can be used to create a nice table surface and can take some abuse.
This is exactly what my mother had while we were growing up. We baked and did other prep off that table for many years. Oil regularly, treat it like a food surface, and once a year scour with sand paper before a thorough oiling (sandpaper will also remove any stains). We recently made our own using an ikea counter top and ikea legs. Not difficult at all but needs multiple oilings before its cured.
If you veer toward the prep table someone else suggested, here's a good source for used ones: http://www.cityfoodequipment.com/category_s/477.htm
Otherwise I suggest Craiglist. I live in Chicago and there has been a John Bos table listed there for the past 2 weeks ($500). Although I believe this one is more of a small cart / kitchen island style table - probably not ideal for dining,
John Bos tabletops are really thick. Like 4-6 inches I believe, which is why the cost is runs so high. But you may be able to find other more appropriate tables on your local Craigslist. Good luck!
Boos is the best block but Ikea is fine, treated with food safe, non stinking natural tung oil regularly (I have some of both now). Random is right, needs lots of oiling before ready for use! Also, get some extra butcher-block length and make a big cutting board, also oiled to match, and use that as a chopping prep board. Cut it to fit your existing tiny counter, or above sink, with added Boos style grooves or discreet handles at the sides, it will carry things to the other room, match the table, and can easily be replaced. Living in a cramped NYC studio, this worked fine and I cooked a lot of complicated things like that with no problem. Meat and bacteria laden foods and crafts and such can be cut on, yes, as said above, a designer's cutting mats, according to activity.You can clean those with bleach or vinegar even denatured alcohol and they last and last and can be stored anywhere. I keep two sizes, 2 for each activity type, and swap new ones every 7- 10 years, the used up ones are used as mini drop cloths and sturdy drawer liners.
We did this and we love, love, love our table!!! And we get so many complements about it, as well. We found the butcher block on kijiji and it was in very rough shape. (I would also check a re-store if you have them in your area.) It had just been pulled from a kitchen and had all the stains you would expect: meat cleaving marks, dough kneading impressions, black spots from frying pans and what not. When when we went to buy the butcher block the seller threw in the metal stand with it.
To make it works as a table we lowered the legs to a more standard height (instead of counter height) and had the surfaced re planed.
The reason why we love it so much is we have small children and we don't have to worry about indents, marks or stains. We could always re-sand it to buff out any marks. I follow some online suggestions for cleaning regular cutting boards to deep clean it; I scour it with baking soda and wash it down with lemon juice. This usually takes the shine (and the dirt) off and then I re wax it with bees wax.
I highly suggest if you want a butcher block table to go for it. It will stand the test of time and add lots of character to your room.
Check with a restaurant supply store. They probably have some used inventory.