Use granite countertop brackets when overhanging stone counters. Considering that granite, marble, and limestone can have overhangs weighing hundreds of pounds, and. I am leaning toward stainless steel for our new countertops. Drill Marching Manual. My second choice would be granite. I have used it for my window sills. Find Laminate Countertop Installers in Oceanside, CA to help you Install Laminate Countertops. All Oceanside contractors are prescreened. Step by Step instructions for reconfiguring your kitchen cabinets to install a dishwasher. Answers about cracks in granite countertop, cracked granite repair options, crack vs. Santa Cecilia. I showed you how I sealed my granite countertops recently. Surprisingly, many people commented asking about the care of the kitchen islands butcher block countertop. So, today while I was giving the island its routine rub down, I documented it all for you to see. Before we get started, please know that there are many different recommendations on the care of wood countertops. This is just how I take care of mine if youre curious. It works well for me. You should do whatever is most comfortable for you. Okay, so our kitchen island is topped with IKEAs NUMERR oak countertop. It is not sealed with polyurethane or any other permanent sealer. I simply used the method Im about to show you 2 3 times per week for the first month after installation to get a good moisturestain barrier in place. Since then, I just re oil the butcher block when needed. Which is usually every 1 3 months depending on its usage and the humidity in the house. Typically, I can go longer between oilings in the summer when the wood doesnt dry out as easily. Here are the only products I use A A clean, damp rag. B A fine sanding block. Fine as in not so coarse. Not as in NKOTB fine. You could easily substitute the block with fine sandpaper. C Mineral oil.  Home improvement stores sell versions specifically marketed towards wood countertops but I buy my mineral oil in the laxative aisle of the grocery store. Its a lot cheaper, works great and is safe. Plus, we eat directly off the countertop to keep our family regular, if you know what I mean. Just kidding. Not really. D Oiling rags. These are just old rags that Ive dedicated to the sole purpose of oiling the butcher block. I dont wash them for fear of messing up my washer they get very saturated but instead keep them in a plastic Ziploc bag under the sink just for this purpose. No, they dont stink. Mineral oil has no odor. To routinely oil the countertops I1 Wipe all dirt, dust, crumbs and stickiness from the butcher block with my damp rag. I let it air dry for a few minutes. Drizzle some mineral oil on the butcher block. I dont measure it but if I had to guess Id say I use about 13 cup. Rub oil into the countertop with my oiling rag, following the wood grain. Dont forget the vertical edges Let the oil penetrate and soak in for 2. I try to remind my kids that the island is greasy to keep them from getting into it, but they sometimes forget. No biggie.  The oil wont hurt them. If Im impatient, Ill wipe away excess oil with a dry cloth but I really like to let it sit for a day or two to really soak in. The wood drinks it up and loves it. Im always amazed by how revitalized it looks after each oiling. Like new With two little kids in the house, the wood countertop frequently gets stained. Ive had juice, markers, crayons and wet colored tissue paper stains so far but they are easily removed. Let me demonstrate. A la Billy Mays style. Minus the alleged cocaine use. Say I find a Sharpie mark. For demonstrative purposes, yes, I made a mark with a Sharpie onto the countertop. Thats how much I love you guys. I take my handy dandy, fine sanding block and sand away the mark. Im left with a slightly lighter area where the mark once was. Nothing my trusty mineral oil cant handle. Cue the APPLAUSE, CHEESY SMILING and DISBELIEF HEAD SHAKING cards. The once marked, now slightly lighter area will continue to fade away as time and more routine oiling go on. Sound like too much maintenance for you Then dont get butcher block countertops. Like the idea of saving money with inexpensive butcher block even if it means a little more elbow grease Then Ill see you in the laxative aisle. Happy weekend images  all Dana Miller for HouseTweaking.