The original butcher block design developed in workshops in Europe and the United States in the late 19th century was simple and designed for function over style. These blocks consisted of a simple cube of maple hardwood mounted on legs for easy use by the butchers who relied on them as a sanitary surface for preparing meats for sale.

Times and tastes have changed radically since the early days of butcher block craftsmanship, but standing styles made from maple continue to be highly prized. The use of maple standing butcher blocks has expanded from the butcher shop to the home kitchen, where home chefs have found a variety of new uses for the durable surfaces offered by the blocks.

As demand for maple butcher block tables increases year after year, manufacturers continue to introduce new styles to suit the needs of home chefs everywhere. Our Buyers' Guide to Hard Rock Maple Butcher Blocks will help you navigate the countless options available in today's lineup of standing blocks crafted from durable maple wood.

We developed this guide based on our experience with answering the questions of shoppers just like you. Reading through the guide will give you a thorough overview of all of the considerations that go into selecting the perfect butcher block for your home. Bookmark the page and return as often as you need to while you search for that ideal maple standing butcher block.

What is hard rock maple anyway?

Hard rock maple is a type of hardwood harvested from the Acer glabrum or rock maple tree. This tree is abundant throughout North America, growing in a range from Alaska and western Canada south into Arizona and New Mexico. The Acer glabrum is found as far west as California and as far as east Nebraska.

Why is hard rock maple so popular for standing butcher blocks?

Part of the appeal of hard rock maple for standing butcher blocks is its natural beauty. The hardwood has a neutral, light brown color that suits a variety of decors. Hard rock maple's coloring is actually what most people envision when they picture "natural" wood, attesting to its popularity from an aesthetic standpoint.

Hard rock maple wood isn't just beautiful to look at, however. The wood is incredibly hard; in fact, so hard that it requires special tools to be cut and shaped. Of all the hardwoods commonly used for butcher blocks, hard rock maple rates the highest on the Janka scale, a standardized system for measuring the strength of wood. The durability of hard rock maple allows it to withstand not only knife blades, but also the weight of heavy counter top appliances. Its strength also makes it resistant to denting if you accidentally drop a heavy object onto its surface.

What are the differences between the blocks found on standing butcher blocks in maple?

As you begin to shop for hard rock maple butcher blocks, you'll quickly see that there are a variety of tops available on today's models. While the vast selection may seem overwhelming at first, in truth, the butcher block components of standing models really vary in just two categories: grain and finish.

Grain

The term grain is often confusing for shoppers as the word is also applied to the unique pattern of markings that is found naturally in hardwoods like hard rock maple. When discussing butcher blocks, grain actually refers not to these markings, but to the actual construction of the butcher block.

Rather than being solid pieces of wood, all hard rock maple butcher blocks are made from rails or individual strips or planks of maple wood. Manufacturers can arrange these rails in different configurations, each of which gives a butcher block a different grain. Three types of grains exist in today's standing butcher blocks.

The edge grain is an extremely popular choice because it combines durability with the attractive appearance of regular, uniform color across its surface. When producing edge grain butcher blocks, manufacturers take the maple rails and cut them to the exact length of the butcher block. Then the rails are arranged one above the other to the exact width specifications. This method of construction involves the fewest number of rails, resulting in the least variation in color over the surface of the block. You can recognize an edge grain butcher block by the horizontal lines apparent on its surface, which are formed where the rails meet.

The end grain is touted by professional chefs as being the gentlest on knife blades and the preferred surface for preserving the life of cutlery. The grain's design also makes it incredibly strong. In end grain blocks, the long rails are turned vertically and cut to the desired thickness of the butcher block. Then, the trimmed ends are placed in rows beside one another to create the desired length and width of the block. The end grain design uses the greatest number of rails and has the largest amount of color variation on its surface. When you examine an end grain butcher block, you'll notice a distinct checkerboard pattern on its surface.

The blended grain butcher block is similar in durability to edge grain styles, but is made with a different method of construction. In blended grain blocks, the rails are not the full length of the butcher block. Instead, shorter rails are laid end to end to achieve the desired length. Like edge grain blocks, blended grain styles then use rows of rails to produce the width. Blended grain butcher blocks use fewer rails than end grain models, but more than edge grains, and its color variations are resultantly somewhere between the two other styles of construction. Seams are visible on blended grain butcher blocks not just at the horizontal joints, but also at the vertical ones.

Finish

In a living tree, the wood that comprises the trunk receives continuous moisture and nourishment through specialized tissues. Once a tree is timbered, the wood no longer has the benefit of a built-in system to keep its surface supple and strong. To prevent splitting and cracking, maple wood requires a coating to seal in moisture or continuously hydrate the wood fibers the way the living tissue does before the tree is harvested. The name of this coating is the finish of the wood.

The finish of your hard rock maple standing butcher block is every bit as important as its grain. The selection that you make will dictate how much maintenance your block requires and the tasks for which you can use it. Two types of finishes are available: natural oil and Varnique.

The natural oil finish provides a dose of conditioning moisturizers to the wood that is absorbed through its surface to reach the lower fibers in the block. Eventually, the finish becomes completely absorbed, which means that natural oil blocks require oiling or waxing around every four weeks to keep the finish in tact. In exchange for this regular upkeep, the natural oil finish allows you to use knives directly on the surface of the wood without a cutting board to protect the block. The finish is also able to repaired by you if scratching occurs on the butcher block top.

The Varnique finish is a semi-gloss coating applied in the factory that seals the wood and prevents dehydration. The finish is permanent and never needs oiling or waxing; however, this means that any repairs for scratches must be done by a professional who can reapply the Varnique finish. The other drawback of the finish is that it cannot be used as a cutting surface. Every time you perform knife work, you'll need to place a cutting board onto the butcher block. You can perform all other food preparation tasks on the finish, as it is completely food safe.

What styles are available for standing maple butcher blocks?

Once you have determined the appropriate grain and finish for your hard rock maple standing butcher block, you are ready to choose your favorite style. Among the options you'll find from today's manufacturers are:

• Standard blocksresemble the very first butcher block designs and consist of a butcher block mounted on four legs. These styles are extremely durable, but do not offer any storage options or other features.



• One shelf blocks add an open shelf to the base of the butcher block and can store pots, pans, small kitchen appliances and other tools and equipment. Some styles also feature towel racks, which can provide extra storage space with the addition of utensil hooks.



• Drawer blocks have built-in drawers or sliding wicker baskets under the block top to store smaller utensils, such as your knives. Most also have open shelves.



• Pot rack blocks feature a metal frame designed for storing pots and pans to keep them within easy reach while you work. These styles typically feature other storage options as well.



• Butcher block tables have elongated rectangular work surfaces rather than the standard square. Most tables have additional storage space, and many can double as seating areas.



• Butcher block carts are mounted on casters, so that you can transport them throughout your kitchen or store them in an out-of-the-way space. Most cart styles have a variety of convenient storage options.