A little project of reusing old hardwood flooring pieces for a new kitchen top or butcher cutting board.
If you as a craftsman are interested in making a counter top for a kitchen cabinet that will be as solid as a butcher’s cutting block, he can do this by utilizing left-over pieces of oak or maple flooring.
Sufficient strips of flooring are cut to the required length; then the tongue and groove of each are either sawed or planed off. The flooring is to set edgewise. Holes are bored through each piece of flooring at a point 4″ from each end, as well as at the center, to take 2″ dowels. The strips are assembled on the dowels after glue has been applied to the butting surfaces of each piece of flooring. Clamps should be used to hold these pieces together while the glue is given time to set.
Flooring Strips Make a Butcher Cutting Block like Kitchen Top
If it is desired to have this counter top flush with adjoining cabinet tops, it will be necessary to cut a rabbet on all four sides to set the unit inside of the cabinet frame. The top may be secured to the cabinet with wood screws driven through cleats attached to the underface of the counter top.
The exposed surface of the assembled counter top should he sanded smooth to remove all saw marks and any irregularities which may have been produced during the gluing-up process. – E.P.R.