# Butcher Block Install: Corner Gaps :: Help Needed



## Riggy (Jul 30, 2018)

Hello Everyone,

Aspiring DIY'er / half-way decent contractor here, so take it easy on me! Also apologies if this post may not be completely suited for here, but I received from great support recently from a different post re: butcher block counters and felt the need to pick a few supportive brains here, if ya'll would be so kind.

I've attached some pictures here to show everyone what I'm working with, but basically I'm installing butcher block counters in a small kitchen in an old house with original framing and studs, so of course nothing is true and all the corners run out of square, more-or-less.

My longest piece of Butcher Block (around 12 feet or so) was a heavy beast to get in and required some finesse, and it's likely not coming out to be scribed at all.

The counter top runs flush to the wall at the center, and obviously tapers off towards the corners, sitting with a decent gap on both ends on both the back wall and the side walls. Nothing over 3/4", however. The severity of the gaps at each corner are inverted, in that one side has a wider gap at the back wall, and the other has a wider gap at the side wall.

The damage looks something like this: The back left corner gap (against the back wall) is what I'm most concerned about, and at the corner the widest gap is around 3/4", and tapers up to about a 1/4" at say 15-16" down the back wall until flush. The same corner, but side wall gap is more tolerable, at around 3/8".

Conversely the right corner gaps look something like:

Back right gap to back wall = 5/8" 
Back right gap to side wall = 7/16"

My carpenter/lifer contractor guy tells me that anything over 1/4" is unacceptable and needs to be scribed…but this thing is a monster and it would probably cause more damage to the drywall trying to float the thing out a few more times to scribe it…..I know it might be sacrilegious, but would it be possible to just strategically cut a piece of color-matched strapping/fill piece from the excess butcher block and glue it in the gaps? There will be a subway tile backsplash going over the wall as well, which helps my case. I'm thinking square up the overhang up front and do my best to fill in the gaps that way.

Any help would be greatly appreciated here folks. I never prefer to do things the easy/lazy way, but this is one of those "forest for the trees" judgement calls.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

AS you know not all walls are straight. Add a back splash. Not only does a back splash keep water & fluids away from the wall. They also hide the irregularities. A back splash for countertops are normally 1"x3". But to follow a crooked wall, try a 1/2"x3" strip to follow the wall to hide the gaps, then add another 1/2"x3" strip in front of it for the thickness, and caulk , these will bend easier than using a 1"x3" back splash…or… You could cut and glue filler strips for the backwall and then caulk. I'd put in the back splash then put the tiles above it. If you talk to your customer, notify them that the walls not straight, I'm sure they'll agree to use a back splash.


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## jonah (May 15, 2009)

You need to scribe the countertop to the wall. Yes, it's annoying to get it out and back in, but that's the only real solution.

After it's scribed to the wall, install the tile backsplash. Subway tiles will be fine with an irregular wall, so long as whoever is doing the tiling knows what they're about.


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## rcs47 (Oct 31, 2009)

Normally I would scribe the top. But check the front overhang on all tops before you make the decision. If you take 5/8" out of one, will it pull it back to the front of the cabinet? I would hate to go to all that work and then the drawer tops are visible.

With those wide gaps and a wood top, I would scribe filler pieces using the same material/color in 4/4 material.

Good luck


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

I like the backsplash idea. You can mark and remove enough of the drywall at the center if needed and eliminate the gap and install the backsplash.


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## Riggy (Jul 30, 2018)

> Normally I would scribe the top. But check the front overhang on all tops before you make the decision. If you take 5/8" out of one, will it pull it back to the front of the cabinet? I would hate to go to all that work and then the drawer tops are visible.
> 
> With those wide gaps and a wood top, I would scribe filler pieces using the same material/color in 4/4 material.
> 
> ...


This is my thoughts exactly. There's also the concern of (even if it was a smaller piece and easily removed etc.) reciprocal loss of overhang on the front end after scribing, to me, given that there's gaps of just under 1/2" moving all the way up to 3/4" in one spot, wouldn't this just look bad taking away so much overhang from scribing at that point?


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

You might consider amending a scribe-able piece to the back edge of your Top if your overhang might suffer the loss from scribing.

Scribing a Counter is Woodworking 101 type of basic training stuff, IMHO.
Walls are never straight, so figuring for scribe is automatic where I am concerned.


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## Riggy (Jul 30, 2018)

Thanks for the help everyone. I know, scribing is the standard operating procedure here, but I'm going to get creative and fill the gap somehow, either with wood or just coverage via some type of metal strapping or tile backsplash. I really appreciate the help.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

If you are going to tile the walls anyway, then throw up another layer of sheetrock.

What's going on with those corner cabinets?


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## Kazooman (Jan 20, 2013)

A couple of additional issues. From the pictures the top appers to have several gaps at joints. How will you address them? What are your plans for the angled cabinet in the corner?


