DIY Antique Cutting Boards
Hello! My name is Mindi and I blog at MyLove2Create. My last project I shared here was my Rustic Industrial Letters made from Pallet wood and old blinds, which make me smile every time I walk into my boys room.
Today I have a super easy and fun project, which I have been wanting to make for a long time, DIY Antique Cutting Boards!
Aren’t they so much fun! I think the best thing about this project is that you can make them any way you want.
I love their rustic goodness.
These specific cutting boards are made from reclaimed wood, and are best for decorative use. So lets get started so you can make your own!
How to Make Your Own Antique Cutting Boards
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I used reclaimed fence and barn wood for two of my cutting boards, which is perfect for getting the old rustic looking cutting boards. I also used a scrap piece of pine for the lighter cutting board.
You could also use this stain technique for a faux reclaimed look on new boards, or this method if you want more of an aged painted look for your decorative cutting boards.
There are so many different ways to do the handles and it is fun to mix and match different styles together. I made three and they were all similar. To make my shape I folded a paper in half and then drew the shape I wanted. Then I cut it out, opened it up, and traced it onto the board.
To download pdf templates for the the cutting boards click HERE.
Please do not redistribute these templates; if you want to share, please send people to this post to download the patterns.
Next, I clamped my board and used my jigsaw to cut out the shape. Pretty easy!
It is not necessary to drill holes, but I love the look, and it makes them easy to hang with a rope or twine if you so desire. I used different size holes on each cutting board.
Since I knew these cutting boards would be for display only, I also wanted to make one that I could actually use safely for cutting and food preparation. The best woods for use in cutting boards are hard woods such as maple, cherry, or walnut (to name a few). Basically you want a closed grain wood, so it does not allow bacteria to grow. Oak is usually too porous. I found a piece of maple in my stash that was a fun long shape that I thought was perfect! The ends were cut at an angle, so I used my miter saw to make them square.
I also wanted rounded corners, so I grabbed a part from my shop vac and used it to make a small curve. Then I used my jigsaw to cut on the line and round the corners.
Then I gave it a good sanding along with my reclaimed wood cutting boards.
After sanding them I wanted to clean them really well. I grabbed some white vinegar to do the job.
I dipped a paper towel into the vinegar and then rubbed it on the boards. It was a great way to remove all the dirt and dust while disinfecting them at the same time.
After the boards dried I used mineral oil to seal them. I simply poured it on the boards and rubbed it in. After it soaked in (in a few hours) I added another coat. Since these will be decorative, I only did a few coats. For my actually food safe cutting board I did 3 to 4 coats, and I will continue to condition it with the mineral oil monthly.
Then I added some rope and twine to the handles and I was done!
Doesn’t this one looks like it have been around for years and years?! That is exactly what I wanted. 🙂
I also love the look of the lighter pine.
The different colors of wood are perfect together.
Now I want to make more! How many is too many cutting boards?! Seriously.
Here is a shot with my food safe board.
It is long and narrow, perfect as a bread board or a cheese board. I decided not to put handles on this one, I liked it simple.
I am all set, I have my food safe cutting board and my antiques ones that I have always wanted!
To bad I am not a chef! Ha ha! But I definitely will get some great use out of them! Even though the antique cutting boards are not the best for cutting, they could be used a serving trays, for decoration, and even for food styling! I am so happy I made them!
So is this a project you would like to add to your list? It is very simple and you can let your creativity soar, make it any shape and size you want!
Here are there other great projects you can check out!
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Mindi
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These are great! I love the color and texture they add to the space. I think this will be a future project!
Thanks Colleen!! I hope you make some, they are a great project! Hugs!
I, too, love them, and yours are great. Thank you for the inspiration!
Thank you so much Cheryl! I am happy you like them!
beautiful job Mindi! Your antique cutting boards are awesome. You always have the best projects and awesome tips!
pinned, and shared on FB
gail
Thank you Gail!! I think I learned all that from you! 😉 Thanks for sharing!!
Hi, I love this diy and am going to make some soon ! Are they safe to be hand washed after used for serving? Or does water exposure affect them negatively?
Hi Julianne — These are best for decorative use if you’re using reclaimed wood like Mindi used. If you’d like to use them for serving, it would be best to use smoother wood (like the maple Mindi used for her food safe board) and then seal it with a food-safe sealer like mineral oil that Mindi used. When it’s been sealed, it should be good for hand-washing — you’ll just need to reapply the oil regularly (once a month or so, depending on use). Hope that helps!