Bamboo Cutting Board

You want to make your own bamboo cutting board? I made a cutting board in high school shop class. One word of caution, bamboo cutting boards made at real manufacturing plants are generally safer than homemade cutting boards. They have access to special glues and chemical-free materials that are harder to find by the do-it-yourselfer.

First, you’ll need to get long strips of bamboo boards that can be cut into strips. We could make an edge grain or end grain board but if this is your first time, it’s best to keep things simple and make a plank cutting board. Make sure you have the following tools

Tools & Materials

• Bamboo strips, food grade
• Saw
• Clamp
• Glue, food grade
• Ruler
• Sandpaper
• Rags

Next, organize some space in your garage or outside to begin the work. The work will get dusty because we’re going sawing and sanding the board to cut them to size.

1. Cut 12 planks to 9 inch lengths. Length does not have to be exact because we’re going to cut again after the planks are glued together.
2. Line up the boards on a flat surface edge-to-edge with an approximate half-inch gap between each board
3. Put wood glue between each board in the gap.
4. Clamp the boards together tightly.
5. Wipe off the glue with a damp cloth.
6. Let the glue dry 24 hours.
7. Unclamp the boards.
8. Cut the edges to a smooth edge.
9. Sand the sides and front & back surface.

Enjoy your new cutting board. Be certain to wash your board thoroughly. Food may get stuck between the planks if the glue has not made it to the edge.

Cleaning a wooden cutting board is simple. We recommend scrubbing with soap and water and letting the bamboo cutting board dry overnight in a drying rack. A common concern is disinfecting bamboo cutting boards to prevent food borne illnesses. If the board has deep scratches or gouges or cracks have formed between individual boards. Refinishing an older bamboo cutting board may require sanding or gluing panels together, and finishing with special oils that will never achieve original factory quality standards. When the damage becomes this severe, it’s cheaper to purchase a new, modern bamboo cutting board than to resurrect an older board. This is your health, if you have any doubts at all, start over by purchasing a new bamboo cutting board.

If you have been looking at getting a bamboo cutting board than you may have been wondering what style is best for you. There are many different styles, shapes and patterns. There are also many sizes such as a large bamboo cutting board. It ultimately comes down yo your own taste and what you will be using it for. Below you will find some of the different types of bamboo cutting boards as their uses.

Bamboo Butcher Block – These categorized as a large bamboo cutting board and are around a 20 by 12 inches dimension. They are heavy and can take a lot of force due to chopping. They usually have some type of legs or rubber feet to help them stay in place so they don’t slide around while you are chopping.

Cheese And Fruit Cutting Board – These are usually fairly small bamboo cutting boards. They usually measure in dimensions around 10 by 8 inches. They are mainly used for light cutting motions for appetizers such as cheese and fruits while enjoying a glass of wine. Standard All Purpose Board – These are the most common out of the types of bamboo cutting boards. You can pretty much use these for anything and are mainly used during generally preparation of meals. They are around 18 by 12 inches so they are fairly big allowing you to chop and cut multiple items at a time.

This article was just to give you a little information on some of the types of bamboo cutting boards available for you to choose from. Bamboo is an excellent Eco-friendly material that is also very sanitary. Whether you plan on using it daily for preparing meals or just occasionally with hors d’oeuvres in will be an excellent addition to your kitchen.