I have a heart pine topped island. The wood is from a building built in the 1800s. I love it. But, I would not want new wood. You need to decide what look you are after. Then, be particular about the quality of the wood. An island is small enough for that. My heart pine has a very tight grain, for example.

I'm very interested as well. I've decided on a wood top for my bar/pennisula (strictly for eating, lounging and homework). Please share your thoughts, pics if you have them?

I am getting a black walnut island top (I can't wait!).

Here is a link that might be useful: Craft-Art Wood Countertops

gabeach - do you have a picture!! OMG I'd be lusting after it I'm sure!!!

My hubby made our island and walnut top. I am thrilled with it. We haven't been using it for long, maybe a month or so. I'm sure it will eventually get scratched but that's ok. We have a casual cottage style home so polished and pristined surfaces aren't high on our want list. We have soapstone on our perimeter counters - love it and never worry about it.

gabeach, I love the sound of your old pine island. I tried to find some old wood but it's hard to come by in So.Cal. Do you have any pics?

Here is a link that might be useful: island pics

yup, that's exactly the look I'm going for angelcub.

so are you going to do anything special on the top or just let it age?

Well, after 6 coats of Waterlox and some missing brain cells, I'm sure, we'll just let it be and see how it ages. I'm sure the first few scratches will bring forth a curse word or two, but I'll get over it. : )

One word of advice - if you go for the waterlox finish, be sure to let it cure well between coats. The instructions say 24 hours but it really needs a few days, at least. I'm in a very dry climate and I thought it dried better waiting 3-4 days before putting on another coat. Be sure to have plenty of ventilation. The stuff really, REALLY smells and it lingers for days. I got a bad headache and I used it out in the garage.

Good luck and post pics!

thanks for the tips!

Temperature and air movement will affect how long you need to wait between coats of Waterlox. I've been using it on our interior doors, and will use it on all our interior trim, our cabinet doors, and the wooden island top (which we won't cut on). In the summer it was a great project to do in a protected carport, but didn't work well at all when the air became cooler and moister...So now I'm in our unfinished, but heated house. It's stinky, but not too terrible. I'd say if you do thin coats (highly recommended or it becomes sticky), that if the temps are in the mid 60s to 70s, the 24-hour rule will work. If not, you have to adjust accordingly.

On the doors, I've used 2 coats of original/sealer, followed by a brushed coat, then a hand-rubbed coat of Satin. I will want to do more, I think, on the island, since it's a flat surface with more use/abuse.

jenos - What is the approx cost for your island top?

I haven't even began to look into that part yet, I'm just assuming it's less than granite (fingers crossed)

I am getting a tigerwood island top from Craft-Art.
Jenellecal, be prepared for sticker shock, at least from Craft-Art!

this is what I was quoted - and its only a quote I got from my kitchen designer - I have no idea where she went for these quotes and they are just more or less a rough estimate not based on any actual selections:
My island is going to be 6' x 3'

1 3/4" thick maple top with ogee edges $1952
1 1/4" thick granite with pencil edges $1916

I don't want ogee eges on it anyway, so I know the wood will e a bit less but seriously, I was sooo surprised that the top would be THAT much. So yes, sticker shock to say the least!

Wow, I had no idea they were that expensive but then again there is a lot of work that goes into making and finishing these wood tops.

Now I'm gonna make you wish you were into woodworking. ; ) We paid $400 for our walnut. I think DH bought 9-10 boards. We actually used 7 boards on the island, which is 60"x30". There was a lot of work and tools involved - jointer, planer, table saw, sanding, glueing, clamping (gawd, does he have clamps!), then the waterlox treatment. So materials cost - probably $650. Investment in tools - don't even ask. Knowing we did it ourselves - priceless. : )

It's those unseen costs - tools and labor - that add to the costs. If you can be sure you're getting a beautiful top, then I'd pay the price. Maybe cut back in some other area?

Diana

Oh Diana, my dh has already said that he's going to do it himself. But I just want it done. He's incredibly talented and combine he and my Dad and no doubt the two of them could have built all our cabinets custom - but I want it done NOW and I'd rather just pay.

But the island top - I may relent and let him do it himself...we'll see.

