I bought a very inexpensive butcher block piece at the Home Center store because I knew I was going to change out my countertops in a couple of years and I wanted something to get me by for my new island (3 x 4). Well, I changed the counters but kept the butcher block island top because it has held up very well and the cost of putting quartz on it was too much. It was less than $150. However, while I have a nice kitchen, I would not call it "high end". Pictures are in my "my pics" idea book.

Ikea has butcher block and they are usually pretty reasonably priced.

Here is an article by This Old House. Mine is made from one of the less expensive woods.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/all-about-wood-countertops

Where I got mine:

https://www.menards.com/main/search.html?search=butcher+block&sf_categoryHierarchy=Kitchen_7200

craft-art.com or John Boos

I've ordered from here a couple times: http://davescustomservices.com/store/

Maple or oak $220, walnut $325; plus shipping from Iowa

They do custom sizes & have other woods available too.

I second wriersblock's recommendation. I currently have craft-art and previously have had boos. Both excellent quality. Checkout their websites to see if they fill your specific needs. Lots of choices.

It's impossible to say if $1,500.00 is high without knowing the specifications. Is this an island, or a U-shaped top with 2 seams and sink cut-out?

How much is too expensive? Buying cheap and buying it again n two years is more expensive in the long run. A lot of the cheap BB is veneered and for every two people it worked for there is a good percentage it did not work for. As Joseph stated how do you know $1500 is high?

Ikea. I had the Boos block in a previous home, and it was fine, but too hard and loud when you put an object on the counter. The IKEA stuff is made of beech, although I think the current ones are oak or birch, so altogether a lot softer. There's an oil you slather on these things to repel water, it does pretty well.

Mind you, I'm not the type who has to have a perfectly pristine kitchen-- mine is like a workshop or art studio for food. So the butcher block has some scratches, abrasions, knife cuts, and stains. I could care less, and at this price, it doesn't matter. Very relaxing.

John Boos - I got a 27" deep piece of blended maple, 5 feet long and I think it cost about $200. We have ikea cabinets installed against the wall and its insane how much larger it feels than a 25" top.

The countertop rule of thumb is the counter should overhang all sides of the cabinet. You should add a minimum of 3" to the depth and 3" to the width. If you're adding wainscot or some other form of panels on the back and sides, those would add a little bit more. 27" would be about as small as I would go in depth - but you could also choose to go wider. I've seen some pretty cute tops that overhang more and have a bowl cut out for scraping cut veg into a bowl. Just watch out that you can reach the entire inside of your drawers with the overhang that you've chosen.

For length, you'd need the length to be 4 feet and you'd cut it to the exact size. Sand the cut edge to match the manufactured edge. Again, you can go a little longer. For instance have an overhang of 4 inches on both sides and mount hanging rails. For knife use, get one finished in mystery oil or completely unfinished.

The OP said "for my new island about 2x3 feet". That can't be right, for an island? And for $1500? Please let us know the size of the island counter.

friedajune, it is merely a cabinet on wheels and the dimension, to be exact is 38inches by 28 inches, No sink cut out, nothing fancy. In looking at things more closely, I think the designer had 3 inch thick, end grain in walnut. An impressive piece but just too much to spend for me. Thank you for your suggestions!

Many of ikea's butcherblock counters are now veneer. Oak, beech, walnut and birch veneer. They do still have some solid wood, oak iirc.

The one I purchased from menards is solid. I had a carpenter trim it to size and made three cutting boards out of the scraps. It is simply a less expensive wood. I may replace it someday with a lovely walnut - but not in this years budget.

Look at Floor and Decor. They have several types of wood slabs. I spent under 700 for 2 8 ft walnut. Also Lumber Liquidators has wood slabs.

Just saw solid wood butcher block counters (discontinued) at 70.00/8 feet long.

End grain tops are the most expensive. They're supposed to be the best too, but I've never bought one. End grain is typically ordered thicker, but ask for the price of a 2" thick one. It will be thicker than a stone or solid surface counter as those tend to be 1.25" thick. Nobody will look at it and think it's not high enough.

Most Boos are edge grain, but they do make end grain. They can be ordered in wider widths. Their normal quality for edge grain is solid wood and using very long pieces with fairly uniform color.

The blended ones are edge grain, solid wood pieces but not color matched and use many short pieces.