DIY Bread and Cheese Board

This bread and cheese board makes a great gift, and is simple to make!

DIY Bread and Cheese Board

Hi there, Pretty Handy Girl readers! I’m Vineta from The Handyman’s Daughter, back with another tutorial for you! This bread and cheese board was a gift to my mom for Christmas, and she absolutely loved it! The marble inlay is perfect for keeping cheese cool, and the walnut cutting surface contrasts beautifully against the white marble.

I was nervous cutting into this gorgeous walnut piece. I decided to wait until my dad, The Handyman himself, visited for Christmas. The whole process was actually quite simple, and we finished just in time to put the present under the tree!

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Walnut wood at least 3/4″ thick and 8″ wide (I went to my local hardwood lumber store and found a gorgeous piece that was 1 1/4″ thick and 9 1/2″ wide.)
Marble tile (I had a 2″ x 18″ long piece of marble tile left over from building my fireplace hearth.)
100% silicone adhesive (must be food safe)
Painter’s tape
Table saw with dado blade
Router and 1/8″ roundover bit
Sander and sandpaper
Mineral oil or cutting board wax

Instructions:

Start by cutting a piece of marble tile to your desired size. (Mine was already 2″ x 18″, so I just sanded down the cut edges to remove any bumps from the tile saw.)

Next, cut your walnut to the length of the tile. Make sure the ends are square before proceeding.

Run your walnut through the table saw to make sure is square. (The dado blade was already in place, so my dad just used the blade closest to the fence to make the cut.)

Using a 1/8″ roundover bit in your router, remove the hard corners from each side.

Determine where you want the marble to go in your finished piece. (I wanted my marble stripe to be asymmetrical, so I placed it 2″ from the edge.)

Mark the width and depth of the marble tile on the end grain of your walnut.

Set the depth of the dado blades on the table saw to the same depth as the marble. Line up the edge of the blade with your markings, then make the cut. Repeat the cut until you reach the mark for the other side.

Test the fit of your marble tile inside the groove. There should be a tiny bit of room on either side to allow for wood movement. If the marble rocks when you press down on one side, you can clean up the bottom of the groove with a straight router bit.

We soon realized that the corner of the marble was sharp, while the rest of the cutting board edge was curved. Luckily, marble is very soft, so we were able to round over the corner with 80 grit sandpaper.

Sand your cutting board with progressively finer grits of sandpaper. Be careful not to round over the edges of the groove.

Give the surface of the wood an initial coat of mineral oil or cutting board wax. This will prevent the silicone from seeping into the grain. (Isn’t it amazing how the wood comes alive as it soaks up oil?)

Tape off the edges of the groove with painter’s tape. Then apply a line of silicone along the perimeter. Check the label to make sure it’s food safe 100% Silicone.

Cover the top of the marble with painter’s tape, then lay it in the groove. Run another bead of silicone in the gap between the marble and the wood, and run your finger along the seam. This will prevent crumbs from getting into the cracks, while also allowing for wood movement. Let the silicone set for at least 24 hours before use.

Remove the painter’s tape and clean up any silicone that might have squeezed out with a razor blade. Then give it another coat of mineral oil and it’s ready to use!

We put the bread and cheese board to work right away serving appetizers on Christmas Day!

I plan to make a few more of these to give as gifts in the future. It’s such a simple project that’s sure to impress!

If you loved this project, check out my other woodworking projects over at The Handyman’s Daughter!

~ view more of Vineta’s projects ~

Liked this tutorial? You may also like this DIY Wood Cutting Board:

January 3, 2018/2 Comments/by Vineta Jackson

arts and craft, Best of Posts, Build It

Best of 2017

2017 was another busy year that flew by. For those of you that may have missed some of the best tutorials and DIY posts of 2017, I’ve collected them all together for you in one place. Without further delay, here is the Best of 2017!

It only took me four years, but I finally finished my built-in pantry with a coffee bar, hidden wine storage, and soft closing pull out shelves. Here are all the pictures and details for my finished kitchen pantry.

My growing boys have found a real love in reading. This closet that used to be a jumbled toy storage, is now a comfy and cozy library reading nook. You’ll want to check out the secret passage inside this Children’s Library Closet.

