I’ve made cutting boards on Home & Family before, but for this week, I will be making Puzzle Piece Cutting Boards!  These will be cutting boards that fit together to create a long cutting board surface, or that can be taken apart to turn into a serving tray for one or two people.  Check out the cutting boards I’ve made in the past!

Before we get to the nitty, gritty, let’s talk about wood choice.  Since this will be something that you use to prepare and serve food on, you want to make sure that you are using the correct type of wood.  Wooden cutting boards should generally be made from hard, tight-grained woods like walnut, maple, basswood, bamboo and birch.  If you use a soft wood, you will be able to cut into it too easily…and little cuts and scratches give little homes to bacteria.  We definitely DON’T want that! And even though Oak is considered a hard wood, it has large pores which can collect bacteria as well.  So you want to choose a hard wood with a tight surface…and just to be extra safe, we will use a stain and sealer at the end to make sure that you are creating a safe place to carve up and serve up your faves!

I ordered Walnut Basswood in 11”x14” size, a cherry wood stain, and a wood sealant.  You can use the wood you would like, and the size that you would like as well!  I ordered the “Tried and True Wood Stain” from Amazon and I like this particular stain because of the safety information found in the product description:

Tried and True Wood Stain- 100% solvent free, zero VOC, and safe for food and skin contact: “Our Stain and Finish is a combination of superior penetrating linseed oil and all natural earth pigments. In addition to giving the wood artistic coloration, the stains will also protect the surface and highlight the grains and natural look of the wood. These are perfect for all interior wood working projects, including tables and furniture, cutting boards, butcher’s block, children’s toys, cribs, etc. All Tried & True products are 100% solvent free, zero VOC, and safe for food and skin contact.”

You Will Need:

• Printable template in the shape of a puzzle piece (or freehand it if you are feeling artsy!)
• 11×14 piece of solid wood
• Jigsaw
• Sand paper (use a rough grit followed by a smooth grit)
• Wood Stain (I used “Tried and True” wood stain in Cherry color)
• Sealant

How To:

1. Print and cut out the template provided on the Home and Family website.
2. Lay the cut template over the wood and trace it onto the board.
3. Cut the wood using a jigsaw.  Make sure to use and wear all safety materials!
4. Take an electrical hand sander (or use your own elbow grease if you are feeling tough) and start with a rougher-grade of sand paper to sand the entire surface and edges. (I used 80’grit).
5. Wipe down with a damp rag.
6. Change out the sand paper for a finer grit (I used 220) and sand the entire surface and edges.
7. Wipe down with a damp rag.
8. Add a stain if you would like to change the color.  I used a cherry stain that is safe for food.  Let dry.
9. Add a sealant let dry for 24 hours.
10. Wash before use, and enjoy your new puzzle piece cutting board!  Or put a glass of wine with your nibbles and use it as a serving tray!

Enjoy some time “wine”ding down and relaxing at home!