Making DIY Cutting Boards

Woodworking is one of the most rewarding hobbies you can learn. The smell of freshly cut wood, the satisfaction of finishing a new piece, the joy on the face of your friends and family when they receive handcrafted gifts… It truly is the hobby that keeps on giving.

There’s only one challenge - it’s not always easy to get into.

Most woodworking projects require a lot of tools - saws, planers, routers, and more. That can make the hobby we love seem inaccessible to a lot of people. That’s a problem for us - we want as many of you to be able to enjoy woodworking as possible.

That’s why we’ve created what we believe is one of the best woodworking starter packs you can find: Our hardwood and exotic wood cutting board packs.

KJP’s cutting board packs

Our cutting board packs come with pre-dimensioned blanks - that means the wood in the packs has already been planed and jointed. Using our cutting board packs, you’ll be able to make a 12” x 12” or 12” x 24” cutting board with little more than clamps, glue, a chisel, and a product for the finish.

It’s rare to find a woodworking project this simple - with sturdy clamps, you can make a cutting board on your kitchen table! You don’t even need a shop (though doing this project outside or in a garage will limit the amount of mess you’ll have in your home).

With that in mind, let’s dive into some details: We’re going to show you how to make a beautiful, homemade cutting board using our cutting board packs!

How to make your own cutting board

What you’ll need:

• Sandpaper
• A mask
• Titebond III Glue
• Honey Bee's Natural Wood Cream
• Clamps
• Rags, shop towels, and the like

Step 1: Glue and clamp your wood

First, arrange all the wood in your cutting board pack into the 12 x 12 or 12 x 24 cutting board shape you’re going to be building. This will show you which side of the wood you’re going to need to glue.

Next, you’ll get to gluing. Apply the glue to the appropriate side of the wood boards - you can apply glue to multiple boards at once by laying them each side by side. You’ll apply your glue (we recommend Titebond III) directly onto the wood from the bottom, then spread it in a thin layer. You can use a glue roller applicator to do this, but an old credit card is fine in a pinch.

Once the glue is applied to each piece, you’ll arrange your wood in the shape of the cutting board, then clamp it all together. Don’t clamp the wood too tightly - just enough so that the glue starts to squeeze out above and below your cutting board.

Take a damp cloth and wipe off the excess glue as it emerges from the top and bottom. Once you’ve cleaned off the glue on the surface, keep your wood clamped overnight.

Step 2: Cleaning and sanding

After about 12 hours, you can remove your wood from the clamps. You’ll probably find there’s some hardened glue on the surfaces. Take a chisel and gently but firmly chisel away the hardened glue, taking care not to damage the wood below.

From there, you’ll start sanding - remember to wear a mask while you sand! We recommend starting with 80 grit, then moving to 120, followed by 220. Sand the sides and the edges - you don’t want any sharp corners on your cutting board!

We recommend sanding twice. After you’ve finished sanding your cutting board the first time, spray it down with water - this helps to raise any wood fibers you might not have sanded down on your first go around. You may need to wait overnight for the cutting board to dry before sanding again.

Remember to clean your cutting board once you’re done sanding - wipe it down with a shop towel, then use a shop vac to vacuum up any leftover dust.

Step 3: Applying the finish

For both our domestic and exotic cutting board packs, we heartily recommend using Honey Bee’s Natural Wood Cream. This food-safe finish is made of just two ingredients: Beeswax and mineral oil. You can apply it by dipping a rag or soft cloth in the cream, then gently rubbing it evenly along your cutting board. Once the cream is applied, wait about 20 minutes, then come back and wipe off any excess. You may need to apply the cream about three times to get the best results - and we encourage you to apply it again about twice a year to maintain that beautiful finish.

With that, you’re done! Congratulations on building your first cutting board - we hope you loved the experience!