7 DIY Wood Countertop Plans You Make Today (With Pictures)
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One of the first things that you see when you enter a bathroom or a kitchen is the countertop. While you can pay someone to install a new one for you, that’s expensive! You can drive that cost way down if you DIY your own countertop.
If you’re thinking about building and installing your own wood countertop, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we highlighted seven different countertop plans that you can look through. If you find one that you like, the instructions will guide you through the steps to build it yourself!
Top 7 DIY Wood Countertop Plans
1. Butcher Block Countertop
| Materials: | Hardwood, wood glue, screws, sandpaper, pre-stain conditioner, and stain |
| Tools: | Table saw, planer, pencil, clamps, drill, tape measure, scraper, and sander |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
Butcher block countertops are among the most popular types of wood countertops out there, so it’s nice to see that there’s a way that you can DIY one. It’ll take quite a bit of work, but you’ll get a top-notch result.
Most of the difficulty building this countertop comes from access to tools, but if you have somewhere you can use them, it’s not all that challenging. Following this DIY guide, you can have large chic wooden countertops in no time!
2. Reclaimed Wood Countertop
| Materials: | Plywood, poplar, pine trim, wood putty, screws, brackets, nails, stain, and sealer |
| Tools: | Palm sander, circular saw, drill, pencil, and tape measure |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Older vintage wood countertops give you a unique appearance that tons of people love. While this won’t actually get you a reclaimed wood countertop, if you do it right, no one will be able to tell the difference!
Building a faux reclaimed wood countertop gives you plenty of room for creativity, and surprisingly, it’s an easy project to do yourself. You shouldn’t need a ton of super-expensive tools, which is a huge perk!
Plus, you’ll add a classic look to your countertops, so it’s a win-win all the way around.
3. Plywood Countertops
| Materials: | Plywood, wood glue, nails, screws, sandpaper, laminate, and contact cement |
| Tools: | Tape measure, pencil, circular saw, straight edge, jigsaw, rasp, clamps, sander, router, and a pressure roller |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Plywood countertops might not give you the most “luxurious” appearance compared to some other wood countertops that you can build, but plywood countertops give you the ability to customize things a bit more.
With this plywood countertop guide, you can add a laminate finish to the top, and those finishes come in tons of different colors and styles. Plywood countertops are also among the easiest countertops to build, so if you’re not super confident in your skills, it’s a top-notch choice.
4. Maple Wood Countertops
| Materials: | Maple wood, wood glue, sandpaper, sealing rags, waterlox sealer, sealer, stain, and hardwood biscuits |
| Tools: | Table saw, planer, jointer, plate jointer, circular saw, clamps, measuring tape, paintbrushes, and a pencil |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
While you can technically use any type of wood with this DIY plan, if you want the exact results in the guide, stick with maple. It has a ton of benefits on its own, as it’s a hardwood that’s resistant to everyday wear and tear, but it’s not as expensive as exotic hardwoods.
This countertop isn’t all that difficult to make — assuming that you have all the right tools for the job. You can always reach out to your local lumber mill to see if they’ll help you with the cuts if you don’t want to invest in the tools for yourself.
5. Expensive-Looking Wood Countertops
| Materials: | Edge-glued pine, wood glue, stain, sealant, wood glue, and sandpaper |
| Tools: | Measuring tape, pencil, circular saw, jigsaw, sander, and clamps |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
Who doesn’t want expensive-looking wood countertops without having to deal with the hefty price tag? This DIY guide is about building expensive-looking countertops for an RV, but it works just fine for any countertops, anywhere.
What’s nice is that you don’t have to spend much on either tools or materials if you’re following this guide, so you can save money and still get a premium-looking final product. However, building this countertop does take a bit more skill compared to many other options.
6. Super Affordable Wood Countertops
| Materials: | Hardwood, wood glue, screws, stain, and sealant |
| Tools: | Clamps, pocket hole jig, sander, and circular saw |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
If you’re looking to build wood countertops but don’t want to spend a ton of money to do so, this is the guide for you. While the site states that you can build them for less than $50, it might cost you a bit more depending on the price of wood in your area.
So, instead of promising you a certain dollar amount, we’ll tell you that this is one of the lowest-priced wood countertop options out there — and you’ll still get a top-notch final product that you can be proud of.
7. Herringbone Pattern Countertop
| Materials: | 2” x 4” wood, stain, sandpaper, sealer, screws, wood glue |
| Tools: | Miter saw, tape measure, pencil, earplugs, framing square, clamp, drill, drill bit, and sander |
| Difficulty Level: | Hard |
This might be the most difficult DIY countertop on this list, but the final result of a herringbone pattern countertop is absolutely stunning.
Even better, as long as you follow the part of the guide that helps you measure out and cut all the wood, it’s definitely something that you can tackle on your own.
People Also Ask
Building your own wood countertop can be daunting. We completely understand, and that’s why we answered a few frequently asked questions about building your own wood countertop.
What Kind of Wood Is Best for Countertops?
While it comes down to what you’re looking for, there’s a reason that maple is the most common type of wood used for countertops. Maple is an affordable hardwood, and it does a great job of resisting damage.
It also has deep grains that respond extremely well to different stains, which gives it a top-notch appearance. Add in the fact that it’s easy to maintain, and it earns our nod as the top wood choice for countertops.
What Is the Hardest Wood for Butcher Block Countertops?
While there are many different wood options out there, one of the hardest woods you’ll commonly find in butcher block countertops is Brazilian cherry, which has a Janka rating of 2,500. For reference, maple has a Janka rating of 1,450, and that’s considered an extremely hard wood!
Can You Epoxy Butcher Block Countertops?
Absolutely! Epoxy is a great way to seal a butcher block countertop, and you can even use epoxy resins if you want to create a river table-style butcher block countertop. You can also use epoxy to add color to the countertop if that’s what you want!
How Do You Waterproof Your Countertop?
Seal it! You can use a commercial product, epoxy, or even a homemade formula to seal a butcher block. All you need to do is apply a coat of polymerizing oil, wait for 15 minutes, buff it in, wait 24 hours, and then do it again!
Final Thoughts
Building your own wood countertop is a fun project that you can tackle yourself, and it can completely transform the appearance of a room. Save yourself a bit of money, have a blast doing it, and get to building your new countertop!
Featured Image Credit: Photographee.eu, Shutterstock
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