How to Design a Butcher Block Table

Look for photos of the different sizes and shapes of butcher block tables, or, while out shopping, check out different styles at your local furniture store. If you have difficulty finding anything you like, draw a sketch of three different shapes--rectangular, square or round.

Incorporate the base for your butcher block tabletop in your sketch. The legs should be sturdy enough to hold the weight of the tabletop. Use strong 4-by-4-inch lumber for legs, or pick a trestle style base, made from 2-by-6-inch lumber. When figuring the lumber for your tabletop take into consideration lumber needed for the style you choose for your base. If you choose legs, you will need to include lumber to make a frame to stabilize the legs and to attach the tabletop.

Compare butcher block tabletops made from strips or blocks of wood to form the tabletop. If the table is long, strips may be your best choice. Strips are cut in uniform sizes that measure 1 1/2 inches square by the length you choose. For instance, a finished butcher block tabletop measuring 63 inches long would require 1 1/2-by-63-inch strips. The square may be modified to your preference.

Measure and calculate how much wood to buy. Planed lumber comes in various widths and lengths. A board measuring 2-by-6 inches by 10 feet long would yield six 1 1/2-by-1 1/2-inch strips 5-feet long. Planed lumber from the lumber company is not actually the stated size because wood shrinks during the planing and drying process. A table 30 inches wide using 1 1/2-by-1 1/2 inch strips requires 20 pieces to meet the table's width. Dimensions for the strips may be modified to meet your own specifications.