Replies

1. 
   calvin | May 24, 2010 09:22pm | #1

   What kind are they?

   The stock 1-1/2 thick x 25 BB tops made up for counters?

   How bad are they?  finish worn off, stained?

   Can they be taken off, sinks removed, etc?

   You have any pictures of what you've got to work with?

2. 
   DanH | May 24, 2010 11:30pm | #2

   Just be careful that you don't sand all the way through the veneer.

1. 
   Clewless1 | May 25, 2010 08:18am | #4

   What veneer?! I've done a couple BB ... both solid wood all the way through. That's what BB is, isn't it? Otherwise it's not BB.

1. 
   DanH | May 25, 2010 08:31am | #6

   It's just real thick veneer.

1. 
   Snort | May 25, 2010 04:59pm | #8

   It's just real thick veneer.

   ?

1. 
   DanH | May 25, 2010 05:46pm | #9

   Sometimes Clewless lives up to his handle.

2. 
   calvin | May 25, 2010 06:56pm | #10

   You've got me befuddled.

   Dan, BB countertops are 1-1/2 " thick.  Solid.  Edge or face grain.

3. 
   Clewless1 | May 25, 2010 09:14pm | #11

   And sometimes you live up to my homonym. :)

   As my mom said frequently ... I may be dumb but I ain't stupid.

4. 
   Snort | May 26, 2010 03:16pm | #13

   Go back to your cage now, Dan.

   .

3. 
   Snort | May 25, 2010 07:42am | #3

   Depends what's on them.

   I've never seen a butcher block with a veneer, but I suppose there could be some out there.

   If it's a poly finish, it's tougher. Pull the sink(s), protect the splash if it's tile. Poly stripper, card scraper, angled scraper, Fein sander... whatever it takes it takes to get it back to bare wood. Obviously, if you can pull the counters, it makes it a lot easier.

   I don't really care for poly on counters, way to hard to touch up. I recommend Waterlox. 5-10 coats, the more the better. Nice natural look, and very easy to fix. Just fair the offensive ding, wipe on some oil. It's cuts into the undercoats for a nice blend.

   Good luck.

4. 
   Clewless1 | May 25, 2010 08:20am | #5

   If you are talking solid wood BB and refinishing is getting rid of knife marks and surface discolorations, I'd use a belt sander and then a finish sander maybe ... that's what I did. Then finish it w/ food safe oil. I had to look for the oil ... can't remember the brand ... one of those 'old' brands from way back (Jansens?).

1. 
   DanH | May 25, 2010 08:33am | #7

   Yeah, either the counter is finished with oil or with some sort of varnish.  One needs to figure out which.

   And if it's just some spots then it may be possible to get away with a partial refinish, rather than doing the whole thing, especially with an oil finish.

2. 
   barmil | May 25, 2010 10:55pm | #12

   Belt Sander?

   I guess that a belt sander might be good if you wish to make a pinewood derby course on your BB counter, but an orbital sander provides for more finesse. You that good with the belt sander?

1. 
   Clewless1 | May 26, 2010 08:59pm | #14

   You're probably right about the choice of tools. I don't own an orbital, so I've just made do w/ the belt sander. Just keep it moving a lot. With a BB, we aren't fine finishing like other furniture projects, so IMO it's not that big of a deal. It gets a lot of abuse, so minor flaws won't show or won't matter.