butcher block desk top

I'm building a desktop for the built-in desk and library unit in our study. The shelves and cabinets are white. I was researching on here and it seems like the good hardwoods to use would be either maple or birch. I'm leaning towards hard maple. I want to know if hard maple butcher block would make for a good desktop area. I like the look of butcher block even though its for an office (the office will also be a place where kids can do homework eventually, the kids are 2 right now)

I've done a little research about butcher block but don't know how well it would standup to say writing letters, paying bills, a 2 year old writing on it with crayon.

I'm at a loss here...Honest opinions needed.

Reply to
rolsonDesign
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If you're talking about end-grain hard maple it will stand up for decades as a factory floor with fork lifts running over it ahe heavy machinery being dragged across it and all sorts of weird and exciting subtances being spilled on it.

If you don't have a wide-platen drum or belt sander though getting a flat surface could be problematical.

Maple planking will be just fine for the purpose and since it can go through a planer without the tearout that you get with end grain getting a flat surface is a lot simpler.

Reply to
J. Clarke

The easiest, and cheapest would be the style that uses long pieces of wood vs. the self healing end grain style.

The hard maple would do very well for a writing surface but be sure that you do get hard maple.

Reply to
Leon

Just personal preference but I wouldn't like a butcher block top for a desk, too busy. Don't worry about the crayon, it comes off of everything except carpeting...

Reply to
RayV

I think I must be missing something here.If you are going to paint this why not just use some quality grade plywood and cover the open side with a hardwood banding?

Reply to
<woodman1

This is what he is building

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Reply to
RayV

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<woodman1

Reply to
rolsonDesign

If you shoot several coats of poly on hard maple it will suffer the slings and arrows of outragious correspondece for years. I did my kitchen counter tops this way a few years ago and my family can't seem to hurt them.

Reply to
gfretwell

I made up my maple desk top out of maple flooring. It is about 80" x

34" x 1.5". I made it in 3 sections that would fit through the planer and then glued the 3 sections together with double rows of biscuits. A lot of sanding was still needed to get everything flat.

It works fine for me, but if I slide my fingers across the planks, I can feel each joint. It isn't enough to cause any problems writing on a piece of paper. Part of the problem may be the crappy wood they use in flooring, and part of it maybe that I only put 4 or 5 coats of polyurethane on the bottom and many more coats on the top.

Regards, Ed

Reply to
Ed Bailen

Reply to
<woodman1

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