Christmas Crafts, Handmade Holiday Cards & Gifts

How to Make a Wood Cutting Board

Woodworking projects can be intimidating, but this project is actually easier than you may think, requiring basic shop materials and dense, hardwood boards to create a chef-worthy cutting board any foodie will love.

By Marian Parsons, Mustard Seed Interiors
Filed under: Handmade, How To, Christmas

Scrape Off Excess Glue

Once glue has dried, remove the cutting board from clamps. Scrape off excess dried glue with a chisel, working gently to avoid marring the wood. Repeat this on all seams. Tip: It is important to remove all traces of excess glue from wood before the food-safe finish is applied in the final step.

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Glue End Pieces

Line up end pieces along end grain of center pieces. Repeat steps 2 and 3.

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Finish Board

Once glue has dried, remove the cutting board from clamps. Scrape off any excess dried glue gently with a chisel. Using an orbital sander fitted with an 80-grit sanding pad, sand both sides of the board and edges to soften corners. Repeat sanding process with 120-grit, then 220-grit sandpaper. Make sure all dried glue is sanded off surface prior to finishing. Rub entire cutting board with several coats of a food-safe finish like mineral oil, walnut oil or beeswax, allowing oil to fully absorb into the wood. Allow cutting board to dry overnight before use. Tip: Most food-safe finishes need to be reapplied regularly. If giving this board as a gift, also present the recipient with a bottle of oil as a companion gift along with care instructions.