How to Make a Cutting Board Using a Kit
Craft Your Own Stylish Cutting Board With a DIY Kit
Shout out to North Castle Hardwoods for providing the fabulous kit to make this amazing cutting board – Thank you!
Guess what? I have an exciting surprise just for you! Have you ever thought about creating your very own stunning wood cutting board? Well, here’s your chance! I’ve teamed up with North Castle Hardwoods to bring you one of their amazing cutting board kits. To be completely honest, I’ve never made a cutting board before, but I was absolutely thrilled to try it out with this kit! These DIY cutting board kits come with everything you need to build a gorgeous cutting board that you can either gift to someone special or keep for yourself. It’s a fantastic project that you won’t want to miss out on!
About North Castle Hardwoods
North Castle Hardwoods, situated in the Midwest, is a family-owned enterprise that provides North American hardwood exclusively to Japanese furniture manufacturers. The company has complete quality control over the entire process, from logging to the final inspection and delivery of the hardwoods. They only collaborate with loggers who are dedicated to sustainable forestry. The hardwoods are sourced ethically from the finest hardwood growing regions and include a variety of wood species such as black walnut, black cherry, white oak, white ash, red oak, and hard maple. The wood is of consistent color, texture, and grade making it an excellent choice for a wide variety of projects.
What’s in the Box?
I chose the Kilimanjaro kit which includes black walnut (my favorite!), hard maple and black cherry along with an assembly instruction card. They’ve also put together a fabulous how-to video which makes this kit even easier to assemble, especially for someone like me who is totally new to making a cutting board! You’ll also need wood glue, clamps, sanding materials and finishing supplies like mineral oil or a beeswax/oil cutting board finish.
Let’s Get Started!
I started by arranging the wood in a pattern that I liked (the pieces can be arranged however you choose!). I got my clamps ready and laid a piece of parchment paper under them so that the glue didn’t drip on the surface I was using. I drew a V across the top of the pieces, then turned each piece in the same direction in order to apply glue. I spread the glue with my finger because who doesn’t like peeling the glue off your hands when it’s dry like kids do? A silicone brush or small paint roller can also be used.
I turned the pieces back over then positioned clamps on the top, tightening each clamp individually and let it dry.
The Beginnings of Finishing
Once the glue was dry, I used a painter’s tool (<– affiliate link!) to scrape the glue from the seams. The glue can be wiped away while it’s still wet but I always manage to make a bigger mess that way. This time, I decided to be patient…
The ends of the cutting board can be squared with a table saw or a circular saw with a guide, then the top can be planed (the planer is NOT necessary!) or sanded smooth. I chose to use a hand planer then sanded the board smooth using 150 grit sandpaper. At the end, I sprayed the cutting board with water to raise the grain, finishing with 220 grit.
I also decided to use my router to cut a nice chamfered edge on both sides of the cutting board.
The Last Step in Finishing
The final step is to seal the wood and protect it for use in the kitchen. I used a beeswax/mineral oil combo butter-type stuff for mine. Mineral oil can also be used – just make sure it is the food grade type!
The Results
I’m head over heels! Creating this gorgeous piece was much simpler than I anticipated, thanks to this amazing DIY cutting board kit! I’ve crafted numerous furniture items before, but I had my doubts about making cutting boards. However, this kit has completely changed my perspective by making the process incredibly effortless!
Fancy tools are certainly not needed for this project! The basics (clamps, glue, a sander and elbow grease!) are all that is needed to create a stunning piece for use in the kitchen or for serving. This is a great way to show off your DIY skills!
Check out North Castle Hardwoods on Facebook, Instagram and You Tube, or visit them on the web to pick up a kit of your own. They also provide dimensional hardwood, thin stock and square stock (for custom cutting board designs). I’m heading to their website myself to feed my walnut habit…
