How to Make Your Own Wood Cutting Board
A wooden cutting board is one of the most rewarding woodworking projects you can make. It's functional, beautiful, and can last for decades when built and maintained properly. Whether you're making one for your own kitchen, as a gift, or to sell, the process can be incredibly rewarding regardless of skill level.
To demonstrate, we'll be following the workflow of woodworker Brandy Wayne, better known online as @handydandy_brandy. Brandy always brings a fun, creative, and unique approach to woodworking, and to demonstrate, she'll be making a unique bumblebee cutting board, inspired by the ingredients in Walrus Oil’s Cutting Board Oil. Follow along!
Why Cutting Boards Are Great Woodworking Projects
Cutting boards are popular among both beginner and experienced woodworkers. They require relatively few materials while teaching essential skills like milling, sanding, shaping, and finishing. At the same time, they offer plenty of opportunities for creativity through wood selection, patterns, and design details.
How Brandy Wayne Makes a Cutting Board
Step One: Start With a Design
Every custom cutting board begins with an idea. For this project, Brandy creates the artwork in Adobe Illustrator, then imports the design into Vectric to generate the tool paths that guide the CNC machine.
Step Two: Prepare the Wood
Once the design is finalized, it's time to choose the perfect lumber. For this project Brandy is using Maple, Walnut, and Yellowheart. The boards are cut to length with a chopsaw and a table saw, and run through the jointer to create perfectly flat, square surfaces.
Step Three: Glue
The milled boards are glued together and clamped firmly with even pressure. Wait a few hours to dry (sometimes overnight) and scrape off any excess glue.
Step Four: The CNC
Place the board on the CNC, upload your programmed file, and run the CNC. Afterwards, cut out the shape with a jigsaw, and get rid of the tabs from the CNC using a flush trim router bit. If needed, assemble, glue, and clamp any pieces you will be gluing together and let dry.
Step Five: Refine & Sand
Run board through a drum sander or planer, then soften the edges by using a round over bit on the router (Brandy uses a 1/8" bit). Sand! Sand! Sand! Brandy's board is sanded to 220. Dust off any debris with an air compressor.
Step Six: Finish It With Walrus Oil
Finally, grab a bottle of Walrus Oil's Cutting Board Oil, shake it well, then apply and cover to the entire surface. Let is set for 6-12 hrs, then buff away any excess. For additional water protection and sheen apply Walrus Oil's Wood Wax to the board after Cutting Board Oil has dried.
Step Seven: Enjoy!
Congratulations! You've made your own wooden cutting board. The result is a beautiful, protected, food-contact safe cutting board that's ready for years of use and enjoyment.
How to Finish and Protect Wood Cutting Boards
Finishing a cutting board is essential to help protect it from moisture, drying, and everyday wear. Walrus Oil Cutting Board Oil is designed to penetrate deep into the wood surface, conditioning the wood from within while enhancing its natural grain and color. After applying a generous coat, allow the oil to soak in for 6 to 12 hours, then buff away any excess to leave the surface clean and nourished.
For added protection, many woodworkers follow with Walrus Oil Wood Wax. Made with natural beeswax and food-contact-safe ingredients, Wood Wax creates a moisture-resistant barrier on the surface while adding a smooth feel and soft satin sheen. Used together, Cutting Board Oil conditions the wood internally while Wood Wax helps seal and protect the surface, creating a simple, effective finishing system for long-lasting cutting boards. Best of all, Cutting Board Oil and Wood Wax are both certified food-contact safe by NSF, meaning you can finish your cutting boards worry-free.
How to Maintain a Wooden Cutting Board
Regular maintenance helps extend the life of a cutting board and preserve its appearance.
When your cutting board begins to look dry or faded, simply clean your board and sand down any deep knife cuts. Then apply a fresh coat of Cutting Board Oil. For additional moisture resistance, follow with a coat of Wood Wax for Cutting Boards. Consistent care helps prevent cracking, drying, and premature wear while keeping the board looking its best. Heavily used cutting boards may require re-application more frequently, such as every few months.
Conclusion
Building a cutting board is a rewarding way to develop woodworking skills while creating something useful and long-lasting. Whether you're an experienced woodworker or building your very first project, creating a cutting board is an approachable way to turn raw lumber into something beautiful and functional.
Once your board is complete, Walrus Oil Cutting Board Oil and Wood Wax help protect, condition, and preserve your hard work for years to come.