Live edge countertops questions

[sumpnz]

We need to eventually replace our countertops.  Currently have corian and it's ok, but starting to have problems and generally looking dated.  I have a number of Western Big Leaf Maple logs I'll be chainsaw milling and SWMBO wants to use some for replacement countertops.  

What would you all recommend for thickness of the rough sawn slabs?  My initial thought was to mill them to 3" thick so that I can count on 2.25-2.5" final installed thickness.  What would you all want for a final thickness, and is 0.5-0.75" enough allowance for flattening and sanding the slabs?  They'll be air dried outside stacked with stickers of course, and I'll probably use ratchet straps to help hold them flat.  WBLM dries faster than, say, oak or walnut, or even hard maple.  A year should have them around if not under 20% moisture content.

The counters make two 45deg turns.  In between the turns the current counters are a straight edge on the outside but for the new ones she wants a curved edge.  Obviously this makes it not possible to maintain a live edge on that side.  Seems like it would look dumb to have a live edge except on the curved edge so I'm planning to trim the edge on the outside and only maintain the live edge on the inside (kitchen facing) edge.  

The logs aren't large enough make the counters from a single slab (42-43" minimum counter width, not sure in the curved section, probably around 48-54" max), so my intention is to book-match slabs.  Even for the max width section should easily be able to cover that with 2 slabs.  Logs vary from 22-34" diameter.  My chainsaw mill can do up to 32" width of cut (31" works better) so the largest logs I'll have to skim off at least 2-3" from one side, but that's ok because I'd be trimming at least one live edge per slab anyway just to make a book-match.

I do plan to use C-channels on the underside to help it resist cupping or warping over time and seasonal changes.  I'll also probably jerry-rig a kiln to finish the drying process so the wood will be as stable as possible.  And I'll aim for slabs as close to quarter sawn as possible, though interesting figure will take priority.

The logs have been sitting for 20-21 months by now, so I'm hoping for good spalting.  However that is obviously also the start of rotting, so any tips on how to stabilize/harden such huge pieces would be appreciated.  Not the kind of thing I can soak with Cactus Juice in a vacuum pot and then bake in a toaster oven to cure.  Might have to go with a penetrating 2-part epoxy, but would like to know about any worthwhile alternatives.

And any tips on a good finish are appreciated.  Hoping to avoid epoxy as the finish.  I don't have anything against filling voids, cracks, etc with epoxy (though I can't stand the gaudy colors so popular in "river" tables right now, a clear or black tint or anything that looks mostly natural is far better imho) but really would prefer a finish that allows the texture of the wood to be like wood, not plastic.  I'm leaning heavily towards a hard wax oil like Rubio Monocoat right now.

[metalspinner]

Commercial Butcher block counters and tabletops are 1 1/2" - 1 3/4" in thickness. More than that and the overall height of the counters may seem too tall. 

The Rubio finish is very good and I think a great choice for this application. 

[doc henderson]

you may be able to take a 1/4 inch bit of live edge if strait grained enough, and steam it to the radius, or do a foe live edge with a sander and or draw knife.  I agree with the penetrant epoxy.  even the table top can look good in thin coats sanded between and then finished with the hard wax oil, and a 3M pad on an orbital sander to create a satin finish.  not the 1/4 inch thick bar top coating of epoxy.



 

 

 

 

 

few pic of a punky spalted sycamore bar top.  you can get a dull finish.  finish not so thick with sanding between thin coats, and hard wax oil.  @tule peak timber 

[customsawyer]

As to the thickness question. The wider the slab the more thickness will be lost due to any warping or cupping. Under 30 inches wide I can normally saw at 9/4 and get a 2" finished slab. There will be about 5% that will have to go down to 1.75" to clean up. When I cut slabs over 30" wide I saw at 3" to get a 2"-2.25" finished slab. when cutting over 40" add another half inch or so to be lost to the planer.
The finish question is outside of my wheelhouse, however several of my customers are using flooring poly for a finish. I'm told it's easier to work with than the epoxies and it is designed to take a lot of abuse, like people walking on it, only they're not. I have bar tops in several of the local bars and it has stood up to what they put it through. I figure it will hold up in a home.

[doc henderson]

I bet a few have been walked/danced on! 8) 8) 8)

[boonesyard]

X2 on the Rubio. Very good finish for that application, but I would apply 2 coats.

[Texas Ranger]

 I have bar tops in several of the local bars and it has stood up to what they put it through. I figure it will hold up in a home.

Got to take care of your  support institutions.

[scsmith42]

My first choice for a countertop finish would be a catalyzed conversion varnish.  Today you can buy water based versions which are much easier to work with. If you opt for the older, oil based versions, be sure to wear a respirator.

Most commercial furniture built for restaurant use is finished with a conversion varnish.  It is about the most resistant to moisture and the chemicals used for cleaning countertops.  

For wide slabs, be sure to finish all sides of the slab with the same finish, and same number of coats. If you don't, you'll get cupping.

Rubio Monocoat is an easy to use finish, but nowhere near as durable or moisture resistant as a conversion varnish.  

Bookmatches are great!  Depending upon the number of defects (limb locations) in your logs, based upon your log widths I'd mill around 2.5" green with an expected finished thickness in the 1.5" - 1.75" range.

For soft areas in the wood where the spalting has been too aggressive, I've had good success with RTG Wood Rot Repair.  It's a low viscosity two part epoxy that will soak deeply into the wood.  It does not darken the wood as much as System 3 Rotfix.  If you want it even thinner,  you can add acetone or alcohol to it.  It does a fantastic job of hardening up soft wood.  It's also a good product to use to "paint on" to the exposed live edges to help harden them up.

Here is a recent top finished with conversion varnish.  The photo's do not begin to do it justice.



 




 

[metalspinner]

@scsmith42 

Did you spray that finish or brush it? Looks great!

[sumpnz]

Fantastic feedback guys!  I'll be saving this thread to look back over as I go through the process.

[scsmith42]

@scsmith42

Did you spray that finish or brush it? Looks great!

Done it both ways but I prefer spray.

[alan gage]

Do you have a way to joint and plane those wide pieces? You said you were "probably" going to rig up a quick and easy kiln. I think that will be an absolute necessity. You're going to need that moisture content at 8% or less. Even then i'd be leery about the miter joints staying tight as the wood moves.

I've thought about doing solid one piece counter tops a couple times but always chickened out because I only have a 12" jointer, an18" planer, and don't have access to a kiln.

Alan

[sumpnz]

Do you have a way to joint and plane those wide pieces?

Router sled.