How to Build a Chopping Board in 7 Steps

One of the lads in our yard, Will, works weekends here at Quay Timber while he studies during the week. In his spare time he enjoys building things and is quickly becoming a talented craftsman! Last payday he spent his wages on some new machinery to work on his projects. 

Slowly building his toolshed, most recently, Will build a beautiful chopping board from some spare sapele hardwood in the Quay Timber woodshed. And just look at the results! 

Will's Custom Made Chopping Board

The following are the steps Will took to build this eyecatchingly vibrant chopping board.  

1) Firstly he would get the length of sapele from Quay Timber and cut it down to the length of the chopping board (around 400mm).  

2) Secondly, Will hand planed the board so that the boards were flat and square. 

3) He then ran the wood through his table saw, cutting it into strips 5mm thick and 35mm wide.  

Will's new table saw, purchased with his Quay Timber wages!

4) Will then glued the strips together in an alternating pattern to make the most out of the sapele’s beautiful grain. He then applied sash clamps for around 24 hours and left the glue to set. 

The setting process lasts about 24 hours for gluing sapele

5) After the glue had set, Will used a plunge router and a sled router to flatten the boards, ready to be sanded. 

6) With the board flattened, Will then cut the board to its final size: 400mm x 350mm, then sanded it to achieve a very smooth finish.  

7) Finally the board was finished with a pure mineral oil for a glossy professional look. Rubber feet were also added for grip on the kitchen counter surface.  

The rubber feet were drilled right into the board

If you fancy following Will’s guide and building your own beautiful chopping board for your kitchen, come down to Quay Timber or check out our online store for all the supplies you’ll need!