In my favorite antique shop, I discovered a worn cutting board by Dansk. It had heavy knife stress marks and cracks. But the moment I saw it, I was determined to restore and serve the best charcuterie spread right on it. I spent a Saturday sanding, oiling, and buffing the piece until it began to shine like it was brand new.

Before and After

The Board

After buying it for only $5 at the antique store, I was pleased to discover that the exact model of cutting board is listed for over $350 online! All the more reason to treasure this beautiful piece.

The Process

Of course, I gave the board a thorough cleaning with dish soap. I let it dry completely, then I sanded the board with a medium grit sanding sponge. After sanding, I wiped the board clear of any dust with a tack cloth. All there was left to do was use the Howard Butcher Block Conditioner and Cutting Board Oil. I applied a few layers of the Cutting Board Oil every few hours for extra conditioning. See photos from my Dansk Cutting Board’s journey back to beauty.

It’s crucial to thoroughly clean a wooden cutting board because the surface is porous and can hold on to bacteria and residue from prior use.

I gave the cutting board a gentle sanding; just enough so that the wood would soak up as much of the oil and wax as possible.

Be sure only to use food grade wood conditioner! I used the Howard brand Butcher Block Conditioner, followed by the Cutting Board Oil from the same brand. You can buy those products at most hardware stores, for about $10 each.

The Final Product

Have you ever brought something old back to life?