Very Inexpensive DIY Wood Countertops
4 Materials
$200
8 Days
Advanced
I knew I wanted wood countertops but it had to fit within my very small kitchen reno budget. After much research, I settled on building my own countertops! I purchased three solid wood doors through an add on Kijiji. Solid wood doors aren't actually solid wood all the way through. They really should be called solid core doors as they are pressed wood panels in the centre with oak veneer sheets on the outsides. The total depth of these doors was 1.75" so they are thick and that actually added to the overall look, in my opinion.
My husband & I Kreg Jegged the ends together, putting No More Nails glue on the edges before doing the screws. We edged the countertops with 1/4" oak boards from Home Depot, attaching those with finish nails and No More Nails glue. Not only was wide edge banding not available in smaller quantities than 250 feet, but the 1/4" oak boards actually look the best. It was a win-win situation! The doors and boards came to a little under $200!!
After wood filling the seams and sanding, I stained the countertops and used Varathane NanoDefense Matte for the protectant. We are very happy with the finished product!
Check out my blog post for all the details and more pictures. Link provided below.
Kreg Jegging
I have the Kreg Jig Jr so it didn't come with their branded clamp. We used a pair of vice grips for a clamp here. LOL.
Using the vacuum cleaner while screwing, eliminated having a mess.
Installed and ready to do the finish stuff
A close up of the finished countertop
All finished!
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Comments
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3 of 9 comments
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Overall, everything looks great and I'm very happy with the results and would do it again in a heartbeat.
Note: Minwax & Elmer's wood fillers both bleed into the areas around which causes the stain to take differently in those areas. Maybe if I had of used a pre-stain conditioner before staining, maybe the wood filler stain would not have been as noticeable.
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very nicely done, I think I will use this idea for a desk top for your counter tops came out great!
Thanks for the idea
Ray
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Thank you, Raymondroy!
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Frequently asked questions
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Are your finishes considered food safe? I am in the process of making and installing wood counter tops but am going with food safe mineral oil (prob numerous coats initially).