[pyper]

I have some milled lumber from a large red pine I cut down to build my road, might try to use that?

It's your house -- you can try what you like.

If you're going to be using the countertop for wet things, then pine might not be the best choice. But if I assume correctly, it's free wood, and large pieces of wood tend to look nice, so there's no harm in trying it.

Pine tends to warp, twist, and split as it dries, so make sure it's fully dried before putting it in.

Personally, I think I'd want something more durable.

 

[pyper]

But it is still a concern weather or not it is durable enough, and what is involved in fishing it and sealing it for this type of application?

You can finish it with oil, varnish, or polyurethane. They all have pluses and minuses.

As far as durability, I'd take a scrap of it and test it. You'll likely find that, for instance, taking a cork out of a bottle of wine leaves dimples on it. But some pine is really hard. I'm not familiar with your species, and even if I was, some boards are harder than others.

If you have a slab through the middle (quartersawn, essentially) it would probably look really nice. I might be more inclined to make a bench or sideboard though.