One way to add warmth and character to your kitchen is also the easiest. That would be with a vintage cutting board. These antique cutting boards can be displayed so many different ways, such as:
- Leaned up against your backsplash
- Used as a tray for holding produce or cooking oils/salt/pepper
- Hung on the wall or from a peg rail
- Placed on open shelving
Today, I’m rounding up my favorite vintage cutting boards, photos for inspiration, and even a tutorial for making your own. I saw this cutting board on Amazon and used that as my muse.
Vintage Cutting Boards You Can Buy
Here’s the thing about REAL vintage cutting boards – they can be hard to find and pricey to buy. But they definitely have that lovely character that is so hard to replicate so finding one is worth it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get the look with a faux one either.
Here are some good finds for you (both real and faux). Just click on any picture for more information.
First – ask your family! Maybe your mom or grandma has an old cutting board lying around somewhere. Flea Markets are also a good place to look for old cutting boards. However, if you don’t live in an area where flea markets are frequent, then Etsy is a great choice for you. Chase Vintage, Antique Transylvania, and Anything Rustic are good Etsy sellers for these antique boards.
Here are some search terms you want to look for:
- Vintage Cutting Board
- Vintage Breadboards
- Antique Boards
- Antique Cutting Board
- Vintage Cheeseboards
- Aged Wood Boards
- French Cutting Board
Pottery Barn also has a “found” section on its website with antique goods. They have a collection of antique cutting boards from areas like Hungary and France from the turn of the twentieth century. They are so beautiful. I just love these aged wood boards!
How to Clean and Maintain your Cutting Board
Once you have one of these beautiful boards, you want to keep it in shape! All you will need for this is some coarse salt and lemon! First, rub some coarse salt all over the board and let it sit for 10 minutes. Cut a lemon in half and rub both halves on the board, allowing the juice to soak into the board. Rinse with hot water and allow to dry completely.
Every now and again, you can condition the board with food-grade mineral oil.
How to Make a Vintage Cutting Board
Making your own vintage cutting board is not that hard. In fact, I used all scrap wood from our stash in our garage. One important thing to keep in mind; the one I made is NOT FOOD SAFE. It’s for decorative purposes only.
If you wanted to make one that was food safe, I would opt for a hardwood like walnut or maple or white oak (versus soft pine), skip the stain, and only apply food-safe mineral oil to it. Food-safe mineral oil can be coconut oil, walnut oil, or even beeswax. A quick google search will bring up a ton of options.
For this tutorial, we are making a look-a-like vintage cutting board that is only used for decor. I also made a quick reel so you can see how this comes together.
Things You’ll Need
Scrap Wood for Board (see notes)
Small Lattice Pieces for Decoration (see notes)
Tape Measure and Pencil
Saw (either freehand or a miter saw or even a jigsaw)
Sander (preferably an orbital sander)
Wood Stain (I used Early American)
Drill with Spade Bit or Forstner Bit
Jute Twine or Rope
A note about Wood:
I used three pieces of cedar wood for this project. That’s what we had and I didn’t want to run out to the hardwood store. If you have a big enough piece of wood, you can get away with using one big wood board for this and cutting a handle in the middle. If you really want to get the look of a vintage board – try to use a piece of OLD WOOD, like reclaimed wood or even an old pallet.
How to Make your own vintage cutting board look-a-like version (not food safe).
Total time: 1 day
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Cut Wood to Size
I used three pieces of cedar boards and cut them to size. Two boards are identical in length. One board is going to be 2 inches longer than the other two. This is to account for the handle.
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Cut handle
Since one board is 2 inches longer – that means we will have a 2 inch long handle. You will want to tightly clamp your wood to your working station or use a vice so it doesn’t move around on you while you are sawing. Make a mark where the handle will begin and draw out the shape of the handle. My handle has straight sides for easier cutting. Use your saw to carefully cut out the wood around your handle shape. You can also use a jig or router for this to give yourself a little more freehand movement while cutting.
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Sand
Sand all your wood boards really well. An orbital sander is a good tool to use for this. Use 220 grit sandpaper so it’s nice and smooth. I like to sand the “rough edges” so they are more rounded. This takes away that “I got it at Home Depot” look.
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Glue Boards Together
Wood Glue your three boards together, ensuring the board with the handle is in the center. Use clamps around your boards to hold them together until the wood glue sets.
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Attach decorative Wood Pieces
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Drill Hole for Handle
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Stain and Apply Polyurethane
Now you just need to stain and apply polyurethane to your cutting board. Once that is dry, attach a piece of jute twine to the handle for hanging. And that’s it!
I love the way this turned out and I’m tempted to make another one that’s smaller so I hang them side by side. While it’s not functional, for FREE scrap wood – this is the perfect piece to hang in my kitchen and add some character and texture.
If your kitchen feels a little too sterile, try adding some of these vintage cutting boards. I think you’ll be pleased with the way it looks! And, even though it’s weird – you can even use these in a bathroom. Check out my wood pedestal project to see what I mean. And feel free to peruse my other woodworking projects while you are there.
Thanks for visiting!
Xo Karen
Karen Sloan
Karen Sloan is the founder, editor and syndicated content writer of www.decorhint.com. She offers hints of inspiration for everyday living, including home ideas, DIY projects and lifestyle content. Her work has appeared on Google News, MSN, Pioneer Woman, Apartment Therapy, and Bustle, among others.