I would think just about any wood could be used just as long as it's well oiled, and depending how hard you're going to be hitting it with a mallet.LOL

It seems more often than not, Walnut is used, probably for it's hardness. Maple is definitely a soft wood.

Well, I certainly can understand wanting to get things done. I have been at that point a few times during this DIY remodel. lol! I was just telling DH last night that it actually feels good at times to let someone else do something. One of the highlights of this whole undertaking was when Tom Shadley did our soapstone counters. It was wonderful to trust someone so completely and not have to decide anything but where I wanted the faucet holes. Yep, sometimes it's better to just write a check. : )

Good luck with whatever you decide!
Diana

Have you gone to unfinished furniture stores and seen if they have anything you can use? Some have table tops and you add your choice of legs (or islands) beneath. It might speed up hubby a tad. :)

I like a good solid polyurethane on my tables so I can wipe them down without worrying about the finish. We're a messy bunch and sometimes you just gotta use a soapy sponge where the kid ate!

"It seems more often than not, Walnut is used, probably for it's hardness. Maple is definitely a soft wood."

Patty cakes, I think you've got that mixed up. Maple is much harder than Walnut. Bowling allys and gym floors are usually maple. I think walnut is used because its so beautiful, and when its paired with a light cabinet the contrast is striking. I'm having a distressed walnut top on my 48x120 island, and my cabinetmaker was lucky enough to hand select full 10' long boards, all from the same tree.

angelcub - yes - usually dh does all the work around the house so it totally kills him to hire anyone. Normally that's fine - if I say "Hey, can we move this light?" he moves the light. If I say "you know, our son needs a bookcase" he builds it. If I say "can we put in a new front door?" he does it. Its soooo great having a handy guy. Great on the pocketbook too. so it kills him to hire someone. So he's trying to find little projects - like he's going to wainscoat the bathroom himself and a few other projects too.

Napagirl, you got me! It's Pine that's a much softer wood. ;o)

I need to bump this because I've come across a problem.

My KD says that she can only get 'butcher block' maple with a natural finish. NOT the look I want at all - she says stain won't be food safe it will only be natural and oiled. WTF? I have a stained table, why can't I have a stained counter? Its not like I'm going to cut directly on it. Is she misunderstanding what I want? Is there a difference between maple butcher block and maple that I'd want for a counter?

and for a finish like angelcub - I know you said waterlox - but is that a stain also or does it just bring out the natural beauty of the wood????

Hi buffettgirl, We didn't use any stain on the walnut. The Waterlox brings out the color. I had no idea it would darken up so much but I'm not sorry. We love the color and the finish wipes up with soap and water - so easy care. I'm tempted to use the walnut for the hutch top, too, even though we have a piece of soapstone for it. I just want to see that beautiful wood somewhere else. lol!

I don't know much about maple but I'd think if you weren't cutting on the surface or preparing food on it, say like rolling out dough, it would be ok with a stain. Are you talking about just basically using the island to serve food from and eat at? If so, seems safe enough to me. Maybe you just need to clarify your intended use with your KD.

Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide!
Diana

Ahhh...angelcub I totally missed that you said walnut...!! Ok, that's good to know then, because my KD said they could get walnut, but the same thing, only oiled.. I'll ask about the waterlox. And the darker color is DEFINITELY what I wanted. Maybe my head has been thinking walnut but saying maple.?? lol.

A few months ago I called Craft-Art Wood Countertops inquiring about their distressed black walnut countertops. I was told they use a small amount of dark stain to highlight the distressing dents and dings. (I assume it was added after the Waterlox, so as to not stain the entire top. Just wanted to add this bit of info, for what its worth!

well I'm having a problem now.

The quote I have from my KD for a 6x3 walnut island top is almost 1200 MORE than if I went with granite. I don't know if I can justify it. She gets it from:
http://www.awpbutcherblock.com/
The price she's quoting me is about $3200!!!!! OMG

Does anyone have any different resources that they could recommend? I really really really wanted wood on my island - that's always how I envisioned it. I don't know if I am ready to just say forget it yet.

