#DIY Faux Butcher Block Countertop

by The Bachelorette Pad Flip

$30

2 Days

Easy

Transforming an UGLY 1970s indoor brick flower bed into a functional, beautiful, & inexpensive counter...for less than $30! Follow along as I flip houses on my blog, The Bachelorette Pad Flip: https://bachelorettepadflip.wordpress.com/

1970s Sunroom DUNGEON!

The problem with buying a retro house? Retro trends. For example, in my second house flip, the sunroom had a bricked flower bed...INSIDE. It was FULL of dirt. It was ugly. It wasn't functional. It was dated. It had to go! The only problem? My budget was blasted...as always!

Thanks to Lowe's- you don't have to own a saw

I couldn't remove the flower bed because it would affect the structural integrity of the exterior wall. So, I had to make do and get creative. I decided a faux butcher block countertop would actually conceal the fact that it's a dated, stupid flower bed. So I perused the aisles at Lowe's until I found a thick, long board. I knew I needed it to be thicker than regular boards to mimic countertop thickness. They do make pre-made butcher block but not long enough to work for this project. So I chose my {EXTREMELY} heavy board and the guys at Lowe's cut it down to the proper size- for FREE!

Using leftover stain made this project cheap!

It took two of us to carry it in to the sunroom. Before putting it in place, I used Liquid Nails on the top of the brick wall, so that once it was in place, it would stay in place. I wanted it to be very snug. After applying the liquid nails, I used a rubber mallet to beat back flush against the wall. Then I found every heavy object I could find and set them on the board overnight. After the liquid nails was totally dry, I used leftover stain on the board.

Staging tip: Use what you already have!

After the stain dried, I applied polyurethane for protection. Once that was dry, I scoured my house for items to stage my new countertop with. Since it was summer, I staged this area as a cool sitting area to kick back with some lemonade.

No longer a dungeon!

With minimal effort, my hideous flower bed is no more! Instead, I have a practical countertop which is great when entertaining.

Before & After

This project is easy and doable...even if you don't own a saw like me! Maybe you don't have an ugly flower bed in your house, but this project could easily be modified for other project areas.

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Comments

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4 of 8 comments

Katrina on Jul 02, 2017

No flower bed is dated or "stupid". It just need love. Which means care and maintenance. Also curb/flip appeal.

Lowe's can help with that too!

Like Reply
- The Bachelorette Pad Flip on Jul 02, 2017
  It does not help with curb appeal INSIDE the house. And it does invite insects, moisture INSIDE the house. It's a dated design which HURTS flip appeal.
  
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- Amy Aube on Mar 04, 2021
  
  Hi ladies, please don’t argue you both have great vision. The counter butcher block looks beautiful, I especially like the color stain you chose. Katrina, I have a three season sun room that I use to start my seedlings for the garden. I fill it with plants in the spring and summer. I would love an indoor planter. It would take up much less room! Just my thoughts.
  
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Carlena Biggs on Jul 03, 2017

I love that!! great idea! What if you had put shorter boards and hinges so you could store things inside the flower bed. I love cubby holes and storage bins. Just another solution? Thanks for the great suggestions

1 Reply
- The Bachelorette Pad Flip on Jul 03, 2017
  Not a bad idea! It was FULL of dirt that I didn't remove, so that wouldn't have worked for this particular project but if there was an empty planter then that would work!
  
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