Cutting boards are more than just functional kitchen tools. They can also be stylish additions that make your kitchen look more elegant. A uniquely designed epoxy and wood cutting board can serve as an icebreaker during dinner parties, showing your personal touch for homemade products. In this blog, we will guide you on how to make epoxy cutting board so you can create a stunning and functional piece for any dining space at home.

Pick the Ideal Wood for your Cutting Board

 When you want to choose the right wood for your cutting board, durability and safety should be key factors. Hardwoods like maple, walnut, olive and cherry are chosen by many woodworkers due to their dense grain structure and natural resistance to bacteria. These wood species also have beautiful colors and unique patterns, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your cutting board.

Choosing the Best Epoxy for Your Cutting Board

When you are crafting cutting boards, it is a must that you use food-safe epoxy resin. This kind of epoxy is meant to come in contact with food without oozing toxic elements into it. ArtResin, MAX CLR and ZDSticky are among the common names known for high caliber epoxy resins, which are suitable for making cutting boards.

Pigment Types for Pouring Cutting Boards

When working with epoxy resin cutting boards, the pigments should be able to keep the food-safe standards. Those particular colors selected must not affect the food-safe properties of epoxy resin. There are several types of pigments available like organic pigments such as carotenoids or anthocyanins; but it is vital to always check for compatibility with the composition used in making epoxy resins as well as whether they are safe if accidentally taken during meals. Always check the product labels or consult with the manufacturer to confirm their safety.

Recommended Food-Safe Finishes for Your Cutting Boards

• Originating from the Lac bug, a natural finish that is suitable to seal wood surfaces. It provides good protection from moisture and leaves a glossy finish if applied thick enough.
• Pure Tung Oil: One of the few common "Drying Oils". As it cures, it becomes less flexible and gains waterproof properties.
• Food Grade Beeswax: This comes from the honeycomb of honey bees. It's often used to glaze fruit, and to make gel capsules and chewing gum.
• Carnauba Wax: Extracted from plants, it is known to be safe for consuming since it neither goes into nor interacts with the human body.
• Mineral Oil: This type of oil is often used as a coating. In addition to being safe for daily activities, its durability is great.
• Walnut Oil: Many people prefer walnut oil because of its ease in application plus the fact that it’s safe for food.
• Linseed Oil: Used commonly for protecting qualities.
• Fractionated Coconut Oil: This oil makes an ideal choice due to its longevity and stability.

DIY List for Resin Cutting Board Project

Moving on steps on how to make a wood and epoxy cutting board, you'll need the following materials and tools:

1. Wood (maple, walnut, olive or cherry)
2. Food-safe epoxy resin
3. Food-safe finish oil
4. Pigments (optional)
5. Silicone mold
6. Heat gun
7. Sandpaper (various grits)
8. Saw
9. Clamps
10. Mixing cups and sticks
11. Gloves
12. Dust mask

Step-by-Step guide for DIY Cutting Board

Below will be an easy guide on how to make a wood and epoxy cutting board, which will help you unlock the secrets of making an excellent wooden and epoxy artwork.

Step 1: Prepare the wood

This is optional, but you should debark and clean the wood pieces. Afterwards, cut your chosen wood to the desired size and sand it smooth. To produce the river look for your cutting board, you can split a long wood slab into two pieces and arrange them along the two sides of the mold.

Step 2: Build a mold

Plywood or MDF are your most ideal choices to build the mold due to its cheap price and ease to work with. Build a box frame with an inner width wider than the desired board size. Then, line the inside of the mold with packing tape to make resin easier. Finally, apply tape to each mold piece then add silicone between all mold seams.

Step 3: Clamp the wood pieces

Fasten the wood pieces to the mold with clamps. This step will assist you in keeping the wood pieces in the right positions and minimizing bubbles when we pour epoxy into the mold.

Step 4: Measure and mix the epoxy

Measure the resin and hardener you need for this project into separate cups. The amount required depends on the area you wish to cover. Follow the manufacturer's directions for mixing the epoxy resin and hardener. Epoxy should be mixed thoroughly before pouring into molds.

Step 5: Pour the epoxy

Pour the epoxy liquid into the mold, making sure it covers any gaps or knots in the wood pieces. Remember to lower your mixing cup while pouring epoxy to avoid bubbles. In order to make your cutting board look more ravishing, you can also put some colored pigments and create wavy patterns with a small stick.

Step 6: Remove the bubbles

Using a heat gun will remove any bubbles that may still be on the surface of epoxy resin. This small but useful tip will help you to achieve a perfect and transparent appearance.

Step 7: Cure the epoxy

Let the epoxy be cured completely. Depending on your cutting board’s brand and thickness, this may take a period of time varying from one day to several days.

Step 8: It’s time to demold!

We’re almost done! It's time to remove the cutting board from the mold and thoroughly clean all sides. To pry the resin off the baseplate, use a flathead screwdriver. Make sure to be careful not to damage the wood. After that, plane off the excess resin, reducing the board thickness to little over 3/4 inch.

Step 9: Sand and finish

Sanding the board smoothly should be done after all the epoxy has completely cured. Begin with coarse sandpaper and move on to finer grits. The following disc types can be used if the surface is extremely rough or severely scratched: 60-grit, 120-grit, 180-grit, 240-grit, 320-grit.

Lastly, apply a food safe finish on top to preserve the wood and epoxy while highlighting their natural features like grain patterns or other sorts of designs.

How Much Epoxy for a Cutting Board?

To estimate the suitable amount of epoxy for your cutting board, you need to consider the size and thickness of the board. The length, width, and desired thickness of the epoxy layer must be multiplied together in order to calculate how much epoxy one would require. Online epoxy calculators are another resource that can give you a specific number if necessary.

Is Epoxy Food-Safe After Curing?

Yes, epoxy is generally regarded as food-safe if it has completely cured. Yet again, not all epoxy resins are FDA-approved; this is something important to keep in mind while picking an epoxy resin for your cutting board-ones marked as food-safe or with the FDA's approval.

In addition, there are also some crucial factors that should be put into consideration when using an epoxy cutting board:

• Heat: If overheated, epoxy resin can give off harmful fumes. Therefore, avoid placing hot food or pots directly on the epoxy cutting board.
• Scratches: Toxins can also be discharged from epoxy resin if it is scraped or damaged, especially on plastic cutting boards. Thus, stay away from sharp items.
• Cleaning: They must be cleaned immediately after using to avoid food remains sticking on the board surface.
• Storage: Epoxy should be kept out of direct sunlight and extreme temperatures to prevent the epoxy from becoming yellow and causing early breakdown due to heat or moisture.

How Long Until the Epoxy is Food-Safe?

An epoxy cutting board is safe to use when it has fully cured. The curing time for epoxy really depends on specific items and environmental conditions. For the best outcomes, you will need to follow the guidance of the producers.

We hope our guidance on how to make epoxy cutting board is useful for wood and epoxy enthusiasts. When working with wood or resin, beginners should wear gloves and make sure there is enough ventilation. Now, let’s get crafting! With a little patience, effort and creativity you can make a cutting board that will not only serve its function but also be truly an art piece. So what are you still thinking about? Let your imagination go wild and start crafting! Feel free to contact us at +1 ‪(323) 990-2487 for additional information and just for any concerns you may have after this blog.