End-Grain Butcher Block Island Tops

End-grain butcher block samples are available for purchase ($2 plus $10 S&H on orders under $75).

Countertops Made of Butcher Block in End-Grain Style Reveal Character

More specifically, each and every rectangle in an end-grain butcher block reveals a small cross section of the source tree’s grain structure. Aggregate hundreds of these small rectangles into a cohesive board and you’ll have an end-grain butcher block, the surface of which will be both resilient yet forgiving. The millions of wood fibers on the block’s surface yield to knives and cleavers just enough so as not to blunt their sharp edges, but not so much as to suffer nicks and gouges. Plus, the brilliant checkerboards they create are essentially natural works of art. What a splendid “canvas” to exhibit in your own kitchen!