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.