I think the suggestion of a table top type island rather than a butcher block type island would work for you. Butcher block is all solid edge grain or end grain wood, and I'm not at all surprised about it being more than granite. You got a very good price for solid walnut. However, you don't sound like you need solid walnut. So, investigate a woodworker to veneer walnut to a substrate for the "top" and use solid walnut edge pieces for the sides and you'd come out thousands ahead. THe only difference is that you'd have a flat wide grain pattern instead of the solid individual board grain patterns.

oh no...I'd definitely want solid. even if it looked great, I would know that it wasn't solid.

I'm working on quotes from two other sources right now - and one Grothouse Lumber has come in significantly lower (including shipping from PA to MA).

what about John Boos?

Or Brookswood http://brookswood.com/

Or Devoos http://www.devoswoodworking.com/

Bear in mind, the KD may also be making money off of the countertop if she is quoting a price for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: John Boos

Be sure you're comparing apples to apples on the quotes. Most butcher block type countertops are edge grain, at least 1 1/2" thick. Some places advertise "island countertops" that are thinner and composed of the flat grain (Like a solid wood floor) instead of the edge grain. There's nothing wrong with that type of countertop, as long as you aren't comparing them in price to their thicker counterparts and not understanding the difference.

Devoos is the other place I've requested a quote from

And yes, apples to apples - both 1 1/2" thick - the quote from the KD is actually edge grain and the quote from Grothouse is for both edge and face grain (I asked for quotes on both).

And yes, I know the KD is makign money - I don't mind it, I'm allowing her to make money on the cabinets, on the granite, but if I have to pay THAT much and end up settling for a counter I don't love then that's a problem in my book.
If I had to pay that much and it was something I was in love with that would be ok.

Buffetgirl,

Have you contacted furniture companies? I would think that they could supply you with a 3 X 6' foot solid top for far less than that. (Especially right now, most have everything on sale- does that ever happen with cabinets/granite?)

Also, out of curiosity, if you are having your island be 'just like a table', why don't you have a table? Then you can take it with you...

I just checked the John Boos site. The 72x36 (6'x3') block of 1.5'' maple top is $576. We bought all our Boos countertop from Old World Butcher Block for the exact same price as that on the Boos site, plus a "crating" fee that was worth every penny.

I know you said you don't want to cut on it, so I looked at the "varnished" finish as opposed to the oil. (oil is less expensive)

We went with (are going with? what is it when the island isn;t installed yet?) Boos maple butcherblock on the island (almost 13 linear feet, in an "l" shape) I LOVE the way it looks. I am so looking forward to using the island as a working space, but I understand your wishes for a clean, non-cut upon space.

Still, $3200 for a tabletop is an outrage.

Here is a link that might be useful: old world butcher block

We wanted a wood countertop for our island and looked at several options, beginning with a company that specializes in wood counters. In the end we decided to go to a local furniture builder we had worked with on several pieces of furniture in the house. We bought a 2" thick solid mahogany countertop. It is 33" x 118" and cost $2900 installed. It looks great.

The finish is oiled. The furniture builder (Hardwood Artisans) strongly recommended against doing anything that was not easily restored.

Good wood isn't cheap, but the look is really nice. If we were doing the kitchen again I would choose wood for the island without hesitation.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen pics

raehelen - we do have a table :) I know, maybe that seems like overkill, but I wanted the island to look like a table and not like I smacked an island in the middle of the floor, I cringe when I see islands that just sit there. But we will use the island for food prep - just not directly ON the island (does that make sense) and we'll probably serve all the food from the island too, but I wanted the island to be large and empty (no sink/cooktops) so that I could have a nice large work space for the kids, for me, etc. But I wanted it to be wood so that it would age and lend warmth to the kitchen. I don't know- - it's just my "vision" hahaha.

bikey your island is gorgeous!

Thank you. My guess is you will love your island if you do the wood top. It may be a little more work, but it's worth it.

ok, upon reading a million messages here I called Grothouse today and ordered a sample from them. The guy I talked to - Chad - was sooo pleasant and so helpful! I asked a million questions and he never once sounded put out. Just happy to answer. If the sample comes in what I'm expecting then I'll just order through them. I already told my cabinet lady to forget it on her end - I can't justify spending that much money.

I'm late to this party, but wanted to answer about staining and using Waterlox. The Waterlox site, and I think on each can, recommends staining first, or mixing stain into the Waterlox sealer, but only for the first coat. Seems like the Waterlox would seal up the stain pretty well with the subsequent coats of clear Waterlox.