Making edge grain cutting boards is one of my favorite woodworking projects, especially around Christmas. This year, I wanted to give meaningful, handmade gifts to a few people close to me. A high-quality wooden cutting board is something they can use every day, and it’s a great way to put scrap wood to good use.
I had plenty of leftover lumber in the shop Hickory, poplar, cherry, purpleheart, and some beautiful walnut that had been cut down in the 1970s. The previous owner no longer needed it and wanted to get rid of what was left. I decided to mix the walnut with my scrap wood to create unique, custom edge grain cutting boards.
Materials and Tools
Hardwood: Walnut, Cherry, Maple, and Hickory
Glue: Tightbond III wood glue
Tools: DeWalt Planer, Jointer, Table saw, Sander, Clamps, Router
Milling the Lumber
I started by milling all the walnut and scrap wood. Each board was cut down to rough length using the miter saw, then run through the jointer and planer to create straight edges and flat faces.
Once everything was square and flat, I decided on the final thickness. For edge grain cutting boards, the boards are ripped to thickness on the table saw. I chose to make some boards 1.5 inches thick and others 1.25 inches thick. After deciding on the thickness, I ripped all the boards down to size.
Designing the Cutting Board Layout
With all the pieces cut to the same thickness, I laid them out to decide on the final design. Since I had plenty of walnut and scrap wood, I experimented with different patterns until I found combinations I liked. Each cutting board design was customized for the person receiving it.
Gluing and Clamping
Once the layout was finalized, I grabbed my clamps and Titebond III wood glue (a great choice for food-safe cutting boards). I laid all the boards flat, applied glue to the edges, and clamped everything together.
You can never have too many clamps. After tightening them down, I checked to make sure the board stayed flat and didn’t bow from clamp pressure. I also checked for glue squeeze-out along the seams, which tells me I have good glue coverage.
Flattening the Boards
After the glue dried, I removed the clamps. I’ll admit, I cheat this step a bit. I carefully ran the glued-up cutting board through the planer, which removes dried glue and flattens both sides evenly. This saves a lot of time compared to hand flattening.
Routing Juice Grooves
Next, I added juice grooves and finger handles. For the juice grooves, I made a simple jig to guide my router. I used a DeWalt router with a Bosch carbide-tipped ¼-inch core box router bit.
I made multiple shallow passes to reach my final depth of about 3/16 inch, which helps prevent tear-out and keeps everything clean.
Routing Finger Handles
For the handles, I used the same Bosch core box router bit mounted in my Kobalt 12-amp router table. I found the center of the board thickness-wise and then calculated the handle placement.
To do this, I measured the width of the board and added 3 inches, which is the width I wanted for the handle cutout. For example, if the board was 12 inches wide, I set my stop blocks 15 inches apart, centered 7.5 inches from the router bit. This allowed me to safely and accurately route the finger handles.
Sanding Process
Now comes the time-consuming part, sanding. This step makes or breaks a quality cutting board.
- Start with 120 grit sandpaper
- Sand juice grooves and handles by hand
- Spray the board with water to raise the grain
- Let it dry completely
- Sand again with 180 grit
- Repeat the water spray
- Finish sanding with 220 grit
If the grain raised again, I did a light sanding with 220 grit until the board was smooth. This process ensures the board stays smooth even after future washing.
Applying the Finish
The final and most rewarding step is applying the oil. Watching the wood grain and color come alive is always satisfying. A good food-safe cutting board oil really makes the walnut and accent woods pop, bringing out their natural beauty.
Final Thoughts
Building edge grain cutting boards is a great way to use scrap hardwood, improve your woodworking skills, and create beautiful, functional gifts. Each board is unique, durable, and made to last for years with proper care.
If you’re thinking about making your own custom cutting boards, this process is a solid place to start.