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How to make wooden cutting boards

By Bunnings magazine /

An outdoor table with wooden cutting boards used as serving platters for fruit

Overview

These wooden cutting boards look like designer homewares but are budget-friendly D.I.Y. projects. You can make four from one pine panel using a jigsaw to cut the shapes. Use them as cutting boards or turn them into serving platters by adding off-the-shelf furniture legs. Clever! Seal your wooden cutting boards and serving platters with a food-safe finish.

 

Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, ear muffs and a mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.

Steps

1Create your wooden cutting boards templates

On the cardboard, mark lines 600mm, 750mm and 900mm up from the base edge. Starting at one side, position a spray can lid against the top line and trace around it to the centre line, then from the base line to the centre line, repeating to draw a wavy design. Cut out the scallop template with scissors. 

A pair of hands using a spray can lid and marker to make a scallop template on cardboard

2Use a jigsaw to cut out the shapes

Clamp the pine panel to sawhorses. Use a square to draw a 400mm x 300mm rectangle, then cut out with a circular saw. Use the template to mark scallop edges on both 400mm sides, then cut out with a jigsaw. On the pine panel, trace around an oval serving platter and trace two circles using the bowl, then cut out shapes with a jigsaw. 

A pine board on sawhorses being cut into a scallop shape with a jigsaw

3Sand the wooden cutting boards

Sand the cutting boards and furniture legs; wipe away dust. Wind two 5mm nuts onto threaded rods of the furniture legs, then use a 15mm spanner to remove by turning the first nut anticlockwise. 
Green Bunnings hammer
Tip: This method does not damage the threads (using multi-grip pliers might) so the rods can be saved to use in other projects.
A threaded rod being removed from a bun foot using nuts and a spanner

4Finishing off your D.I.Y. wooden cutting board

Trace around legs on the undersides of round and oval chopping boards to mark the locations of the feet and plinths. Apply adhesive to each marked location on the boards, then position legs and leave to set. Apply two coats of food-safe timber finish all over boards and legs with a cloth, leaving to dry after each coat. 
A gloved hand attaching a bun foot to a wooden chopping board with glue

5Keep in mind…

  • When using power tools, always wear the recommended safety gear (such as gloves, mask, and eye and ear protection), follow the manufacturer’s instructions and work in a well-ventilated area. 
  • Timbers vary by state and territory; contact your local store for further information. Some advertised services and products are not available at some Bunnings stores, but products can be ordered.

6Looking for more ways to make your next event memorable?

Learn how to make your own easy D.I.Y. photo booth.  


Photo credit: Kylie Jackes, Louise Roche.

Health & Safety

Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.

When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.