Seems the price is often a factor of the wood and construction method. End grain and smaller peices mean more labor and more $$$. Exotic wood cost more $$$. Most is based on looks. You want to make sure what ever you get was constructed with straight lumber, glued with the right type of glue with good coverage, and clamped and allowed to dry adequately. However most of that you can't tell by looking at the product. My Ikea butcher block counter had one seam that didn't get adequate glue. Looked fine upon inspection, but after cutting part off, we discovered a section in the middle wasn't glued and started to open up. The Boos counter top has developed a crack in one of the boards on the underside (this is not a seam problem. I should take it off and glue and clamp before it gets worse. That one has only mineral oil applies. The end grain cutting boards I used as a temporarily island top ended up wanting to cup after time, and one opened up along one seam line. Those cost $36 a piece, and they were small. I have a nice cutting board that is face grain, and I've had it for years and years and a few of the joints are opening up at the edges, but overall I think it's given me the best value. I know I didn't pay much for it as I was poor at the time. The one I liked the best was the pine one my DH made for temporay use for the round island. That held up very well, but he cut the boards and made sure they were well glued and clamped. I would think that getting one that was made for you where a person hand selected the wood for grain/trueness and then made sure there was good glue in all joints would be your best bet. Have no idea what that would cost, but anything that goes through an automated process is subject to more problems. I once ordered something where the sample was clear and looked really good. When I got the items, one had a big knot in a very conspicuous location. Supplier said they never claimed to hand select the lumber and knots could be expected. It was coincidental the sample they chose to display was one with no knots at all.

Great news... I think I found homosote in the Montreal area. It is about 45 min. From me and I would have to buy a sheet at 30.00 but it would be 48 by 96 so I could use the balance for other projects. Now before I commit to this, if I cut out my piece by 48 by 36 inches, and just lay my linen fabric on top, can I then staple the fabric into the back of the homosote or do I need to add a backing. Thanks

LL --> when I was designing our kitchen, I did trial prep and baking to see the space I would need. I found that cooking prep on the whole needed less space as the process was sequential and the tools and the ingredients are not out for the entire duration. Having a water source in a prep sink actually reduced the amount of space. The rinsed veggies can drain right over the sink instead of in a colander on the counter. Baking on other hand needed multiple ingredients out for a longer time and more specialist tools were needed. Shifters, bowl for dry ingredients, wet ingredients, parchment paper, brushes, spatulas, measuring cups, bowls of stuff. The work area for kneading and rolling was also more. I could not spare two large prep areas and figured that I am unlikely to cook and bake at the same time. At least not larger more complicated recipes. So 36in for baking area and 40+for the prep.

thx for more replies. I have a plastic 'board' too. I do often still use a paper plate on it to catch the juice of a tomato or if the 'board' is dirty. I have been thinking about those cheap 'sheets' too. Since I so seldom cut raw meat (would use a paper plate), that wouldn't be a problem for me either. At the price I also would be ok with replacing them down the road a bit. It would give me something to use when regular board isn't clean. I do have a dw but seldom run it. I usually need it before the dw has enough in it to run - like most days. That's why I also usually just do some dishes by hand.