How to Build a Checkerboard Butcher Block

Checkerboard butcher blocks are an elegant take on wooden cutting boards. The contrast of the wood colors in a dynamic pattern adds an interesting aesthetic to an otherwise useful piece of kitchen equipment. Make your own checkerboard butcher block in your home workshop with a table saw, glue and some wood clamps. The process is simple for any novice woodworker but will take two days to complete because of drying times.

Instructions

1

Place the strips of wood in the following order from right to left on your work table: 2 1/4-inch-wide piece of maple, 3/4-inch purple heart, 1 3/4-inch maple, 1 1/4-inch purple heart, 1 1/4-inch maple, 1 3/4-inch purple heart, 3/4-inch maple, 2 1/4-inch purple heart.

2

Flip each piece of wood 90 degrees to the left, starting with the piece on the far left. You do not need to flip the last piece on the right end.

3

Slide each piece approximately 3 inches away from surrounding pieces so you have room to work with each piece.

4

Squirt wood glue on each piece of wood. Only apply to the side that is currently facing up. Spread the glue evenly with an ink or a trim roller. Do not apply glue to the piece of wood that you did not turn 90 degrees.

5

Flip each piece of wood back to the right 90 degrees. Place the pieces, including the far right piece, up against each other to form one large block.

6

Place a clamp on the right and left ends of the long side of the block. Place a clamp in between the first two clamps in the middle of the block.

7

Wait 30 minutes. Use a small scraper or putty knife to remove the semi-dried glue that has oozed out between the wood pieces. Do not wipe the glue when it is wet or it will smear over the surface of the wood. Let the block dry overnight.

8

Run an orbital sander with medium-grit paper over the entire surface to flatten it. Do this on both sides of the block. Wipe with a soft cloth.

9

Cut the block into 11 strips measuring 1 1/4 inches wide each with the table saw.

10

Put the 1 1/4-inch strips back into order as they were in the original block before you cut it. Starting with the second strip from the left, pick up every other strip by the short end and flip it away from you. This will create the checkerboard pattern.

11

Flip each strip 90 degrees to the left, except for the last strip on the right. Move the right end strip off to the side a few inches.

12

Squirt glue over the entire block, minus the right end strip. Smooth the glue out evenly with the roller.

13

Turn the strips back to the right 90 degrees and add the right end strip. Reclamp in the same fashion as before.

14

Wait 30 minutes and scrape off the excess glue with the putty knife or scraper.

15

Let the board dry overnight. Sand with medium-grit sandpaper and wipe with a soft cloth. Sand again with a fine-grit sandpaper and wipe with a soft cloth.