These Cutting Board Risers are easy to make and perfect for entertaining and display! This simple DIY project is great for a housewarming gift or beautiful décor!
Rustic cutting board risers give a great farmhouse touch to your kitchen. You can find similar wooden risers in stores for well over $30, but you could easily make these for nearly free!
Whether you choose to use them in the kitchen for cutting, in the entry way to display mementos, or as charcuterie boards while entertaining, you will LOVE these beautiful wooden cutting board risers!
Materials needed for a set of Rustic Cutting Board Risers
- 1 x scrap lumber or pallet wood (any size is fine. I’ll explain below how to make one even if your lumber isn’t as wide as you would like)
- Jig Saw
- Glue
- Square, pencil, and compass
- Wood clamps
- Dowels
- Mallet or Hammer
- Drill, Wood Rasp or Sandpaper
- Optional: Wax, paint, or stain
How do you make a set of Cutting Board Risers using pallet wood?
This set of cutting board risers includes boards of four different shapes and sizes, so you can try them all, stick to one, or use these tips to create your own version! In the tutorial, I will be using pallet wood that was used to ship electrical components to local manufacturers, but scrap wood from other sources would also work for this project. The Dimensions of each cutting board riser are listed below but make them meet your desires.
- Oval is 2.5″H x 8″ W x 13.15″L
- Circle is 2.5″ x 8″ by 11.5″
- Square is 2.5″ x 6″ x 11″
- Rectangle is 2.5″ x 8″ x 10″
Step 1. Gather your wood.
I will be using pallet wood but any ole piece of wood will do. After breaking down the pallet I found the two boards that matched up best. Avoid bowed, cupped, and mismatched thickness as much as possible.
The boards are in great shape but not as wide as I want three of the cutting boards, so I will join two of these boards in the next step.
Step 2: Drill, glue, and clamp the boards (optional)
If your boards are wide enough to make your risers skip on to step 3.
I have chosen to include dowels and glue to ensure a stronger bond between the two boards. Clamp the two boards together on the edge to help stabilize them while you locate and mark each hole. Using a square, mark the center of each board and begin locating the hole placement on the boards.
While drilling I used a level to ensure I was drilling in the right direction. Apply glue evenly on both boards and the dowels then bring the boards together and clamp.
Step 3: Draw and cut each cutting board.
I used a table saw to trim the width of the board down to eight and one-quarter inches then traced three of the cutting board patterns to the board and used a jigsaw to free the three risers of the board. I will cut the fourth cutting board for the set from one of the original boards.
Step 4: Finishing the edges and gluing the legs
Finishing touches to the rustic farmhouse cutting board risers will require the removal of the sharp edge. A wood rasp is a good tool for such a task.
I will use scrap pieces of wood secured in a vise while cutting them with a coping saw to make the legs for the cutting boards. You could safely cut these pieces using a miter saw with a customer fence used to catch small pieces as they are cut.
Attach the legs using glue, and you have finished.
We have created a set of cutting boards that will enhance the presentation of any dish at your next gathering or can be hung and displayed to contribute to your rustic farmhouse décor.
Other Easy DIY Projects
You do not have to spend a lot of time or money on beautiful décor! I have several step-by-step tutorials for projects that are easy enough for beginners. These DIY Plant Pedestals are an easy woodworking project that also makes a great gift! Some other easy projects include:
- DIY Grow Frame – Perfect for plant lovers and people whose homes could use a little extra light. If they don’t do plants, it’s cool — Just add in a fake plant, then your friend will look like a master gardener!
- DIY Shadow Box – Excellent for people who are newly married, parents, or graduated! Sentimental people, scrapbookers, and some artsy types would love this.
- DIY Wooden Tray – Beloved by people who entire often or love adding more décor. You can even personalize it for the giftee with a word, quote, or monogram.
- How to Build a Wooden Caddy – Great for entertainers! It can hold flowers, tools, and picnic essentials. Perfect for holding utensils and napkins when you’re eating out on the porch, too!
Want more? Here’s a great list of the BEST DIY Gifts!