Color

• The first thing to decide is on the overall color and tone of the wood to use in your butcher block countertop. Wood colors range from a very pale beech to a dark mahogany, with many colors and textures in between. Color is primarily a design concern, and based upon your desired shade you will be able to select a wood hardness and construction style that will be both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
  
  

Hardness

• The next thing to decide on is the hardness of the wood for your butcher block countertop. Hard woods will not score with knife wear to the same extent as softer woods. However, hard woods will dull your knives more quickly than softer woods. Since many people prefer butcher blocks made from nut woods, a comparison of nut wood hardness may help. Walnut has a Janka hardness rating of 1010. Red oak has a hardness of 1290; white oak, a hardness of 1360. Hard maple, a popular choice for professional butcher blocks, has a hardness of 1450. For comparison, a softer hardwood is alder, with a hardness rating of 590. On the harder end of the scale is pecan, with a hardness of 1820, and jatoba, with a hardness rating of 3290.
  
  

Structure

• The hardness of your wood may affect the overall structure you choose for your butcher block countertop. In general, there are three ways to construct your countertop: Face grain, which uses the grain on the face of the wood as a cutting surface; edge grain, which the grain on the edge of a board; and end grain, which uses the more open grain structures on the end of the board.
  
  Face grain countertops use boards laid flat. This structure shows off the grain of the wood better than the other two structures. However, it isn't as good for cutting and chopping because the wood is thinner, harder, and the cut marks will be very visible.
  
  Edge grain butcher block countertops are made by placing the boards on their edges. The edges provide the countertop surface. The thickness and stability of edge grain butcher block countertops make them good for cutting and chopping. This structure provides a harder surface than end grain countertops and is better suited to nutwoods on the softer end of the scale. Harder woods, like hard maple, may be hard enough to actually dull your knives.
  
  End grain butcher blocks are often preferred by professional chefs because of their self-healing tenancies, according to DevosWoodworking.com. End grain is more open and allows the knife to penetrate and slide through during chopping and cutting, thus dulling the knife less than the other two structures. Because the wood fibers in the grain are more open, it tends to return to its original position and better hiding cutting and chopping marks.