Anyone using a butchers block countertop as a desk?

Kobrakai

Kobrakai

Kobrakai

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I’m thinking of making a desk using a butchers block countertop on top of the Ikea Alex drawers. If I do this will I need to oil/seal it somehow? I know this is recommended for kitchen tops that are regularly coming into contact with water but is it needed for a desk?

I guess I just want it to be scratch resistant and be able to handle the occasional accidental drink spillage.

The site I’m planning to order from will apply Osmo top oil for an extra charge but I’ve read that oiling can leave them permanently sticky. Also I would also rather not change the colour of the wood, I know some furniture can go orange when oiled which I don’t want.
 
I’m using a 3M solid black oak kitchen top which I’ve applied 3 coats of oil onto and it’s not at all “sticky”, nor has it really changed the colour..

*** Desk and Room Gallery***

Swapped my double stack monitors out for a Samsung G9 OLED, i've had it since launch and love it Did you put any rubber matting under the worktop to stop it slipping at all? We're looking at changing up our office at home and want one wall turning into two desks. Just worried going this way...
forums.overclockers.co.uk forums.overclockers.co.uk

#2971
 
Loads of people do it. Best desk you will ever buy. I got mine from IKEA at least 5 years ago and haven't had to oil it.

Also if you find somehow it gets really scratched then just sand it and oil it then.
 
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Osmo oil is great. It doesn't leave the surface sticky. I'd recommend applying osmo yourself though, because once the worktop arrives you might want to sand down the edges or corners a little more anyway. If there is one thing worth paying extra for, it's to get the worktop to get it professionally chamfered on the edges.

If doing the Osmo oil yourself, you can pick from the multiple Osmo oil types. There are clear matt/low satin ones, which don't stain or alter the colour but still provide a clean & smooth water resistant finish without being shiny.

I followed this guide:

An alternative to using the Ikea Alex drawers, if you don't need drawers and would prefer more legroom/PC space, is to buy some steel table legs from Amazon, make sure to get about 70cm high for a standard desk height. Then drill & bolt them into the underside of the worktop. But this is more complex so probably only tackle this if you feel confident in your DIY skills.
 
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JonRGV250 said:
I’m using a 3M solid black oak kitchen top which I’ve applied 3 coats of oil onto and it’s not at all “sticky”, nor has it really changed the colour..

*** Desk and Room Gallery***

Swapped my double stack monitors out for a Samsung G9 OLED, i've had it since launch and love it Did you put any rubber matting under the worktop to stop it slipping at all? We're looking at changing up our office at home and want one wall turning into two desks. Just worried going this way...
forums.overclockers.co.uk forums.overclockers.co.uk

#2971
Click to expand...

Your desk setup looks really nice. Where did you get the black Alex drawers? I didn't think Ikea sold them in the UK.
 
Thanks, the drawers are MICKE..

www.ikea.com

MICKE black-brown, Drawer unit with drop-file storage, 35x75 cm - IKEA

MICKE black-brown, Drawer unit with drop-file storage, 35x75 cm. Drawer stops prevent the drawers from being pulled out too far. Can be placed in the middle of a room because the back is finished. You can extend your work surface by combining desks and drawer units. All desks and drawer units in...
www.ikea.com www.ikea.com

I got them because everyone else seems to use Alex and I wanted something different (I didn’t fit the castors).
 
I'm liking the look of those draws!
If only delivery wasn't so expensive (to get the worktop as well)
 
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caff said:
Osmo oil is great. It doesn't leave the surface sticky. I'd recommend applying osmo yourself though, because once the worktop arrives you might want to sand down the edges or corners a little more anyway. If there is one thing worth paying extra for, it's to get the worktop to get it professionally chamfered on the edges.

If doing the Osmo oil yourself, you can pick from the multiple Osmo oil types. There are clear matt/low satin ones, which don't stain or alter the colour but still provide a clean & smooth water resistant finish without being shiny.

I followed this guide:

An alternative to using the Ikea Alex drawers, if you don't need drawers and would prefer more legroom/PC space, is to buy some steel table legs from Amazon, make sure to get about 70cm high for a standard desk height. Then drill & bolt them into the underside of the worktop. But this is more complex so probably only tackle this if you feel confident in your DIY skills.
Click to expand...

Thanks that's helpful. Does it last for a long time or do you have to redo it?
 
The oil will last for a few years at least, then just slap on another coat.
I would really recommend using it though, it would be madness not to.
 
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Osmo is great I heartily agree with @caff, it is not sticky and as the surface wears you can easily retreat. If you use their wax oil it almost sets into the woods surface. I used it on the woodworking workbench I built at my last house, easily tough enough for a desk. In fact I look to my left and I have huge set of shelves Osmo'd and home made pew downstairs the surface still looks great after years of use.
 
It would probably be worth oiling if you bring food/drink with you, to your desk. It doesn't take much to accidentally knock a full glass over.

Always liked the idea of counter tops as a desk but the decently priced / commonly available ones are usually pretty shallow in comparison to a normal desk.
 
We have two Alex units with a kitchen worktop on top.

We oiled it at the beginning, and glad we did because it felt a bit scratchy when it first arrived. That has lasted ~6 years with no maintenance required.
 
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