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## Knockonit (Nov 5, 2017)

What DS said, its a common problem in older and some newer homes, boys and gals just don't seem to frame them straight, one only needs to add a piece to back and then scribe, sounds like a lot of work, but in the end the result will be great, and for sure unless there is upper cabinets, the tile guy is gonna loose his hair if he has any left, i'd have someone float the wall prior to tile, it will show up in anything applied to wall
best of luck
Rj in az


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## Riggy (Jul 30, 2018)

> If you are going to tile the walls anyway, then throw up another layer of sheetrock.
> 
> What s going on with those corner cabinets?
> 
> - jbay


Which corner cabs, the sink portion or the dead corner?


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## Riggy (Jul 30, 2018)

> A couple of additional issues. From the pictures the top appers to have several gaps at joints. How will you address them? What are your plans for the angled cabinet in the corner?
> 
> - Kazooman


Good question, glad you asked. Nothing is obviously screwed in place yet so any variances or gaps at the joints are just pre-finish assembly. At the joints I plan either to do a glue/biscuit method, miter bolts, or perhaps both. Anyone have experience with these on butcher block?

My bigger task is handling that corner area, which is for a drop-in sink. The front-face angle from the butt joint I plan to fill in with a grain matching triangle, which would fill in the front of the sink area and create stability for the two cross pieces. My issue, however, is that the sink would cut out most of the butt joint, leaving mainly a small (say 6-7") portion in the back for connection (miter, biscuit, or otherwise), and then the front triangle as well. I can post some pics here to show you guys. Hope it's not too crazy of a concoction.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

> If you are going to tile the walls anyway, then throw up another layer of sheetrock.
> 
> What s going on with *those corner cabinets*?
> 
> ...


It's plural.
But, never mind.


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## Riggy (Jul 30, 2018)

> If you are going to tile the walls anyway, then throw up another layer of sheetrock.
> 
> What s going on with *those corner cabinets*?
> 
> ...


Yep, sorry. Far right corner is a dead corner, far left corner is kitchen sink.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

I would have made a template of the counter top first thing and do most of the work in the shop.

With a wall that far out I'd scribe my template material to the back wall/walls first and then build on that. 1/4 thick strips of plywood or heavy cardboard and a hot glue gun for building the template.

This video will give you the basic idea if you've never made one.


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## Jared_S (Jul 6, 2018)

> At the joints I plan either to do a glue/biscuit method, miter bolts, or perhaps both. Anyone have experience with these on butcher block?
> 
> - Riggy


Your can't glue it, since it's a cross grain situation. Dominos or a blind spline would work. It's basically a breadboard end and needs to be able to float for seasonal expansion. You can pin it in the back, or front or middle but only one.

If you have a thin back splash you may have to pin at the back of the counter and live with movement at the front and along the joint


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## Kazooman (Jan 20, 2013)

> A couple of additional issues. From the pictures the top appers to have several gaps at joints. How will you address them? What are your plans for the angled cabinet in the corner?
> 
> - Kazooman
> 
> ...


I wasn't referring to joints between the large pieces. I was referring to what looks like gaps in the field of the butcher block. Is the cross grain line in the last picture glue squeeze out or a gap? Similar question about picture five. What is going on with the joint at the end of one of the boards in the lower left?


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## Riggy (Jul 30, 2018)

> At the joints I plan either to do a glue/biscuit method, miter bolts, or perhaps both. Anyone have experience with these on butcher block?
> 
> - Riggy
> 
> ...


This is very helpful, I appreciate it man! I'll most likely fire out a new post on this one.


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

I am with JBay 100% - address the wall issues - not the counter top

and this question is also posted on another woodworking site, so, between the two,
O/P has quite a list of options to consider.

.

.


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## Riggy (Jul 30, 2018)

> I am with JBay 100% - address the wall issues - not the counter top
> 
> and this question is also posted on another woodworking site, so, between the two,
> O/P has quite a list of options to consider.
> ...


Thanks John. I suppose with tile in the pipeline this is the best route. Looks like I'll be busting into the sheetrock and truing up those corners!


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

if there is room for another layer of drywall, I would do that vs removing what is there.
but - door and window trim can often be affected and then it becomes necessary
to gut the walls and just start over. . . and use a good framing square - that has been verified to be true.
in the end, after the dust settles, you will be more pleased with your work. (and yourself).
looking forward to your progress.










.


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

> .
> 
> - John Smith


Or, at least get it right the second time! heheh

(Mike Holmes is the best!)


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## bmerrill (Mar 14, 2018)

Last year had quartz count tops installed. The counter is "L" shaped. The installers cut out the sheet rock from the top of the cabinet to the top of the counter top on the right side section to facilitate the installation. They set the right section down and slid it back under the sheet rock. Laid the left side piece and pulled the right side piece to mate with the left side. I installed a marble backslash from the counter to the upper cabinets. You can never tell the sheet rock was cut. Counter top overhangs are all equal.


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## MJClark (Sep 19, 2018)

Normally, I took would scribe, however how large are the gaps and would it cause issues on the front end with the overhand being too shallow?

Can you get a backsplash tile with a rounded trim for the bottom that will build out the needed thickness to close the gaps?


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