Step 4: Assemble the template

finish the template and mark it with the clearly with all the information the factory will need to manufacture your butcher-block countertop
Photo: Kolin Smith
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Tape more strips of cardboard along any seams between cabinets to show where they fall. Mark which face is the top of the template and indicate front, back, and sides. Also note on the template which edges should be shaped in a profile and which will be straight cuts.

Once all the pieces are taped in place, mark all the joints between strips with reference lines that run across the seam of the adjoining pieces. Using a hot glue gun, carefully secure each intersection, making sure to realign the reference marks.

When the glue is dry, untape the template, then carefully fold it up and send it to the manufacturer with your butcher-block order.

TOH Tip: Mark centerlines on the width and length of any sink or range cutouts, and writes their factory measurements directly on the template. Also send along manufacturers' product spec sheets (available online).
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    Tools List

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    • combination square
      Combination square
    • utility knife
      Utility knife
    • pencil compass
      Compass or scribe
    • hot glue gun
      Hot glue gun
    • hand saw
      Handsaw
    • drill
      Drill/driver fitted with 1/8-inch drill bit and ½-inch paddle bit Caulk gun

    Shopping List

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    1. Butcher Block Must be ordered in advance; plan six weeks for delivery

    2. Cardboard to make a template for ordering the butcher block. An old packing box will do, as will poster board—as long as it's stiff enough to hold up to scribing but flexible enough to be folded for mailing.

    3. Painter's tape

    4. Scrap wood to use

    as blocking on open-topped cabinets or as furring strips on solid-topped cabinets. Blocking should be 3/4-inch plywood or 1x material, but ¼-inch plywood will suffice for furring strips. 5. Kitchen and Bath Sealant for gluing the butcher block to the cabinets. Look for a 100 percent silicone product

    6. 1-Inch Fender Washers

    7. 1½-Inch Deck Screws to attach the blocking and the butcher block to the cabinets

    8. Mineral Oil or any other FDA-approved oil for food-prep surfaces. Walnut oil is a good organic alternative to petroleum-based mineral oil because it won't go rancid like other food-based oils.