Stainless or butcher block work surface?

[cassidy]

I want to get a work surface for my KRL, I really like the look of the butcher block top, but when I asked my Snap On guy about it he recommended the stainless because he said the butcher block will warp? Hard to believe a thick chunk of wood laying flat like that would warp. Anybody having problems with their butcher block work surfaces?

 

[7th Kahuna]

Perhaps I'm wrong but isn't part of the benefit of a butchers block top over a single piece of wood that all the smaller pieces of wood work together to prevent warping? To me the question would be which surface will wear better given the type of work you intend to do. Personally I find wood more forgiving, but for clean up nothing beats stainless.

I have an unfinished butchers block top sitting here in front of a window that is open most of the year and have never had an issue. Now mine is an Ikea top not a Snap-On top so I can't speak for Snap-On, but if I were taking bets on which would curl, it wouldn't have been the Snap-On.

 

[cassidy]

I'm a heavy truck tech, and I figure it will get some marks put in it. I have been told that the stainless will dent though and I don't like that.

 

[Jack Olsen]

I've never seen butcher block warp. The only downside is that it will absorb stuff if you don't oil or seal it somehow -- and there's some long-term maintenance involved in that. Both butcher block and stainless tops will dent, in the long term. (Because... hammer.) But both are great surfaces.

You can get butcher block at pretty good prices through Ikea or Sears. Lumber liquidators used to have it, too. But didn't they get into some sort of trouble?

 

[rlitman]

Butcher block can warp and crack, but only if it gets lots of standing water on it.
But butcher block made today is generally glued up with polyurethane glues, so it holds up better than the stuff of yesteryear. I don't think warping or cracking is an issue indoors in a shop.

Stainless will dent about as easily as butcher block, but dents in stainless will be far more visible.

Butcher block is a quieter surface, and less slippery. It also doesn't wipe clean as easily, and requires regular oiling (less and less often though as it ages).

 

[7th Kahuna]

But didn't they get into some sort of trouble?

Jack, not sure what you meant by 'trouble' but they are still open in Orange County.

 

[dieselgarage]

I don't have any pictures. But I have made a few short sided trays that cover about 1/2 of the butcher block tops. The tray has a shallow trough build on one end that over hangs the side of the tool box that is slanted toward a hose barb for a drain. Guys love them because they can take off something that contains fluid and put it on the top of there box and it does not make a huge mess. Then they use a small hand squeegee to push the fluid into the drain trough. Kind of the best of both worlds.

 

[bop_pa]

Have you bothered pricing either option? They are both expensive. I am going thru this now. Got quoted $950 for a stainless top or $500-$600 for butcher block. I am currently building my own top to save money. Real hardwood is not cheap.

 

[cgv69]

A butcher block top can warp or crack depending on it's construction and environment but it's not a common occurrence. That said, I think that an SS top would be more appropriate then a wood top for automotive work.

SS is stronger then wood (even hard maple) so an SS top will be more resistant to dents, cuts and scratches (assuming an appropriate gauge of SS is used?).

SS (as it's name implies) is more stain resistant. With a wood top you will have to be very careful with cleaners (especially stuff like Brake Cleaner) because they will eat through the finish. Wood is also more porous so it's more likely for oils and grease to be absorbed by the wood.

Lets face it, either one is going to show wear with use but I believe the SS top will hold up better in an automotive shop.

 

[Jere]

Have you bothered pricing either option? They are both expensive. I am going thru this now. Got quoted $950 for a stainless top or $500-$600 for butcher block. I am currently building my own top to save money. Real hardwood is not cheap.

Pallets are perfect for ends up butcher blocks, and are free

 

[Jere]

I would go with the cheaper easier option, both are a nice choice if done right. That said "butcher block" that is not ends up won't hold up as well. Ends up is super tough unless unsealed and left in standing water as already mentioned

 

[cassidy]

Have you bothered pricing either option? They are both expensive. I am going thru this now. Got quoted $950 for a stainless top or $500-$600 for butcher block. I am currently building my own top to save money. Real hardwood is not cheap.

Yeah I have and I got the same pricing as you. I found a stainless one on craigslist a couple of months ago for 100 bucks in good shape but it was for a double bank and mine is a triple. Havent seen any used since.

