The day has finalllyyy come for me to show you our latest project!  As many of you know and have watched on my Instagram stories, the hubby has spent days and countless hours giving this old butcher block new life! P.S. Do you see that stamp on the back right there? It reads Michigan Maple Block Co., Petoskey Michigan! Now how cool is that??!

The Before-

This was my first photo sent to me before I took a risk and bought it!

Here are a few more of it at home before we (he) began to work on it.

Now here is what he did-

First, last Saturday night we set out to buy a planer.  Not every new project means you get a new tool, but for this one particular, there was absolutely NO way to have done what he did without one.  So, we decided to bite the bullet and just go get one.

After hours of plaining, next he belt sanded the top and sides.  It is always best to go with a lower grid sandpaper and work your way up.  The higher the grid number the finer the grains and smoother it sands the wood.  After the belt sander he finished with a palm sander, and top it off with a little hand sanding.

Mind you there were hours spent and many long evenings after work that went into all that that I mentioned in just a few short sentences.

Finally, the time had come to oil our butchered (I mean beloved 😉 butcher block.  After a little research, there are various products out there you can use for oiling butcher block, but mineral oil seems to really be the best choice out there for various reasons.   I purchased the mineral oil we used at a local drug store, but it is readily available at almost anywhere in the pharmacy section (under laxatives…!).   It is also food safe and can be used on any wood surface.  Oh, and it is what I use on our soapstone counters too!

Lastly, he took off the old and rusted chrome plates and wire wheeled them to clean them off.  Next he spray painted them black and screwed them back on.  I think they look better than new :).

And folks that was it! Plus the two men it took to move this into the home.  The hubby even joked he may have to strengthen the beams in the basement for this piece. Well, that was part joke part truth.  It weighs a ton!

I guess that means it will have to stay a while….!

Sooooo, what do you think???! #ForTheLoveOfDoug