# gaps in my butcher block counter top



## Pabs

hey all,

I'm in the process of making some counter tops from some re purposed flooring. I had all 37 strips glued up and after running though planner I noticed a few joints were less than perfect. some gaps that I need to fill.
this top will be treated with mineral oil with a final coating of oil/beeswax. no stain will go on. what can I sue to fill those gaps and have it look decent?

in the pic it's the gap to the right..the huge gap you see on the left is actually the other part of the slab that was next to it that was not glued yet


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## alittleoff

That's a large gap to fill. I would rip it and reglue the peices.
Gerald


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## Unknowncraftsman

Ya that's a big gap big enough to read a newspaper thru it.
Definitely a redo.

Aj


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## Pabs

just to be clear…this is the gap.


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## DirtyMike

I would urge you to use a more durable finish than beeswax and mineral oil. While it is great for the wood in cutting boards it does little to provide protection. Once you put wax an oil in wood you wont be able to apply another finish.


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## Pabs

> I would urge you to use a more durable finish than beeswax and mineral oil. While it is great for the wood in cutting boards it does little to provide protection. Once you put wax an oil in wood you wont be able to apply another finish.
> 
> - DirtyMike


my step brother has been using nothing but mineral oil for the last few years on his counters without any issues. he needs to re apply fairly often but counters are still in great shape. I read up on this and what many suggested was oil and then a coat of beeswax mixed with oil. I used this on a couple of my existing wood counters and so far It seems to do the trick. what would you recommend for a finish ?


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## ChefHDAN

+1 to rip it & re-glue

Pabs, what do you intend to do with the counter-tops? Mineral oils /beeswax is what gets used often for cutting boards that can't have a film finish in place because of the destructive action of the blades. I've got lots of wooden boards, tools bowls etc, and I've used most all of them out there, but tend to return to Boos Mystery oil because it's inexpensive and easy to apply and deal with I don't bother with a wax because I scrub the tools when after use and hot water & soap would remove the wax quicker than any benefit. If your counters are just going to be counters, and not food prep surfaces where you'll use knifes scrapers etc., you can use a fully cured film finish, and totally avoid any monthly maintenance


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## Pabs

hey ChefHDAN

yeah. not cutting should be done on these…food will contact them but no cutting so I could go for a more permanent finish I guess.. I like the oil/wax idea because I can make myself and is fairly cheap and no chemicals or fumes in the process


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## Pabs

ripping it is I guess,

oddly everything looked good when I clamped them dry. I think I tried to do too much at once and didn't have time to notice these mistakes before it was too late


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## builtinbkyn

I can only think of two ways to fix it, but I'm no expert compared to others who post here. One would be to use epoxy and some saw dust from the boards. The other would be thin strips cut and glued into the voids. In either case, you would need to flatten the tops again.


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## Pabs

> I can only think of two ways to fix it, but I m no expert compared to others who post here. One would be to use epoxy and some saw dust from the boards. The other would be thin strips cut and glued into the voids. In either case, you would need to flatten the tops again.
> 
> - builtinbkyn


I had thought about the epoxy or glue with sawdust approach as well.. just not sure what it would look like.. could try it I guess and if it's horrible I could rip then. 
as for a thin strip, it would need to be ultra thin..that crack is only as wide as a sheet of paper maybe


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## KelleyCrafts

I would rip and glue again as well.

Also use a waterproof coating like poly if it's in the kitchen. Then use the oil and wax for the cutting boards you'll need to use with this counter.


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## alittleoff

Sawdust and glue on a gap that size will look like sawdust and glue.


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## JBrow

Pabs

I can think of two methods for fixing the gap. The first, as suggested by most, is to rip and re-glue. This could require re-flattening the entire surface.

The second would be to insert a narrow strip to fill the gap (also above suggested). But rather than working to get a strip of wood to fill the existing gap, cutting a shallow groove (1/4" - 3/8" deep assuming ¾" thick flooring) along the length centered on the gap would leave a wider shallow gap. A width equal to the saw kerf would probably be wide enough. Since the wider shallow groove would weaken the countertop, care in handling the countertop would be required.

Then, with some trial and error and micro adjustments at the table saw and some fine-tuning hand work, a strip just the right thickness could be cut and glued into the gap. If the glued in narrow strip is left a little proud of the surface of the countertop, leveling the countertop could be done with a hand plane, cabinet scraper and sand paper with minimal effort.

The biggest challenges with the second method would be to cut the shallow groove straight and over the existing gap the entire length of the countertop. Then finding a piece of flooring that matches the wood on each side of the gap.


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## Pabs

I like that idea JBrow….I'll try it and it doesn't work I'll do the full rip


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## r33tc0w

I would recommend Waterlox. I fought tooth and nail to put this on our countertops but went the Howard oil/wax route instead. Such a PITA. Upkeep is annoying and definitely doesn't help on the sink side. I'm in the process of drying this out so I can sand it back down to apply the Waterlox on the sink counter.

The labor involved for the initial Waterlox application is well worth the next to none maintenance on the back end. Plus it doesn't alter the color of the wood as greatly, is low gloss and seals the surface while remaining foodsafe




































(i can't take credit for making these, all credit goes to my father-in-law) This was White Oak that fell on his farm during Hurricane Katrina - has a bunch of worm tunnels, looks incredible


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## Pabs

> I would recommend Waterlox. I fought tooth and nail to put this on our countertops but went the Howard oil/wax route instead. Such a PITA. Up keep is annoying and definitely doesn t help on the sink side.
> 
> The labor involved for the initial Waterlox application is well worth the next to none maintenance on the back end. Plus it doesn t alter the color of the wood as greatly, is low gloss and seals the surface while remaining foodsafe
> 
> - r33tc0w


if I have some counters that already have oil/wax put on them can I still apply the Waterlox? I was worried mainly for the section near the sink…that almost always has standing water at some spot and was afraid the oil/wax might not stand up to the abuse


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## r33tc0w

From what I understood when I researched all the finishes originally is that you could sand it down and apply the Waterlox. I read a couple of posts from people in other forums who decided the same thing. I've been drying out the sink side for a couple months now with a goal to redo it. I guess we'll find out


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