# Kitchen Island for Client, need advice



## Chris S. (Jun 8, 2017)

Have a customer who is asking me to make a new top to overlay a dresser they are using for a kitchen island. We finally landed on a design and wood choices but my question is around the construction of the top. All the wood is going to be an inch and half thick around perimeter then interior is going to be recessed to and inch thick to allow top to sit down over an existing top by a half inch. I am going to allow room for the wood to expand and contract and have figured out how will secure to old top to allow both for movement but also keep top secure from sliding around. My question centers around top construction and how to help ensure it stays flat once all glued up and also how to help ensure top does not separate. 

Right now my thought process is to select wood which is as close to quarter sawn as possible to allow for most stable wood, glue all joints with generous amount of tite bond ultimate wood glue, and once all glued up finishing with mineral oil for butcher blocks. Any recommendations from experts on what you think would or would not be a good way to go will be appreciated. This is going to be built out of Maple and Cherry. Below is PDF of what it will look like when done.


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## woodtickgreg (Jun 9, 2017)

You may want to consider bread board ends to keep it flat.


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## Tom Smart (Jun 9, 2017)

I would suggest doing it end grain.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Chris S. (Jun 9, 2017)

woodtickgreg said:


> You may want to consider bread board ends to keep it flat.


Thanks may end up doing that if customer likes the look. They really concerned with appearance and liked idea of seeing pattern on ends so that may rule that out.


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## Chris S. (Jun 9, 2017)

Tom Smart said:


> I would suggest doing it end grain.


Oh how I wish they liked that look. I made up a small sample piece so they could see end grain board and did not like it at all.


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## Tony (Jun 9, 2017)

I built a counter for a restaurant about a year and a half ago, similar design. It's 3' wide, 2 sections of 4' long each. Mine is long grain, about 2" thick. I wrapped it all the way around with a 1" thick, 3" wide border. It's held up so far, no warping. Mineral oil finish. Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Wildthings (Jun 9, 2017)

Tony said:


> I built a counter for a restaurant about a year and a half ago, similar design. It's 3' wide, 2 sections of 4' long each. Mine is long grain, about 2" thick. I wrapped it all the way around with a 1" thick, 3" wide border. It's held up so far, no warping. Mineral oil finish. Tony


Pictures are worth a thousands words!!


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## Tony (Jun 9, 2017)

Wildthings said:


> Pictures are worth a thousands words!!



I posted some at the time. I'll pull them up this weekend and post here. Tony


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## lonewolf (Jun 9, 2017)

If you simply overlay a solid wood top over the existing top.you will have unequal air exposure to your top. Recipe for warp. I suggest you remove the existing top. If not possible then cut large holes in existing top. To equalize air exposure.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Mike1950 (Jun 9, 2017)

finish bottom also

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Mike1950 (Jun 9, 2017)

and guaranteeing this will not warp, discolor,crack or Etc. is a fool's game. you need to look them in the eye and put on paper that it is wood. wood does what it wants. They may decide to get drunk and leave Turkey on it over night- 400 lb cousin might decide to use for ladder to change light bulb - or decide your written ints. on how to maintain finish are stupid and ignore till the day before statute of limitations is up. or maybe ???? Write it down- get them to sign...

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Mike1950 (Jun 9, 2017)

and PS- might be a little tainted- sub-contractor for 25 yrs. Learned plenty and one thing I learned hard way- If stuff goes wrong and what you recommended was not written down and signed-you keep copy- it does NOT exist....

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Great Post 1


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## Chris S. (Jun 10, 2017)

Thanks mike I know all to well about not written down it didn't happen. Already given the speech of this is wood it will do as it pleases and will get something signed on those lines.

@lonewolf wish any of those options we available to do. Client wants to be able to remove top and return the island to a dresser when she moved out of this house. Going to finish both sides, mount to allow of expansion and when assemble pieces will be working with grain of wood to help minimize the warping issue.

I like bread board end but thought of way to make a concealed stiffener so client gets end design they want and I get something to help keep it flat.

Reactions: Like 1


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