butcher block in Florida garage

14 years ago

We have a 30 year old piece of butcher block. I think it's maple and it's 30" x 60" x 1.75" and has always been used as a desk top. Although it looks as if it has been polyurethaned neither DH or I remember what type of finish was put on it way back then. I vaguely remember we put tung oil on it. DH thinks we bought it with the shiny finish it has now. In any event, we have moved into our new house where we have no use for it as a desk or anything else in the house. The only thing I can think of is to either give it away or use it as a workbench top out in the garage. Will butcher block warp or break or otherwise be unsuitable for the hot humid conditions of a Florida garage? Can you think of another use for it? Could it be successfully cut into smaller pieces and be used for something else? It really is a beautiful piece of wood and I hope either we or someone else will be able to use it.

I don't want to bother with CL or trying to sell it myself. Either I find a use for it or I'll give it away. All suggestions are welcome.

Just thought of another question---can a butcher block be stained a darker color or is what you see what it will always be?

Comments (3)

abnorm
14 years ago
Yeah..... It sounds like it's trashed.....give me a holler and I'll haul it away for free ;-)
hosenemesis
14 years ago
I don't know the answer to your question about humidity in Florida, but I believe that if you sealed the wood with polyurethane it would be fine in a garage. You could also strip it and sand it out and oil it well, but you might have to re-oil it occasionally if it is really humid.

I have 2 inch butcher-block countertops in my kitchen, and I left the one next to the stove where I chop unfinished. I scrub it with soap and water, cut wet veggies on it, etc. and still looks good after ten years. I use plain old baby oil on it (block oil is too expensive!).

I don't see why you couldn't stain butcher block just like any other wood, unless it has too much oil in the wood already. Each "piece" would pick up the stain differently, I suppose. You could try a little stain on the underside to see.

I cut up the extra butcher-block from my counter project and made cutting boards. They are heavy and thick, but they are nice. You need to use an old saw blade because there are metal staple thingies holding the glued pieces together sometimes, and they will ruin a good saw blade.

Or you could give abnorm a holler.

Renee
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flseadog
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks, hosenemesis. I have seen paneled doors delaminate here in Florida within a few days after hurricanes. Even when there is no damage from the storm if the electricity goes off, and therefore the ac, the humidity can be 90% inside a house to go with the 90 degree temperature. Garages will get quite hot and humid here for most of the year. So even though butcher block is much sturdier than a standard MDF door I'm still worried that the heat and humidity will be so high that the wood will be damaged. As I'm typing this, though, it is starting to make sense that a polyurethane or oil coating could really be effective in warding off the humidity so I might give this a try. Sorry, abnorm. Looks like I'm going to hang on to it for now.