 

[cassidy]

I would go with the cheaper easier option, both are a nice choice if done right. That said "butcher block" that is not ends up won't hold up as well. Ends up is super tough unless unsealed and left in standing water as already mentioned

Snap On guy said the butcher block tops are sealed with something special to keep them sealed from fliuds and such, but at the same time he said the butcher block *****.

 

[rlitman]

> Pallets are perfect for ends up butcher blocks

I don't necessarily agree with that. End grain true butcher block will stand up to a knife better than anything else, and will also dull your blades less than anything else, but in a shop environment, I'm not sure that real end grain butcher block will hold up any better than bowling alley. That, and a real end grain butcher block needs to be at least 8" thick to hold together (12" is better). I've got one of these in my kitchen, and love to cut on it.

Pallets are made from good hardwood, but need major planing to be turned into something usable. Also, while they're generally oak around here, they're kind of like the sausage of wood. And when it comes to jointed wood, you really want to keep the species the same, so that the expansion and contraction is all in sync, to prevent splitting.

The SnapOn butcher block is probably sealed with polyurethane if they're not an oil finish. That's its own headache.

 

[Jagmandave]

I had the local sheet metal shop bend me an 8' X 2' with a 6" backsplash and a front drop of 1 1/2" with a 1" return out of 18ga SS for my work bench - welded corners and all total cost was $209. How big is the top of your Snap-On roller?

View media item 34314

 

[scaron]

my dad uses butcher block tops throughout his workshop and they are REALLY nice. i'd like to do the same someday but it is pricey. i definitely would prefer butcher block over the stainless myself, though.

 

[IlliniBone]

If anybody is near or at any time driving through Effingham, IL...Boos Butcher block has a retail store there and sell slightly used, older models, etc butcher blocks. I bought a 4'x2' floor model butcher block (to use on a kitchen cart) for $40. They also sell all the oils needed to keep it in great condition for many years.

Here is a picture after it was oiled.

 

[Steinmetz]

I've never seen butcher block warp. The only downside is that it will absorb stuff if you don't oil or seal it somehow -- and there's some long-term maintenance involved in that. Both butcher block and stainless tops will dent, in the long term. (Because... hammer.) But both are great surfaces.

You can get butcher block at pretty good prices through Ikea or Sears. Lumber liquidators used to have it, too. But didn't they get into some sort of trouble?

Correct. The Feds executed a search warrant at Lumber Liquidators corporate headquarters last month.

 

[mjb]

I had the local sheet metal shop bend me an 8' X 2' with a 6" backsplash and a front drop of 1 1/2" with a 1" return out of 18ga SS for my work bench - welded corners and all total cost was $209. How big is the top of your Snap-On roller?

That is the way to go. I can get a 4x10 sheet of 16ga brushed for $220. Mill finish like his is about $15 cheaper. A local shop could shear and break that in under an hour.

I use a lot of stainless and it looks excellent when new, but as a work surface, it scratches and dulls quickly.

All of my work surfaces are hot rolled steel with the mill scale left on.

 

[Jere]

> Pallets are perfect for ends up butcher blocks

I don't necessarily agree with that. End grain true butcher block will stand up to a knife better than anything else, and will also dull your blades less than anything else, but in a shop environment, I'm not sure that real end grain butcher block will hold up any better than bowling alley. That, and a real end grain butcher block needs to be at least 8" thick to hold together (12" is better). I've got one of these in my kitchen, and love to cut on it.

Pallets are made from good hardwood, but need major planing to be turned into something usable. Also, while they're generally oak around here, they're kind of like the sausage of wood. And when it comes to jointed wood, you really want to keep the species the same, so that the expansion and contraction is all in sync, to prevent splitting.

The SnapOn butcher block is probably sealed with polyurethane if they're not an oil finish. That's its own headache.

When it comes to using butcher block for other purposes I think about how tree stumps are a required tool for sheet metal forming. If you have ever seen one of those stumps they literally get hammered on for years. They take a lot of punishment, now what if you turned them sideways? I am guessing they would splitter come apart quick under the same stresses.

