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Blog Cabin '08: Reclaimed-Wood Cutting Board DIY's Paul Ryan creates kitchen accessory from wood flooring. Get all the info on DIY's Blog Cabin '08 From "Blog Cabin" episode DBLG-205

This cutting board was created in an afternoon using reclaimed wood flooring.

Some people say that a home revolves around the kitchen. For the Blog Cabin, the online voting certainly focused on that area. In fact, there were more voted-upon features in the kitchen than any other room in the cabin.

With almost 700,000 online votes cast for the kitchen features alone, there was a ton of blogger input and excitement about all the customizable options.

When it came time to build, DIY's kitchen expert Paul Ryan was on hand to help host Ahmed Hassan and cabin contractor Simon Hodshon tackle the big job of installing winning choices. Those included the Arts and Crafts style cabinetry and metal cabinet hardware, granite countertops and backsplash, recessed sink and stainless steel appliances and even a luxury gadget, the pull-out warming drawer.

Additionally, in this high-speed project, Paul and Ahmed share a do-it-yourself method for turning reclaimed hardwood flooring material into a beautiful butcher-block cutting board.

Below is a summary of the basic steps as seen in the Blog Cabin project, along with a list of tools and materials used.

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	Square foot per square foot, the Blog Cabin kitchen may just be one of the most voted upon pieces of real estate in Tennessee.

Create a Cutting Board from Reclaimed Wood Flooring

Tools:

table saw
miter saw
tabletop planer
circular saw
air compressor
nail gun
belt sander
orbital sander
sanding belts, pads (various grits)
measuring tape
pencil
safety glasses

Materials:

20 to 30 linear feet reclaimed hardwood flooring
food-safe wood glue
1-inch or 1-1/4-inch nails for nail gun

Wood Selection Tip. There are many kinds of wood used to make hardwood floors. Maple was selected for this project since it's a very dense wood and a perfect material for cutting boards. Look for a reclaimed/reuse center near you to acquire material.

	Figure A
	Figure B

Steps:

• Rough cut the lumber. It's easiest to get started with this project if the flooring pieces are first cut into roughly 2-foot-long sections, so long as the rough cut width is wider than your desired width for the finished cutting board.

• Rip the flooring pieces. Each piece of flooring must be ripped twice. If it's tongue-and-groove flooring, remove the "tongue" and "groove" from each piece with a rip cut on the table saw. Begin by running the flat groove side along the fence, cutting to remove the tongue (figure A).

  Tip: It's fastest and easiest to rip the tongue side from all of the wood material before resetting the fence and moving on to the groove sides. After all tongues have been removed, you can reset the fence to rip off the old grooves from the opposite side of the stock.

• Plane flooring. Each piece of flooring will need to be planed flat on all four sides. Set the tabletop planer to the proper height and run material through the planer (figure B). Again, it's best to batch process a single side on all material at once before resetting and moving to another side. Plane the tops, bottom, left side and right side of each piece.
  

  	Figure C
  	Figure D
  	Figure E

• Assembling and gluing up the butcher block. Using food-safe wood glue and nails, glue and nail every piece, making sure the joints are tight. It's best to do this on a flat, sturdy surface. It's important to allow the wood glue to cure fully before moving on to the next step.

• Final cuts. Once the glue has dried fully, use a circular saw to rip one side of the butcher block straight (figure C), then run it through the table saw to square the other edge (figure D).

• Trim. For the edges, trim the butcher block with like material or another hardwood (figure E).

• Sanding. Sand the top and edges using a belt sander and then an orbital sander. In each case, start with coarser grit moving toward fine.

• Finish. Once you've sanded to a smooth surface, wipe off the dust off and apply multiple coats of butcher-block oil or mineral oil to highlight the wood grain and provide a rich, finished look.

  
  
  
  
  

  Return to Blog Cabin 2008 home page.

  
  

  RELATED PROJECTS: Blog Cabin '08: Building a Porch Swing Blog Cabin '08: Custom Firewood Holder Blog Cabin '08: Barn-Door Style Blackout Shutters for a Media Room Blog Cabin '08: Interior Design and Furnishings Blog Cabin '08: Round Stone Fire Pit Blog Cabin '08: Repurposed Antique Bathroom Vanity

  
  

  ALSO IN THIS EPISODE:
  	Blog Cabin '08: Reclaimed-Wood Cutting Board