Easy End Grain Cutting Board

End grain cutting boards are known for their beauty and "self-healing" factors. They are also known to be both expensive and difficult to make. Though this cutting board is beautiful and has "self-healing" qualities, it also is surprisingly easy and inexpensive to build. With this cutting board in your kitchen, you will be surprised at how long your knife stays sharp. This is because the fibers of end grain boards, are able to close up (self-heal) after they have been cut into. Try making this unique cutting board in your garage for a fun and rewarding project!

Supplies

Suppplies you will need for this project :

-Two varieties of hardwood

-Wood glue

-Mineral oil

Tools:

-Table saw

-Several wood clamps

-Sander

-Planer (optional)

-Skill saw or miter saw

Step 1: Prepping Your Wood

Prepare your boards by ensuring they have straight edges and square corners. If you are starting with live edge boards, begin by using a skill saw or miter saw to a cut 20" length of board. (Your cutting board will end up shorter than this because you will lose blade length when cutting later on)

To remove the live-edge, use the rail guide on your table saw to remove one of the edges, then place the straight side against the fence guide to remove the other edge. Repeat this step on your other board, and you should have two nice, square cornered boards to work with.

Plane or sand these boards so they are smooth and flat and 1 1/4 inches thick.

Step 2: Cutting the Strips

Set your table saw at 1 3/16" and cut your boards into strips

Step 3: Glue the Strips Together

Glue the strips together on the sides that have not been cut (top and bottom edges). To get a checkered result, pattern your strips every other colour, using the same amount of each kind of wood.

Plane or sand the glued strips to achieve a smooth, flat surface.

Step 4: Cutting Up Your Glued Strips

Set you saw at 1 5/16" to cut up the glued strips crosswise. This will be the thickness of your cutting board.

Step 5: Gluing the Glued Strips

Place your strips in order to form a checkered pattern. Glue and clamp them tightly.

Step 6: Finnishing

Sand your project starting with 50 grit sandpaper, then 150, and finally 220.

Complete your project by applying several coats of mineral oil. This will seal it and draw out the beauty of the wood.

Enjoy the use of this professional cutting board for many decades! And bask in the praise of your awe-struck visitors! (you don't even have to tell then how easy it was to make;))