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Updating your kitchen counters is a great way to transform the look of your kitchen, and our new DIY wood countertop is a fun and unique DIY project that would look fantastic in any kitchen or utility room.
Kitchen countertops can be expensive, but this unique DIY wood countertop on our new kitchen island is very budget-friendly and only costs around 60€ to build.
We built our whole countertop from scratch, but this project would also be an easy and affordable way to update your existing kitchen counters.
We used our fantastic new laser to cut and engrave the honeycomb pieces, which made this project quick and easy. It’s an amazing tool; we’ve had so much fun making things for our home. I can’t wait to share our other laser-cut projects soon!
What you will need to build a DIY wood countertop
Tools:
- Plunge saw or a circular saw (or you can get it cut to size at the DIY store)
- Sander
- Cordless drill
- Kreg jig
- Laser cutter
- Tape measure & pencil
- Stripping knife
Supplies:
- Timber edging strip
- Plywood or OSB board – 18mm thick
- 3mm thick plywood
- Wood glue
- Wood filler
- Sandpaper (120 grit, 240 grit & 320 grit)
- Oil (we recommend using food-safe oil)
How to build a wood countertop
We used an IKEA Förhöja kitchen trolley as the base for our kitchen island, but this DIY wood countertop would work just as well if you installed it on kitchen cabinets. It would also look fantastic on a desk or coffee table.
Step 1
Cut The Base
Start by working out what size you want your countertop to be, and add a few centimetres to each side so it’s slightly larger than your cupboards or trolley. If it’s being installed against the wall, you only need to add an overhang at the front.
Our overhang is 2.5cm on each side, 5cm at one end and 30cm at the other, so we’d have some space for some bar stools. The total size of our worktop is 83.5cm x 200cm.
To make the base of the worktop, we used 18mm OSB, as it’s very sturdy and cheap. It comes in large sheets that you can easily cut to size with a plunge saw. Mark the measurements, place the track onto the wood and cut the wood with a plunge saw or circular saw. Alternatively, more DIY stores will cut the sheet to size when you buy it.
The surface can be quite rough, so we sanded it to smooth everything out. It worked well, but a plywood sheet would probably be a better base option.
Step 2
Attach The Countertop Base To The Cabinets
Drill a pocket hole into the top of the cabinet or trolley you use as a base. Then, place the OSB board on top and ensure it’s centred.
Double-check your measurements and check that it’s spaced correctly. Then, screw it in place using the pocket holes and some 30mm pocket hole screws.
Alternative: If you don’t have a Kreg jig (we highly recommend one, though), you could use small brackets and screws to attach the countertop.
Step 3
Make The Plywood Honeycomb Pieces
This is where the fun part of the project really starts. Making the plywood honeycomb pieces couldn’t be easier with the help of the xTool P2 laser cutter and engraver.
Just drag the file into the software, adjust the settings so that it engraves and cuts correctly and then press the start button.
I find it mesmerising to watch the laser work. It cuts and engraves precisely, and watching your design appear is so much fun. With a whopping 208 honeycombs to cut, I couldn’t stand there all the time, though.
The laser cutting machine we have is very powerful, which made it possible to cut all of these pieces quickly. We love our laser so much and have already made lots of other projects with it. It’s extremely versatile, making it perfect for crafters and home improvers.
We cut these honeycomb pieces out of one piece of plywood, but if you want to engrave on lots of individual pieces, like gift tags or coasters, the xTool P2 has a very cool smart fill function.
It’s perfect for batch-creating a lot of items in one go. To use it, select your design and click the smart fill button, which automatically places the design on each piece. Then just hit the start button as usual and wait for the machine to do its magic.
Step 4
Attach The Honeycomb Countertop Blocks
Draw horizontal and vertical lines down the centre of the countertop to give you the exact middle. This will be the starting point for the pieces of timber. Starting on the centre line, glue the pieces of honeycomb plywood to the surface with wood glue.
Finish the first central line and then add the remaining pieces of wood. Make sure to push the pieces together so there are no gaps. You can fill any small gaps with wood filler, but the result will be much better if you have as little filler as possible.