 

[Farmall450]

Stainless!

 

[cburnscrx]

Have you bothered pricing either option? They are both expensive. I am going thru this now. Got quoted $950 for a stainless top or $500-$600 for butcher block. I am currently building my own top to save money. Real hardwood is not cheap.

Hmm...I think I'd go with the 96" IKEA butcher block countertop for $169.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50086416/#/30086417

 

[GCncsuHD]

Hmm...I think I'd go with the 96" IKEA butcher block countertop for $169.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50086416/#/30086417

I picked up the 73" version on clearance for $99, cut it to about 4' for a countertop in the laundry room for the wife, and an oversized 25x25 cutting board for the kitchen. I was impressed with the quality of this top.

 

[Zeke]

Jack, not sure what you meant by 'trouble' but they are still open in Orange County.

LL is being investigated for using and selling wood species that are not on the approved list for importation due to the decimation of forests in other countries. I don't know that this affects many of their products so many must meet the criteria. However, the investigation seems to regard shipping some woods to even other countries, mis-labeling it and then shipping to the U.S.

Mother Customs doesn't like that.

 

[INSP380]

I've got a KRL-761 with a piece of 11ga 304 on the top for a work surface. Then I bolted a Wilton 656 to that thru the KRL . No dents, easy clean up and I've never wished it was thicker. My Mac box has 1/2 thk 330 top I use for a weld table. Hard to beat a HD alloy surface.

Steve

 

[softailgarage]

Funny this comes up today. Yesterday my Snap On guy was trying to sell me a used box he said had a SS top that had warped (is that even possible?) I didnt question him on it. For Automotive I would stick with SS. At home I have a Butcher Top from Sears on 1 bench and it looks good and holds up well, the only problem is it looks too good, so I try not to abuse it which gets in the way of having a bench.

 

[RV77]

I wanted a SS top when I bought my krl1023 3 years ago but I wasn't going to pay retail for it.So I searched craigslist,ebay etc.. So a month ago.....

Finally my SO dealer acquired a new flat black 1032 with a SS top and I said a black top would look better on that.He then ordered a liner sprayed top and sold me the SS top for half price.

Win-Win

Stainless is the way to go it cleans up real nice and quick w/ brake cleaner.Looks outstanding to boot !!!

 

[netcaretaker]

SS top on craigslist for my KRL 1022 for 200 in perfect shape after looking for almost 2 years.

Used and I would only do SS, easy to clean and I don't have to worry about scratching or gouging it with something heavy.

 

[Flash21]

I picked up the 73" version on clearance for $99, cut it to about 4' for a countertop in the laundry room for the wife, and an oversized 25x25 cutting board for the kitchen. I was impressed with the quality of this top.

Does the birch hold up like maple?

I once read bamboo was a good choice because it was pretty renewable and strong?

 

[Flash21]

I prefer butcher block because it is less slippery and way quieter, plus I love how it looks and I HATE what stainless looks like dented. With that said, if you use a lot of fluids and will be constantly working on top of it with fluids I would get stainless and be very careful not to dent it bad.

 

[ez-duzit]

It greatly depends on what kind of work you are doing. But I like 1/4" Masonite for my workbench surfaces. Quiet, cheap, easily replaceable. Protects your tools as well as the work piece.

 

[GCncsuHD]

Does the birch hold up like maple?

I once read bamboo was a good choice because it was pretty renewable and strong?

To be honest, the countertop I made was for the wife for the laundry room, so it doesn't get abused at all, but the cutting board has held up well for the 3 months we've been using it. Birch is a bit softer than maple though, so maple would be a better choice, but it is also more expensive. For the price I wouldn't mind picking another up for the shop for a worktable, I really don't mind if it got a bit dented and scarred, as it gives it character, but for rough work that would cause it to be gashed, I would probably keep a 2'x2' steel plate to throw on top for a temporary work surface.

Bamboo is a good "wood" to work with, it is very renewable/fast growing and pretty strong, but there are different species of bamboo, the cheaper fast growing stuff is pretty soft, and will scratch and dent pretty easily, though it does have some give to it making it pretty strong, the slower growing more expensive stuff is harder, but I don't know that it would match maple in hardness.