Pro tip: I swapped my laminate countertops for butcher block and saved $800

Last spring I had to pick between laminate and butcher block for my kitchen reno in Lethbridge. Laminate was cheaper at first glance, but the install and seam work added up fast. I went with maple butcher block from the local lumber yard for $1,200 total, including the oil and finish. It took me a weekend to cut and seal it myself, which felt way easier than paying a counter guy $2,000. Six months in, it's held up great through spills and hot pots, no warping yet. Anyone else tried wood counters in Alberta's dry climate?

2 comments

2 Comments

cameron_webb1mo ago

Did I mess up by picking laminate?

phoenix_adams601mo ago

My basement held up fine with laminate through three Midwest winters and two pretty bad flooding incidents. I went with a thick rigid core stuff from Lumber Liquidators about 5 years back, around $3.50 a square foot. It survived a washing machine overflow that sat for a few hours before I noticed, just needed a quick mop and the edges didn't even swell. I've seen friends with cheap thin laminate from the big box stores have issues with peeling and buckling in high traffic areas, so a lot depends on what you actually bought and how you installed it.