Joining wood to make it longer for counter top

[Sean Hagerty]

I am making a butcher block counter top (Edge grain) and need the counter to be longer than the lumber I have. What is a good way to join the lumber to make longer pieces? I don't think butting them up end to end will give me a tight seam.

Example. I have 8 foot long lumber but want the counter to be 10 feet.

[Jim Becker]

You will still be "butting" individual pieces, but you should vary/randomize the points where they join across the width. Built that into the design visually so it doesn't look like it was two slabs joined together. You'll probably want to use a glue that has a very long open time so you can get things together, aligned and clamped...and all flat.

[Bill Dufour]

I would add a biscuit at each join to align them, while the glue dries. Be careful of biscuit placement on the edge board so it does not show. How wide is your jointer and planer?
Bil lD

[Sean Hagerty]

Bill,

I made a router planing sled so I'm not worried about using the planer. I have built countertops before, but I always had lumber that was long enough. Just not sure how to join it to make it longer.

[Sean Hagerty]

Jim,

So just using a straight flat butt joint will work? I am using TB3, which has always allowed me to work pieces to get them aligned how I wanted.

[Al Launier]

Could you incorporate a center section with a "built-in design" of oriented wood, such as a cutting board with different wood blocks for contrast, in the table that would then allow you to use the lumber that you have?

[Prashun Patel]

I made a counter this way, "bowling alley" style.
To keep the butt joints together, I half-lapped them and pinned them - but just for the look.

When I have made workbenches with similar laminations, I have NOT added reinforcement to the butt joints, and they haven't opened up.

The theory is that the neighbors keep each other honest by virtue of their large glue area. I have found this to be true. However, if I were to make another show counter this way, I would still belt and suspenders it with dominos or something. Just me.

[Pat Barry]

Just butt join them but do them at random / staggered locations. Make sure to clamp both crosswise to make the lamiantion and end to end to close up those butt joints.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

I built a 10' table for my big green egg awhile back and had to make the top out of 2 pieces. I used zip bolts from lee valley to join them together and it works perfectly. You still see a seam on it but the bolts pull the seams close and you can't feel it when running your hand over it. I also used dowels to help with alignment. http://www.leevalley.com/us/Hardware/page.aspx?p=71046&cat=3,43586,43588&ap=1

[Bill Dufour]

You can buy longer pipe for your pipe clamps, use couplings, or you can simply hook them together to get the length you need to clamp the butt joints together.
B ill

[andy bessette]

The best method is a scarph joint.

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[Malcolm McLeod]

Just butt join them but do them at random / staggered locations. Make sure to clamp both crosswise to make the lamiantion and end to end to close up those butt joints.

Did exactly the same on 6' x 7' island top and have had zero butt joint issues.

[John Lankers]

Have you considered scarf joints?

Shoot, I'm a slow typer

[Rich Engelhardt]

So just using a straight flat butt joint will work?It's a counter top - - the bottom is unseen right?

Put a plate across the glued joint on the back side & it will take an act of God to separate the joint.

[mreza Salav]

butt joint and drive a couple of toed screws to tighten the joints.
In fact I think you'd have a more stable (flat) slab if the pieces are shorter, than longer. It will take away the stress in long grains.

[Sean Hagerty]

I like the scarph joint idea. I also like the idea of using shorter pieces. I will look into both of these.

Sean

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Off hand, I like a scarf joint because of the glue surface. I would practice that if I could ahead of time. If that did not work well, then I would pop over to Lowes and purchase a counter top Miter Bolt Kit. I would use a router to create the channel if it is not already present. I have only used this for 45 degree joints and it worked well. I would also then glue a board across the joint (bottom) to lend extra support.

Let us know what you choose to do and how it works out.

[Bob Vaughan]

When I was faced with this problem for a handrail, I got a finger joint router bit and used it in my shaper. Glued the boards end to end and let dry then ran that through the planer to get good flat surfaces on either side. Worked great.

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[jack duren]

Scarf joint???


Not for this application.....

[jack duren]

I like the scarph joint idea. I also like the idea of using shorter pieces. I will look into both of these.

Sean

Do you have a planer?

[Mel Fulks]

In similar situation I've used pinch dogs on the sides for a good butt joint , then handled the material carefully during unit glue up. You have a number of choices!

