One project I’ve had on my bucket list for the longest time has been a DIY wood cutting board. But, I’ve been wanting to build it in a way that is approachable to most people with a few power tools. So, along with the help of my incredible friends at DAP Products, I created not one, but TWO cutting boards with three power tools and no planer!

How To Make A Wood Cutting Board Without A Planer

Want to watch a video version of this tutorial? Check it out on my YouTube channel and subscribe!

One of the things I hear the most from you guys is how much you love projects that are relatable. And, although my shop and my equipment have grown this year, I still want to make my projects accessible!

That being said, I’m on a mission to share many projects this year that require three power tools or less. So, let’s start with our first one – DIY Wood Cutting Boards!

What You’ll Need:

Tools
Table Saw
Miter Saw
Sander
Wood Clamps
DAP Weldwood Glue

Materials
Hardwoods (I used Maple, Padauk, & Walnut)
Assorted Sanding Discs/Sandpaper
Cutting Board Oil

The Steps:

1. First step was to choose the lumber for my cutting board(s). When making cutting boards, it’s important to choose dense, hardwoods. For my boards, I chose maple, padauk, and walnut.

2. Next, I used my table saw to rip my pieces into similar widths. It was important for me to have a straight edge on both sides of the pieces I was working with. So, I trimmed a slight bit off of one side and then flipped the piece over and cut it to my final width.

3. After cutting the boards to width, I trimmed them down with my miter saw. I didn’t have to make them my final length just yet, but wanted them to be close.

4. After trimming everything down to size, I ran a dry fit of my boards and used a sander to smooth out any bumps leftover from the table saw.

5. Next, I placed my boards on top of my parallel clamps and added an ample amount of DAP Weldwood Glue to the edges of my boards.

6. I then used a glue spreader to evenly distribute the glue on the boards. This stuff held up so well!

7. After adding the glue, I clamped together the boards and allowed them to dry for a full day.

8. After the boards were dry, I removed them from the clamps and began the sanding process. I started sanding with 80 grit sandpaper until one side was flat.

9. I then took the cutting boards to the miter saw and trimmed them to size.

10. Once the boards were trimmed, I brought them back to the sander and sanded them to 220 grit.

11. After I was finished sanding, I wet down my boards to raise the grain (this is an important step because it prevents the board from getting rough after the first wash).

12. Once the boards dried, I sanded them back down to 220 grit and then finished them with cutting board oil!

That’s it!

I was so shocked that I was able to create this board with just three tools! Like I said, cool DIY projects don’t have to be overcomplicated!

Want to save this project for later? Make sure to Pin It!

Can’t wait to try more projects with three tools or less and share them with you all! If you’re interested in that, make sure to subscribe to my Three Tool Projects playlist on YouTube!

Until next time… Happy DIY’ing!

This post is sponsored by DAP Products, Inc. All tastes in art work and product opinions are my own. For my full disclosure policy, click here.