Step 5
Cut Off The Excess & Add Edging
Use your plunge saw to cut off any excess and give your countertop a straight edge. I love our plunge saw because it’s so easy to use. The track stays in place without clamping, making it quick to cut straight lines.
Place the track on the wooden countertop, position the edge where you want to cut it, and place the plunge saw in the track. Then, run the saw along the guide to cut off any excess wood and tidy the edge.
You’ll still have to add an edging strip around the countertop to hide the wood countertop’s layers of OSB and plywood.
Measure the length of each side of the countertop and cut four pieces of the edging strip to fit. Remember that you’ll have to make them longer than the countertop to be able to mitre the corners.
Cut each strip’s end at a 45° angle with a mitre saw (or a hand saw and mitre box) before glueing them in place for a nicer finish. Then, add a couple of small nails, either with your Nailer or by hand, to secure the strips while the glue dries.
Step 6
Fill & Sand
The laser cut hexagons are 100% accurate, but it’s likely that you will still end up with tiny gaps when you glue everything in place. Fill any imperfections and nail holes with wood filler.
Squash the wood filler into all gaps and nail holes with a stripping knife, and wait for it to dry before sanding the whole surface until it’s completely smooth.
When sanding wood, we almost always start with 120-grit sandpaper to remove imperfections. Then, we switch to 240-grit sandpaper for a smooth finish. If we’re building or hacking furniture, we generally finish with a quick sand of 320 grit sandpaper for a super-smooth finish.
If you want to know more about which sandpaper grits to use and how best to sand wood for a perfect finish, you can check out our DIY guide on how to sand wood. It includes a helpful cheat sheet so you’ll always know which sandpaper to use for which project.
Step 7
Oil The Wood Countertop
Remove any dust and dirt from the surface before applying a coat of oil to protect the surface and make it more durable and easy to keep clean.
We love the colour of the natural wood, but you can easily add a stain before oiling it for a different look.
When the first coat of oil has dried, apply a second coat and wipe away any excess oil.
We love Danish oil. It’s easy to use and always gives a great finish. The Danish oil we use is also food-safe, so perfect for any items that may come in contact with food.
You can read our full guide on how to apply Danish oil here. Let the oil dry overnight before using your new DIY butcher block countertop.
What kind of wood is best for kitchen countertops?
For an item like a kitchen counter that gets a lot of wear and tear, hardwood like beech or maple will give you the most durable finish. Softer woods like pine or cedar will work, but they scratch and dent more easily.
Some types of wood are also toxic and shouldn’t be in contact with your food. If you’re using a more exotic type of wood to build your butcher block countertop, check its properties before you use it.
What kind of oil is best for wood kitchen counters?
Wood countertops will require regular oiling to keep them looking good. For any surfaces that could come in contact with food, it’s best to use a food-safe oil.
The Danish oil we use for our projects complies with food safety regulations. Always check the manufacturer’s guidelines, especially when working on projects like this one that could come in contact with food.
For our wooden chopping boards, we use this mineral oil that’s specifically designed for kitchen items like cutting boards.
How much does a DIY wood kitchen countertop cost?
The cost will vary depending on the countertop size and materials you use. Our DIY wooden countertop is about 84 x 200 cm.
- 3mm Plywood for the honeycomb | 20€
- Timber strips for the edge | 18€
- OSB board | 15€
- Wood glue, filler & sandpaper | 3€
- Oil | 4€
Total: about 60€ (excluding the cost of tools and electricity)
We wanted to make this project as budget-friendly as possible, so we used plywood to create the laser-cut honeycomb. If you’d like a more durable and high-quality finish, we recommend using a hardwood like beech for your wood countertop.
Apart from looking amazing, our DIY wood countertop was extremely affordable, and only cost a fraction of a solid wood countertop. As long as you keep it clean and dry, it requires minimal upkeep.
It’s one of my favourite projects we’ve done in our new home. There’s so much more space to work, and the wooden countertop is easy to keep clean and looks fantastic.
We’re still saving for a new kitchen, but this DIY wood countertop has made a huge impact. We love how our new laser allowed us to cut and engrave these gorgeous bee tiles so accurately and quickly.
It’s a temporary setup until we can tackle the ‘real’ kitchen, but the new large wood kitchen counter and additional storage space have already made a huge positive impact.
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