This was a project that I wasn’t sure I was going to end up doing myself. Originally, I wanted to simply buy a butcher block countertop, or even a granite countertop that was pre-cut to my needs. However, pre-made butcher block countertops are expensive. Granite is expensive, heavy, hard to work with, and inflexible, which are problems for a bus. So, I researched everything from making my own butcher block top, to re-purposing kitchen tables, to hiring a fine woodworker to just do it for me and get it off my plate.

Ultimately, I settled on the idea of a wood slab countertop. I had built my own walnut slab desk prior to starting the bus project, so the concept was familiar, at least. I’m not going to pretend that the desk had come out perfect. I’d describe it as “passable.” This next go-around would be better. The original plan was a Walnut counter covered in bartop expoxy, but that was crazy expensive. Also, I couldn’t find any slabs that were nearly the size I needed, unless I wanted to pay significantly more than it would cost to buy a custom butcher block.

I searched for weeks until providence smiled upon me and I discovered that Second Use Salvaged Building Materials had some massive slabs in their warehouse that matched the dimensions that I needed. I grabbed a measuring tape and ran down there. What I found was an enormous raw slab of Doug Fir that had some mold growing on it and the bark still on. It cost a fraction of the price of what a nice Walnut slab would be. I stared at it for a solid hour, measuring and re-measuring and considering the possibilities.

The slab came with a slew of problems. It was too big for me to move on my own, and especially too big to fit in my vehicle. It had a concave curve to it that I did not know how to deal with. I had never worked with Fir before, so I didn’t know if it was even feasible to use it as a countertop. If I did go through with it, my cuts would have to be extra precise, because I would only get one shot at it. If I managed to cut it to the right size, I had no idea how to finish it for my purposes.

I put the slab on hold with Second Use and did some research. I found that fir can be used as a countertop and that, when finished properly, it can look stunning! I contacted a local wood shop and asked them if they could plane the slab for me. They said it was too wide for them to do it with their power planer, but that I could come in and use their tools to plane it with a router and sled. I had seen videos of people doing that, and I knew it was no easy feat. Also, to do it at the shop, it would cost an estimated $400 for time and materials, not counting the training they required to use their equipment. I almost gave up on the slab then and there. But, after mulling over the math, and coming up empty on alternatives, I came to the conclusion that nice things are worth working for. I passed on the $400 shop assist and opted instead to buy a $300 router and rent a trailer for $65. Sure it was expensive, but at least I can keep my tools when I’m done!

I had some friends volunteer to help me move the slab, gave my money to Second Use, and set a pickup date.

On pickup day, I met my friends at the warehouse with a 12 foot rental trailer attached to my Subaru Outback. I showed my friends what I was picking up and they immediately started having second thoughts. The slab was 12 feet, 6 inches long, and nearly 3 inches thick. My friends started offering helpful alternatives until I put my foot down and insisted that this was happening. The shop was kind enough to call down some burly dudes to load the slab into my trailer for us. From there, I drove it the 1/2 mile home and put on my gloves.

My friends helped me heave and maneuver this log from the trailer, to the back yard, down into my basement, and onto my ping-pong table. I thanked them, tossed them some cash, and contemplated next steps.

The slab was HUGE. It barely fit in the basement and was much longer than the ping pong table. I was in over my head, but that is a great place to learn. I did my research on how to make a decent sled jig for planing, and that is where my video begins:

This project was huge. It took a ton of energy and patience to get it right. The countertop ended up becoming the centerpiece of the bus project and inspired me to make take some more risks in the future. I believe that somewhere along the way in this portion of the build, I fell in love with woodworking. Because the countertop came out so beautifully, I decided to make an effort to do more things the hard way.