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masking the site, you will cut down on the amount of sanding you will have to do afterward, helping you maintain the consistent thickness of the cutting board.

After removing the masking, you will want to sand the engraved area lightly, keeping your sander flat and even. Lightly sand over the entire cutting board, not just the engraved area. This will give a much better finish to your product. Many people do not do this extra sanding; they only sand the engraved area leaving the board a little uneven. Since my boards are always evenly flat, that sets my work apart from the crowd. When I’m at shows, selling my cutting boards alongside other woodworker’s pieces, my customers often comment that my boards are better quality than the others. It’s not actually the quality; it’s because the board has been prepared to be evenly flat, nothing else. It is the care of the crafter that makes a difference here!

Then the goal is to start conditioning the board. This treatment penetrates the wood, saturating the wood fibers and stopping other liquids (i.e., blood, bacteria) and moisture from soaking into the board. A well-oiled cutting board will also keep its shape when