Which way will look better on a butcher block top?

[Frederick Skelly]

I'm making a butcher block work table for my kitchen. It will be 30" long, 20" deep and 36" high. I just built a mockup out of dimensioned lumber, so I can use it for a couple weeks to confirm I like the size and height. I thought it would be tipsy at that height, but so far it's not issue. We'll see.

Assuming I keep to that size, I'd like to build a 20 x 30" end grain butcher block top, that's 3 or 4" thick. I have 2 ideas I'm thinking of prototyping in pine.
* Idea 1. Make the top 3" thick, and the individual "squares" 3/4" x 1 1/2". I don't know if that's going to look too busy.
* Idea 2. Make the top 4" thick and the individual squares 1 1/2" x 3" or even 6". That will give it a massive look.

All of this is personal preference, of course. But I was hoping to get a look at this from outside my own head. I'm leaning toward Idea #1. What do you folks think?

Thank you!
Fred

[Wayne Lomman]

Idea #1 is good. I'm not a fan ofbig sections. Cheers

[Andy Giddings]

+1 on Wayne's comments - you don't really need 3 inch thick as most cutting boards/laminated boards are 1.5 to 2 thick. The real butchers counters are more like 10" thick and take a real hammering from large cleavers. Unless you're going to butcher a medium size animal on your countertop, thinner will work :-)

[Frederick Skelly]

Wayne, Andy - thank you! I made a small section of Idea #1 last night and I like it!
Thanks again,
Fred