Here’s the thing: many people have been telling us that it’s better to choose a plastic cutting board than a wooden one because the latter is a breeding place for bacteria. What most people don’t know is that a wooden cutting board actually carries more advantages with it compared to the plastic ones.
Here’s a few:
• They look good – truthfully, wooden cutting boards are much attractive to look at compared to plastic ones. This makes them the cutting board of choice in most households.
• Durability – wooden cutting boards are incredibly more durable than plastic ones. In fact, it can last a lifetime if properly cared for.
• Better for knives – using plastic cutting boards are said to make knives blunt and dull. Wooden cutting boards are less likely to give the same effect to knives.
• Wood is non-poisoning – when plastic cutting boards get worn over time, it is more prone to break apart little by little. This produces chips and flakes that may end up clinging onto food. We all know plastic should not end up in our digestive systems.
• Wooden cutting boards are antibacterial – Wood are naturally antibacterial, resisting the formation of bacteria and germs that may contaminate your food.
With these advantages, who wouldn’t want to own a wooden cutting board? If you’re thinking of making your own, here are some steps you can follow to make your own cutting board out of wood. (Note that you can vary the sizes of wooden pieces depending on what you need)
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
• Rag
• Parchment paper
• Wood glue
• Mineral oil, beeswax, or walnut oil (choose food-safe variants)
• 3/4” dense hardwood (cut depending on the plan you are using, or what you want your cutting board to look like)
TOOLS:
• Chisel
• Orbital sander
• Bar and pipe clamps
STEP 1 – Start assembling the wood pieces
Set up two pieces of scrap wood on your work surface. Place parchment paper on top so the actual cutting board pieces won’t stick to the scrap wood when using glue.
Lay down 3 pieces of precisely cut wood in a parallel manner on top of the parchment paper. You want to make sure the end grains are placed in an alternate manner to minimize warping in the future.
STEP 2 – Glue the wooden boards together
Apply glue to the sides of the outer boards then glue them to the center wood. Make sure to spread the glue equally using a brush or your fingertip.
STEP 3 – Clamp the boards together
Use 2 pipe clamps to press the boards together, and about 4 bar clamps to keep the joints straight. Use parchment paper between the clamps and the wood to prevent the glue from sticking to the clamps. Wipe out any squeezed out excess glue with a rag.
STEP 4 – Remove excess glue
When the glue has dried, remove the clamps and use a chisel to scrape off excess dried glue. Make sure to work gently to prevent scraping the wood as well.
STEP 5 – Add the end pieces
Line up the end pieces along the end grain of the first piece you made. Apply steps 2 and 3 once more.
STEP 6 – Apply finishing touches
Smoothen the board using an orbital sander fit with an 80-grit sanding pad. Rub food-safe finish all over the board and let it dry overnight.
As an additional tip, you may need to reapply the finish every now and then to maintain the wood. Therefore, keeping a bottle of finish may come in handy.
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