Farmhouse Countertops

Farmhouse style is all the rage. Do it yourself farmhouse style countertops are a simple and inexpensive way to achieve that rustic look. Follow this Instructable to create your perfect budget friendly kitchen.

1/2 Inch Plywood Sheets

L brackets

1x6 and/or 1x8 Poplar Planks

1 1/2 Inch Poplar Trim

Wood Shims

1 1/2 Inch Wood Screws

Fine and Extra Fine Grit Sandpaper

Wood Filler

Stain

Paint Thinner

Foam Brush

Waterlox Sealer

Tack Cloth

*I completed this project myself with a little help from my son. I started out with an older kitchen so the first step for me was to remove the original cabinets and counters. I replaced the cabinets with prefabricated cabinets from my local big box store. 

The first step in this process is to make sure that the base cabinets themselves are level. It is very important to start building your counters on a level base. You may need to shim (<see video link) the base of the cabinets if this is a new installation. If not, proceed to the next step and shim the plywood base.  

The next step is to install the plywood base which will hold your actual countertop planks in place. It is best to use 1/2-inch plywood for this project. You want to cut the plywood down to the exact dimensions of the cabinets. (Your hardware store can do this for you.) You do not want any overhang. The edge of the plywood should be flush with the face of the cabinet. (See the red arrow.)

Secure plywood to the cabinet with L brackets from the underside of the cabinets. This allows for the entire counter to be removed in the future without damaging the cabinets.  

Once the plywood is firmly in place you can begin laying out the countertop planks for placement. You want to map this out well before installation. Again, the hardware store can cut the boards to length for you. Poplar boards are a desirable choice and what I chose for my project. Poplar is a harder soft wood than pine and has less of a yellow tint. It will also show less dents and nicks over time than pine. Poplar will still show some wear and tear, but this adds to the farmhouse character. For my project I used all 1x6 boards. For a more varied look you could use a mix of 1x6 and 1x8 boards.  

Once you have the layout down you can begin to put the boards in place. (This will require two people.) Working with one board at a time, one person will hold the board firmly in place as the other person screws the plywood to the poplar planks from underneath the plywood. This should be done with 1 1/2-inch screws so that the screws grip the poplar planks but do not come through the top.  

Once all the boards are firmly in place 1 1/2-inch poplar trim should be nailed with finishing nails to the face of the counter boards and plywood.  

If your countertop will have a sink, now is the time to map out and cut the sink hole.  

Once all countertop boards and trim are in place holes, knots, groves and gaps between boards should be filled with wood filler. 

Once dry, sand with a fine grit sandpaper. Repeat wood filler and sanding until desired smoothness is achieved. Wipe sanding dust away with tack cloth.

For a rougher, more rustic look, you can sand less and add dents and dings with a hammer and random objects such as screw threads. 

These countertops will last as well as any other wood counters. Butcher block oil can be applied in the future to revive sheen.