My husband has been playing guitar for the past few years. In an effort to keep his guitar close at hand (and store away the guitar case), I built him this DIY Folding Guitar Stand. You’ll never believe what trash item I used to build it.

One of my most popular posts this year was actually a video tutorial sharing the Perfect Rustic Paint Technique I use on most of my wood projects. You too can learn how to make anything look old and aged by following this tutorial.

For Mother’s Day I made these reversible recipe placemats for my mother-in-law. I scanned recipe cards her recently departed mother created for our wedding present. The placemats turned out to be a great way to commemorate a wonderful woman.

One of my favorite projects this year was building this Striped Porch Swing using Scrap Wood. It was a good way to use up scraps from the shop and build a fun swing for next to nothing.

Speaking of building something with scraps, this tutorial is another build using leftover wood in the shop. The best part of this project is it’s a wonderful way to give back to a school! Learn how to Build this Lost & Found Center in a few hours.

For the aspiring artists, this tutorial for Painting Abstract Water Lilies was very popular. Plus, I showed how to cover up those ugly eyesores in your home.

Pallet projects reached a height in popularity this year. I finally decided to come clean on the Real Facts about Using Pallet Wood so you can decide for yourself whether that free wood is really worth it.

I saved the best for last. This year I purchased a house built in 1900 and I’m trying to save her. The Saving Etta Chapters are my way of chronicling the process. The Saving Etta chapters have been extremely popular and well received by my readers. Thank you for allowing me to deviate from tutorials and journal about my adventures saving this historic property. Read all twelve short chapters here.

Want to see more of my Best of the Year posts? Here are the Best of: 2010 | 2011 | 2014 | 2015

December 29, 2017/4 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

art, arts and craft, Build It

DIY Barn Wood Picture Frame

Hey all, it’s Shara here again from Woodshop Diaries! Today, I’m excited to show you how to make a simple barn wood picture frame!

A friend of mine tore down his family’s tobacco barn recently and he asked me to make a few things out of the wood for him. I recently finished a dining table and bench. I also made a few barn wood frames and they turned out beautifully!

In fact, they came out so great, I knew I wanted to show you how to make your own!

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Barn wood (if you don’t have any, some 1x boards will work, too)
Glass pane the size you want your picture (I did 16″x20″)
¼” plywood
5/8″ wood screws
Picture hanger hardware
Corner clamp
Wood Glue
Gorilla Clear Glue
Staple Gun and 3/8″ staples
Table Saw
Miter Saw
Router and 3/8″ rabbet bit
Drill
Chisel
Hammer

Cut List for 16×20 frame:

(2) ¾” x 4″ x 27 3/8″ (both ends mitered 45 degrees NOT parallel)
(2) ¾” x 4″ x 23 3/8″ (both ends mitered 45 degrees NOT parallel)
¼” x 18″ x 22″ backing

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut frame boards to size per cut list above.

For this project, I used barn wood. It was old, dirty, and rough. None of it was cut to the same size, so the first thing I did was rip all my boards the same width. If you are using old barn wood, or pallets, you’ll want to rip all your lumber to the same width. If you are using new boards from the lumber store, you can skip this step.

To achieve the same width as my barn wood frame, rip all boards to 4 inches wide. (Remember, if you buy new boards, 1x4s are only 3 ½” wide and 1x6s are 5 ½” wide, so your measurements will be slightly different than mine since I used 4″ wide boards.)

Miter the ends of each board 45 degrees.

Step 2: Glue frame together

Dry fit the frame pieces together and make sure they fit and everything is square.

Use wood glue to join all the corners and press together.

Use either bar clamps, or a corner clamp to hold the frame together while the glue dries. Reinforce the joints by stapling the back side of the corners. Alternatively, you can use metal L brackets, just make sure the screws don’t go all the way through your frame.

Step 3: Route out back side for glass panel

Using a router and a 3/8″ rabbet bit, route out the inside opening of the back of the frame like shown. Set your cutting depth the same or slightly more than the thickness of the 16×20 glass panel for the frame.

