End-grain Cutting Boards

End-Grain Cutting Board Workshop: Craft a Heirloom-Quality Board in Three Sessions

Transform ordinary lumber into a stunning, heirloom-quality end-grain cutting board while mastering a full progression of woodworking skills. Across three engaging sessions, you’ll learn the techniques professionals use for design, joinery, glue-ups, surfacing, and finishing — leaving with a custom piece that’s as durable as it is beautiful.

Session 1 – Design, Prep & First Glue-Up

Get hands-on right away!
You’ll start by selecting complementary hardwoods — typically maple, walnut, cherry, and other richly colored species — and learn how grain direction and contrast influence the final pattern.
Then, under expert instruction, you’ll cut and joint your pieces to dimension, lay out your board’s design, and perform the first glue-up.
By the end of this session, your project will already resemble the beginnings of a true craftsman’s board.

Skills Learned:
• Wood selection and grain orientation
• Safe milling and crosscutting techniques
• Layout planning and precision glue-ups

Session 2 – Crosscutting & End-Grain Assembly

Now the magic happens.
You’ll take your cured panel, crosscut it into strips, and re-arrange them to reveal your end-grain pattern — the hallmark of a professional cutting board.
In this session you’ll perform the second glue-up, learning how to align the pattern for symmetry and strength while mastering clamping strategies to ensure a perfect bond.

Skills Learned:
• Pattern creation and orientation control
• Advanced glue-up sequencing
• Clamping methods for precision assemblies

Session 3 – Flattening, Shaping & Finishing

Start this session by flattening your board to reveal its beautiful end-grain surface.
You’ll learn safe surfacing and squaring techniques using specialized tools before moving on to shaping and finishing.
Add optional edge profiles or finger grooves, sand to a silky smooth surface, and apply a food-safe oil-and-wax finish that brings the colors and grain to life.
You’ll leave with a professional-quality board ready to use or display.

Skills Learned:
• Safe surfacing and flattening end-grain boards
• Edge profiling with the router
• Progressive sanding and food-safe finishing

Class Details

• Duration: Three sessions, 2–3 hours each
• Materials & Tools: All provided and included in the class fee
• Experience Level: Beginner to intermediate — no prior woodworking required
• Take-Home: One finished, end-grain cutting board you designed yourself