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I’ve been pushing aside a reasonably essential choice for the studio, and that’s deciding on a countertop for the lengthy wall of cupboards. It’s a problem as a result of I want an extra-long countertop. In any case, that wall is nineteen.5 ft huge, and the countertop will span all the width.
There actually aren’t any excellent choices for a countertop that lengthy, and nearly each possibility I might provide you with would require a seam or joint proper within the center. That’s not splendid, however I could not have another possibility. I’ve provide you with one possibility that may not have an apparent seam within the center, but it surely may be an enormous gamble which will or might not end up trying good.
Listed here are the choices I’ve provide you with to this point…
Butcherblock Counter tops
I keep in mind our condominium days once I purchased lovely butcherblock counter tops for our condominium kitchen for lower than $200 per 8-foot slab. These days are lengthy gone. Butcherblock remains to be a far lower than a whole lot of stable floor countertop choices, but it surely’s actually not low-cost anymore. And discovering actually lengthy butcherblock counter tops is fairly troublesome.
I did discover birch butcherblock at Dwelling Depot that is available in 10-foot lengths for $519.
That’s not a horrible worth, however as a result of I’m low-cost, and since I’d want a complete of three to complete the room (two for the primary wall, and one for the aspect wall of cupboards), that’s over $1500 for studio counter tops. And, in fact, that would go away me with a joint between two butcher block items proper in the midst of the lengthy countertop.
It’s lovely, although. And I do love butcherblock. Right here’s an image of that very same butcherblock with simply an oiled end. It’s a really fairly colour.
This specific birch butcherblock has actually good buyer critiques. Lowe’s additionally has a 10-foot birch butcher block countertop, and whereas the worth is only a bit decrease ($50 much less per slab), the critiques on it aren’t so good.
So whereas butcherblock is an efficient possibility, I simply don’t understand how I really feel about spending over $1500 for counter tops, whereas nonetheless having to take care of that joint between two slabs proper in the midst of the lengthy wall.
Laminate Counter tops
Laminate counter tops could be a less expensive possibility than butcher block. And since it is a studio and never a kitchen, and since laminate is sturdy holds up very nicely to artwork provides, paint drips, and normal every day use, I believe it’s an amazing possibility for studio counter tops.
Some time again, I constructed two actually massive work tables for the studio, and I used laminate tops on these. I selected to make use of white laminate for these tables.
So if I’m going with laminate on the cupboards, I’d go for one thing fully completely different. I actually like the thought of deliver a heat wooden into the room, which is why butcher block appeals to me. So I might do an analogous look in laminate. One possibility could be this Wilsonart Fawn Cypress laminate, which is $169.58 for a 60″ x 120″ piece.
That may be sufficient laminate for the entire lengthy wall, which signifies that with the price of the substrate (I’d in all probability use MDF) and provides (Contact Cement, rollers, and so on.), I might do all the 20-foot countertop for about $420. That’s a substantial financial savings over the $1125 that butcher block would value for a similar 20-foot countertop.
This specific Wilsonart Fawn Cypress has a really impartial colour to it, and it’s a reasonably medium-toned wooden colour, which you’ll be able to see on this countertop.
However in fact, there are lots of of laminate choices on the market, from a number of completely different firms, so I’m positive I might discover one that may work completely within the studio. So laminate is an excellent choices, and it’s additionally comparatively cheap. However but once more, I’d be left with a seam proper within the center for the reason that longest size I can discover in laminate is 12 ft.
My Loopy DIY Thought
Whereas these two choices are good, they nonetheless depart me with a seam or joint proper in the midst of the 20-foot wall. That’s advantageous if there aren’t any different choices, however I’ve been capable of provide you with one possibility which will work, and which will produce a consequence that gives the look of 1 stable 20-foot piece of wooden countertop.
You understand how butcher block counter tops are made up of a lot of little strips of wooden which might be all glued collectively to supply one lengthy stable wooden countertop? Once more, I’ll refer you again to Possibility 1, the butcher block from Dwelling Depot…
Nicely, what if I simulate that look utilizing actual wooden veneer? My concept is to place down my countertop substrate all alongside the 20-foot wall and ensure it’s clean all the way in which throughout (i.e., that no joints will be felt since I’ll have to make use of three separate items to span the complete size), after which lower strips of actual wooden veneer and fix them in order that they simulate that look of butcherblock.
Doing that each one the way in which throughout would eradicate the necessity for a middle seam or joint, and if I do a superb job and actually take my time and get the items good and tight in opposition to one another, I believe I might find yourself with what appears to be like like a 20-foot-wide piece of butcher block.
It’s a chance, for positive! However I simply can’t get this concept out of my thoughts, and I believe it’d truly work. It will be an enormous venture, for positive. Chopping all of these items after which attaching them one after the other would possibly take a few days only for the one countertop. However it may be value it to finish up with what appears to be like like one steady, seamless, jointless wooden countertop.
Does that sound like a loopy concept? Or does it sound like one thing that would truly work? Since I’d be utilizing actual wooden veneer, the price may be only a bit greater than the laminate possibility, however it will nonetheless be a substantial financial savings over the actual butcher block possibility. And its the one concept I might provide you with that may give the impression of a seamless, jointless 20-foot countertop.
Ought to I’m going for it? Or ought to I keep on with a tried-and-true protected possibility like actual butcher block or laminate and simply stay with the seam or joint proper in the midst of the countertop?
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