A kitchen remodeling contractor brought me a beautiful unfinished walnut counter top and asked me to add the finish. At 8ft long and 2 inches thick, this piece was HEAVY and was difficult to maneuver around in the shop. As you can see, it’s a butcher block which is glued up pieces of walnut with a lot of different shades. I bet it was pricey.

To bring out the color and magnify the grain I sealed the wood with 2 light coats of shellac, which also adds a slight amber tone at the same time to add richness. A wood counter top needs a tough finish to I sprayed on 2 coats of satin polyurethane. I was very happy with the results.