How to Stain Butcher Block Using Gel Stain

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Like DIY home projects and home remodeling ideas? Here are easy home updates you can do yourself. Home improvement on a budget! These home improvement hacks will take your home to the next level! Keep reading to learn how to stain a butcher block counter for your laundry room using Gel Stain!

Looking to add some functionality and interest to your laundry room? 

Adding a butcher block countertop is a great way to do this!

We love having the space to fold clothes, pack for trips, organize things, etc. Plus we love the look! By staining it myself I was able to customize the exact wood tone I was looking for to make sure it went with the rest of the house. If you’re thinking this is beyond your skills, know that I had no experience staining before! However once I got started I found it to be a very simple process. 

Overall staining our butcher block counter was a fun project and only took me 3 days to complete (spending 15-30 minutes each night). Plus I spent under $300 on all the materials listed below except for the Poly (which my husband already had) and the rags.

This was an inexpensive upgrade that really helped pull the laundry room together.

Here is a before picture of our laundry room.

Materials

Here’s what you’ll need:

Instructions for Staining Butcher Block Counter

  1. Start by lightly sanding the countertop (make sure to use proper PPE/safety glasses!)
  2. Wipe off with a damp cloth to remove dust.
  3. Apply Pre-Stain conditioner with a foam brush and let dry according to the directions.
  4. Apply Gel Stain using a damp cloth. Depending on how dark you want the stain to be, wipe off excess. The more you leave, the darker it will be. You can always do more coats, so I would recommend wiping most of it off to make sure you don’t accidentally go darker than intended. 
    1. I knew my gel stain was dark to begin with, so I ended up wiping most of it off and only applying one coat of stain.
  5. Let dry according to directions. 
  6. Apply additional coats of Gel Stain as desired.
  7. Apply the Wipe On Poly with a foam brush according to the directions. I applied 3 coats of poly and let it dry for 12 hours between each coat. Lightly sand between each coat of poly to ensure a smooth finish. 

And here is the final stained butcher block counter! We also painted the walls, cabinet, added another cabinet, and added some shelving. Hopefully this helps you stain your butcher block counter!

How to Stain Butcher Block Using Gel Stain
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