Butcher Block Countertops | Pros, Cons, and Maintenance

(Above) Kate and Daniel’s narrow galley kitchen with dark cabinets, white subway tile walls, and long butcher block countertops

The difference between butcher block and wide plank wood countertops is how each surface uses lumber to build the slab. Butcher block is composed of many narrow strips of solid wood that are glued together with their edges or ends facing up, creating a dense grid of smaller pieces across the counter. Meanwhile, wide-plank wood tops rely on fewer, broader boards joined side by side, so the surface reads more like a tabletop with long, continuous grain.

Another difference is in how each countertop appears once it is installed. Butcher block tends to show a tighter, more repetitive pattern from all the thin strips, while plank-style counters highlight the full face of each board, with knots and grain flowing in wider, more sweeping patterns.