A year or so ago, my son called me and asked me to help him install butcher-block countertops in his kitchen. I told him I would be happy to help him, but I also said that it was a bad idea. Wooden countertops are easily stained, chipped and dented … they take a lot of upkeep and, in my experience, lead to disappointment. Well, I guess you know that we installed the butcher-block tops — and they did look great when we were done. A short while ago, my eldest daughter called me up and asked me what type of hardwood I would recommend for her kitchen countertops: solid cherry, maple, hickory or walnut? I said: none of those — get a countertop made out of plastic or stone. She is going with maple. Then, last week I bought a new house and, you guessed it, the kitchen countertops are made of European beech.
Sometimes, life just likes to poke you in the eye.
Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal
