Clifton Forge School of the Arts

Tuition: $85

Ages: 10 to Adult

Appalachian Kitchen Cutting Boards

Create a beautiful, functional hardwood cutting board while learning the fundamentals of traditional woodworking. In this two-session workshop, students will explore wood selection, grain direction, pattern layout, glue-up, clamping, shaping, sanding, and food-safe finishing.

Students will build an edge-grain cutting board using carefully selected hardwoods such as maple, cherry, and walnut. This class emphasizes practical Appalachian craft traditions: making useful household objects with care, attention, and respect for the material.

Friday Evening Session: Students will select and arrange their hardwood strips, learn about grain direction and board design, then glue and clamp their cutting board blanks.

Saturday Session: Students will remove their boards from the clamps, flatten and shape the board, soften the edges, sand the surface smooth, and apply a food-safe oil and wax finish.

Each student will leave with a completed handmade cutting board and instructions for proper care.

Photo note: The cutting boards shown are examples of the style and quality of project students will create. Because each student will choose their own wood arrangement and hand-finish their board, every finished piece will vary somewhat in appearance and design.