Take Butcher Block Countertops And Turn Them Into Eye-Catching Shelves

Butcher block countertops aren't really the go-to material for kitchen surfaces, but they are very practical. Made of heavy-duty wood, they are designed to take impact and can be trusted to last a long time before they need to be replaced. If yours have reached the end of their life, however, or you just want to get new countertops, you'll be happy to know that they can be repurposed in various ways. Butcher block countertops can become worktops in your garage, bathroom vanity countertops, or can even be turned into shelves.

Shelves are simple storage solutions that you can DIY if you're comfortable with woodworking. Whether you want suspended or floating shelves, you can easily set them up and create something eye-catching for any space in your home. All you need are brackets or rope to hang them on, and you've added a unique, personal touch to your bedroom, living room, kitchen, reading nook, pantry, or kid's room. And if you need some more ideas on how to use them, there are plenty of savvy ways to transform a space with floating shelves.

To DIY, you can use a circular saw to cut through the butcher block pieces, making the sizes and shapes you want, and then sand if needed. You can also choose to stain the countertops if you want to improve the look of the wood. For butcher block countertops, use an oil-based stain or a water-based stain. Oil-based is good if your shelves will be coming in contact with moisture, so it could be useful if the shelves are going in the bathroom or kitchen. Water-based is good if you're trying to show off the color of the wood, so it could be better if the shelves are for the living room or bedroom.

After preparing the wood pieces, you'll need to install floating shelf brackets on the wall. You can get a 6-pack of these WEKIS heavy-duty metal brackets from Amazon. They come in black and white and in various sizes, from 6 to 12 inches, with a price range of $18.99 to $40.99. We like that they offer these options because it's easy to get something to fit the size of floating shelves you want. Drill the brackets on the wall, place the shelves on them, and then screw them together. It helps to use a level to make sure they are fixed straight.