John BoosAB Series Square Wooden Maple Cutting Board 18”x18”x34” – 10” Thick, 135-lb Non-Reversible Butcher Block with Legs & End-Grain

I have had my Boos Butcher Block (24 x 24) for over 20 years. I've moved it twice (in a moving van on long distance trips) and the legs have never come loose. We have always heated/cooked with a wood stove in our kitchen and "checking" or separation of the wood does happen in the winter if, like us, your home gets really dry. Not to worry, place a wet towel over the area that has separated or come apart over night and in the morning it will be corrected. Oil the top and sides as needed. For most houses this should not be something to concern yourself with.Ours is used many times everyday, it sits in the middle of the kitchen.. It has burn marks,slices, scratches and oil stains. The odd thing is the top is like a well used/oiled cast iron pan, better than teflon. It also has a more quality vintage look than the new ones due to the character that 20 plus years will put on an heirloom.I can see where my great-great grandchildren will still be using this indispensable piece of kitchen equipment. Already my 3 kids are fighting over who will inherit the Boos butcher block. I might have to save up and buy them all one of their own. However, if you were thinking of investing in gold or silver, I can say that over 20 years ago I bought our Boos 24 x24 for a fraction that they cost now (but candy bars were a quarter too). You can't go wrong with this investment.The only problem we have with it is, that it's not big enough for a few people to be be cutting veggies and such at the same time. We're a cooking family and it never fails, if I start cutting an onion,that must be a signal for the rest of the family to join in around the butcher block. They're all wanting to help out with cutting up something. I don't see where the 10 inch deep block is made in a 48 inch X 24 inch. I bet that would weigh a ton if they made one.

I have wanted one of these butcher blocks for many years. About 38 years ago, we stopped overnight in Effingham, IL on our way to a family reunion in Columbus, OH. John Boos manufacturing, warehouse, and factory store are located there. We saw the signs and decided to check it out after breakfast. Looking in the store windows we were intrigued enough to go in and look around. I have wanted a John Boos standing butcher block ever since then! After finding this block on sale, my husband and I bought it for ourselves for Christmas! It was SO worth it! I had honestly wanted it mostly for the beauty of the maple wood and end grain construction. However, it is very functional as well! I can prepare something on the butcher block, turn to my side and put it in my microwave, turn around and put it on the stovetop or in the oven. So far, I cannot bear to use a knife for cutting on the block itself, but already do a lot of prep work on it. Instead, I put down a thin portable board and do my cutting on that. Of course, it is MADE to be used as a real butcher would, standing up to that sort of use for many years with proper care. It completes my kitchen and I love it!

Finally, I waited 59 years to get a block like this! It is absolutely perfect! Many a meal will be prepped on this block!Amazing work BOOS!! A+++++++

The table comes disassembled. The legs are to be "carefully tapped into each hole" on the bottom of the table. They helpfully provide a diagram as to how to do this and show a regular kitchen hammer that would be useful for the job.Ha ha ha.The legs are, by design, too big for the holes. They're notched, so as they "slip" in, they compress. Nice tight fit, and if it isn't, there are shims you can use to tighten them up.Okay, one, the legs are significantly larger than the holes. Tapping them in does zip, zero, zilch. Using more force will deform the bottom of the table leg -- and that's not good.We contacted the manufacturer -- yes, that is the way the product is designed: "good luck".After realizing we'd have to pay a restocking fee, and/or have to pay freight to ship them back, we tried an alternative -- a bigger hammer. A MUCH bigger hammer.Happily, we know Thor. Or someone who cosplays Thor. With a mighty hammer, we were able to smash the living snot out of the legs and, eventually, bang them into place. It helped that we'd liberally coated the inserts and the holes with furniture wax. But even with that, it took ludicrous effort -- big swings, lots of impact, holy crap, wait nothing happened, repeat repeat repeat. It was Ragnarok up in the kitchen.Go big -- get a giant dead-blow hammer (a steel sledge with deform the leg) and a hard shim to bang on and prepare to play Strongman. If you're elderly, slim, slight, infirm, or normal in any way, find someone to assemble this for you.Seriously, this ought to come assembled. If it had come assembled, it would be worth it. Coming in pieces, and absolutely requiring Herculean effort, and at this price, is outlandish and absurd.As for the table -- it's gorgeous. Love the look. It's a lifetime-buy and I cannot imagine anything that would ever damage it -- other than fire, a mover, or the well-intentioned person armed with the installation instructions, that is. That guy is gonna destroy the table for sure. We only kept it because it was impossible to stop the installation once we'd started -- there is no way to remove a partially inserted table leg and no way to return a partially banged-up table without losing gobs of the significant investment.My recommendation -- find one pre-assembled or look elsewhere.

This is a beautiful piece of furniture. I absolutely love it. My son-in-law put it together for me. He was having a hard time as the legs would not go in all the way. He called the company, they asked where we lived. As soon as he said Houston they said it is the humidity. Let it set overnight to acclimate. We did and the next day they went in perfectly. I gave a 3 on assembly only because it would have been nice for it to say in the directions about humid climates. That being said, the company was great to deal with and very helpful.