Save my cracking butcher block, Please!

[RunBe4UFly]

I got a 15" round butcher block couple months ago and have enjoyed it very much. I just noticed yesterday morning there were small cracks in the seam showing in various location of the board, both sides. Man I was hurt. I haven't been using it for about a week, and didn't oil it for about 3 weeks. I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

Anyway, I oiled the board right away and it didn't seal the crack. I used the board last night and cleaned with hot water afterwards. And right after the cleaning, the crack seemed to seal themselves (because of the water I believe). However, this morning, all the cracks came back again. I know I have to keep the board dry to prevent cracking, but now since it's started cracking already, what can I do to save it? Please help!

[nibor]

RunBe4Ufly, I think you may be out of luck.

[Duck Fat]

nibor is correct, you are out of luck in terms of "healing" the cracks, but you can certainly slow or arrest their development by filling them with food grade beeswax, available in many good kitchen stores.

[Catherine Iino]

I'm not sure you should fill the cracks with beeswax or anything else. I'm not sure where you are, but if you are in a cold place with central heating, the cracks will probably close up again in the spring or summer, when the humidity rises. Then I would oil the hell out of the board.

[Octaveman]

Being round is a problem. I have a rectangle board and was able to fix a crack with gorilla glue and a pipe clamp I bought from Home Depot. That was over a year ago and it's still fine. Do some research on how to clamp a round board to glue it. Gotta figure the maker did it so just find out how and do it. Shouldn't be a big deal. David at The Boardsmith might be able to give you some advice. If not, try someone else or look around the internet.

http://theboardsmith.com/

[DerekW]

Being round is a problem.

Hey, I object to that... oh you meant the board

Round boards can be clamped in by a moderate amount using strap clamps a.k.a. web clamps. Serious pressure would mean assembling a jig, but that's not hard if you have some scrap and access to a woodshop [or know someone who does]. What is likely to put the end to repair, I fear, is the oil applied to the open crack - the internal faces of the joint will now be contaminated and gluing may not take . A liberal dousing with solvent, and a bit of mopping out, and the regluing might take, but I'd not offer good odds, [having built some butcher-type blocks...]

Blocks are assembled with the wood clean cut for good bond, then finished on the exterior.

[edited for spelling]

Edited February 27, 2008 by DerekW (log)

[andiesenji]

If you live near a high school (or a trade school) that offers wood shop as a class, you might contact the teacher and ask if he (or she) would offer the board fix as an assignment to a student.

I have had a couple of projects done at a local high school at minimal cost for supplies (although I added a donation for other materials) and the students were graded on the project. Satisfactory for me and them.

Work by professional woodworkers will cost more but there are people who do this as a hobby also and you can often find them via a local lumberyard or hardware store.

[RunBe4UFly]

Thank you all for the help. It really pains me to see the board go. I hope the board will 'seal' itself during spring and summer.

Yes, I do live in a cold place. I live in Cleveland and we just had 11" snow this morning. ...

[Octaveman]

Thank you all for the help. It really pains me to see the board go. I hope  the board will 'seal' itself during spring and summer.

What does that mean..."see the board go"? Throwing it the garage and hope for the best? Sending out for repair?

[Katie Meadow]

Lot of fix-it guys upthread! Since you have only had the board two months you could certainly make a good case for it being defective. Have you gone back to the store or contacted the manufacturer? If it's a quality board or a quality merchant odds are in your favor you can get a replacement or a credit. Might as well try before you get glue all over yourself or end up in tears--oh wait, that's me.

[tme4tls]

I got a 15" round butcher block couple months ago and have enjoyed it very much. I just noticed yesterday morning there were small cracks in the seam showing in various location of the board, both sides. Man I was hurt. I haven't been using it for about a week, and didn't oil it for about 3 weeks. I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

Anyway, I oiled the board right away and it didn't seal the crack. I used the board last night and cleaned with hot water afterwards. And right after the cleaning, the crack seemed to seal themselves (because of the water I believe). However, this morning, all the cracks came back again. I know I have to keep the board dry to prevent cracking, but now since it's started cracking already, what can I do to save it? Please help!

←

As a maker of butcher blocks and cutting boards, I would strongly suggest that you return it to the store from where you purchased it BEFORE you attempt any repairs. An attempted repair may very well void your warranty, if you had any.

I can only make a guess as to what has happened. The dry winter weather, with the lowered humidity, caused the cracking and I believe it will go away when the warmer weather finally shows up. That is why the cracks disappeared when you washed the wood. Those cracks should not have showed up on a new block.

Good luck with your block. I hope you can get this ironed out.

David Smith

The BoardSMITH

[Ted Fairhead]

As a woodworker, I have to agree with David Smith and Katie Meadow. There is very little chance that it can be fixed as the original work and/or choice of lumber and its grain was defective. See if you can claim on the warranty

[tme4tls]

I got a 15" round butcher block couple months ago and have enjoyed it very much. I just noticed yesterday morning there were small cracks in the seam showing in various location of the board, both sides. Man I was hurt. I haven't been using it for about a week, and didn't oil it for about 3 weeks. I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

Anyway, I oiled the board right away and it didn't seal the crack. I used the board last night and cleaned with hot water afterwards. And right after the cleaning, the crack seemed to seal themselves (because of the water I believe). However, this morning, all the cracks came back again. I know I have to keep the board dry to prevent cracking, but now since it's started cracking already, what can I do to save it? Please help!

←

As a maker of butcher blocks and cutting boards, I would strongly suggest that you return it to the store from where you purchased it BEFORE you attempt any repairs. An attempted repair may very well void your warranty, if you had any.

I can only make a guess as to what has happened. The dry winter weather, with the lowered humidity, caused the cracking and I believe it will go away when the warmer weather finally shows up. That is why the cracks disappeared when you washed the wood. Those cracks should not have showed up on a new block.

Good luck with your block. I hope you can get this ironed out.

David Smith

The BoardSMITH

←

I hesitate to add this but.....

The link you provided showed a round rubbertree wood block. Those are mostly made in the Orient. The glues that they use aren't of the same quality that are used over here so I suspect that washing has loosened the glue a bit which has caused a glue joint to start failing. Unless you are willing to wait until the joint fails completely, then try to reglue, I would again suggest a return trip to the store to see if it can be replaced.

[Octaveman]

Hi David, glad to see you posting. The link that I'm pretty sure you're referring to is the software that eGullet has to make arbitrary references to products on Amazon.com in an effort to raise funds for eGullet should the item be purchased. The link that the software comes up with is based on key words and is not usually referring to the actual item the poster is discussing. These links are easily distinguished with a pink color versus a member posted link usually in light blue.

Bob

[RunBe4UFly]

I was so happy about the purchase when I got the board and I was sure this board would last, therefore, I ditched the recipe right away...

I just used it again tonight, and the board 'sealed' itself again after I rinsed in hot water. Can I just apply another coat of oil now to keep the board 'sealed'?

[tme4tls]

Thanks Bob. I'm still learning how to post and some of the nuances are new to me. I'll get better.

Figured that if I'm getting support from the various forums, I might as well nose around on my own.

David

[A.J. Di Liberti]

Hello Run,

Are the blocks cracking? or the seams coming apart? Pictures would help.

If it’s the latter, repairs can be made with glue and clamps.

I’ve had cutting boards come apart at the seams in the past.

AJ