[Jim Becker]

Jim,

So just using a straight flat butt joint will work? I am using TB3, which has always allowed me to work pieces to get them aligned how I wanted.

While the end-to-end connection is a "butt joint", remember that each board has other boards surrounding it in a sandwich, other than the two outside boards. (I'd honestly try to source a longer board to make those two outside ones from to eliminate the joint for those) For the field, you're "checker boarding" the components. Someone mentioned biscuits and while they are not "needed" you may find using a small biscuit to insure vertical alignment of those "butt joints" convenient.

[Chris Fournier]

A scarf joint would be perfect for this application. I have made dedicated TS carriages to cut them in the past. 20 degrees is my favourite. Then I make a a glue up fixture to glue the joint. Do all of this oversized and machine back to your dimensions for the glue up. Done well the joints can be almost invisible. This joint is perfect for your application and requires no special tooling.

[Sean Hagerty]

Do you have a planer?

I do have a planer. I also like the finger joint idea, although simplicity (Scarf joint) usually works best for me.

[andy bessette]

The scarph joint is vastly superior to a finger joint.

[Wayne Lomman]

Simple butt joints at random location work fine. I agree with Jim that it would be good to have the two outside pieces full length if at all possible. There is rarely any need to clamp end to end. You will find that when you have light pressure on the clamps you can tap the ends to tighten the butt joint and it will stay in place. Friction holds them.

All methods of jointing still show discontinuity so I stay with a butt joint as it is, quick, easy to align and won't force side joints apart if misaligned. Special hardware and/or machining are fun but not necessary. Cheers

[Bob Michaels]

I would follow Jim Becker's response of simply staggering the joints. My preference would be to use longer members and arrange the joints in a random, but sensible, pattern. Use several culls perpendicular to the length (with wax paper under the culls) to keep the top aligned and plan on sanding the top after glue up. I suspect that I would also size the end grain with watered down TB III, let it dry and use straight TB III on the end grain butt joints. Aesthetically one piece outside members would be a preference, as Jim also mentioned.

[Jim Morgan]

The scarph joint is vastly superior to a finger joint.

Please explain. A finger joint has more glue surface than a scarf joint and is self-registering. A scarf joint is (possibly) easier to cut, but what else makes it superior?

[andy bessette]

A finger joint simply transfers all the stress in one small area. It's OK for use on very cheap furniture such as that sold at bargain prices in unfinished condition. A proper scarph joint spreads the load over much more length and is the choice of boat builders and spar makers because of its superiority. An added benefit is that the scarph joint can be nearly undetectable.

[Jim Morgan]

In the application the OP was talking about (a countertop), there would be no appreciable stress on the joint after assembly; depending on how a finger joint is oriented, it, too, can be virtually invisible.

[Harold Balzonia]

If you want to highlight the extensions, I might use a mortise/tenon as opposed to a straight butt joint. Still sandwich the boards together in a staggered pattern, but the joints will catch the eye more. If you really want to make it noticeable, make a mortise in each end and use a contrasting wood to create a tenon that fits in both ends of the butt joint. You'll end up with rectangles randomly placed throughout. Some people might dig that look.

[Sean Hagerty]

I cant thank everyone enough for the input here. You have all given me plenty of info on how to do this. I will try to remember to post pics whenever this gets put together.

Thanks again

Sean

[Mark Wooden]

+1 on Staggered butt joints as the best application in this instance. Glue up your lengths 1st with a temporary cleat on the underside to hold it together while you glue up the top if you're uncomfortable with a lot of joints during a glue up.
You should do a complete fit up and clamp up dry 1st though, mark it all with pencil lines, numbers, letters- what ever your favorite marking system is. Then just start gluing and placing the pieces where they need to be- a dead blow mallet is worth it's weight in gold here- clamp, let dry, scrape the glue, cut the ends, sand & finish. Easy peasy

[Sean Hagerty]

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Here is one I did recently. Smallish, only 5' by 2'. I really enjoyed the process and since it was short enough, I had lumber that was full length.

[Wayne Lomman]

Looks good Sean. What timber is it? Cheers

[Sean Hagerty]

Looks good Sean. What timber is it? Cheers

Walnut. I love the way it looks.