Clean up and square off the corners using a chisel.

Set your glass panel in place to make sure it fits. If it doesn’t, chisel out any material keeping it from fitting in place.

Step 4: Glue glass in place

Using Clear Gorilla Glue (which, by the way, is awesome stuff), run a bead of glue in the groove you cut in step 3 and place glass panel in place.

Set something heavy (but not too heavy) on the glass to hold in place until the glue dries.

Step 5: Add backing

Once the glue is dry, place your picture in the frame, then attach the backing and hanging hardware. Use 5/8″ wood screws to attach the ¼” plywood backing like shown. Attach the hanging hardware in your frame.

And that’s it! Your DIY Barn Wood Frame is ready to hang!

The detail on this old wood is so pretty!

This would also be a great project for pallet wood or any old reclaimed wood if you don’t have actual barn wood available!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and give it a try for yourself! Happy building!

~See more of Shara’s tutorials~

December 27, 2017/6 Comments/by Shara M

Before and After, Build It, decor, Decorating, ReNew, renovation

How to Tile a Fireplace

Hello Pretty Handy Girl Readers! Sarah here from The Created Home. Today I’m sharing how you can update and customize your fireplace by doing your own tile work. Don’t be intimidated, tiling is actually quite accessible for DIYers, and once you get the hang of it you’ll be unstoppable. You may even find that you really enjoy it!

As with any DIY, especially one you are new to, you will need to read all the way through to make sure you are familiar with the process and always take proper safety precautions. Use ear and eye protection when you are using a tile saw. Read the manual for your tile saw and make some test cuts to get the feel for using it.

Note: This tutorial will not cover the grouting step. The tile I chose for this project was close together and did not require grout. I’ll cover that in more detail in just a bit. To learn how to grout, read Brittany’s tutorial on grouting and sealing tile.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

wet saw (buy or rent)
tile adhesive/mortar – mix or ready made
notched trowel
wet rags
square
pencil
*spacers (depending on tile choice and look)
small level

How to Tile a Fireplace: Make a plan

Entire tutorials can be written about how to choose and plan out your tile. There are a LOT of options out there. Bear in mind that a patterned tile will require more work when laying out, as the pattern needs to be visible and centered in the space. Example: In this fireplace I would have loved to use a cement tile look, but the tiles I found were 8″ and the sides of the firebox only allowed for 6 ½” (which would have looked awkward with the designs I liked.)

Ugly Before Shot:

A second thing to keep in mind is that knowing the square feet to be covered is only half the battle. Chances are you’ll have a number of small pieces to cut which will render some part of each tile unusable. It’s a good rule of thumb to always get 10 – 15% more tile than you need.

Once you have the tile you will need to plan your layout. Where will a row have to be ripped to fit? Where will the pattern repeat? What order will the tile need to be applied? For this project my husband and I spent just as much time making the plan as actually installing the tile.

Get to work:

For this project we chose to tile over existing tile, which was far simpler than removing what was there (even with the poor shape it was in.) If your tile doesn’t have adhesion issues this may be a great route for you. We tested the waters [tile] here and found that the damage to the existing tile was superficial, albeit highly unattractive.

Once you have a game plan it’s time to make your first cut. A tile saw (or wet saw) cuts much like a table saw, but it needs a constant source of water to keep the blade cool and the dust down. Keep a pail of water on hand to refill the saw as needed. Some tile saws can be hooked up to a water source via a hose.

You will be covering the edges where the tile runs into the wood mantle surround with some sort of trim, so it’s not important that you are dead on with every cut fitting perfectly against that edge. This is also useful if you run into issues with things being out of square (which happens frequently). You can see in the photo below the tile does not fit snuggly, or uniformly along the far sides.

Using a Wet Saw: a few tips

I recommend using a tile saw rather than a snap cutter (which just doesn’t work very well). It can be intimidating at first, but go slow, use caution, and follow some basic rules to ensure a professional looking, safe job.

The first rule, is to keep those fingers away from the blade. Make your cuts slow and steady. Water should be flowing around the blade constantly as you gently push the piece through. You can avoid chipped ends by pushing the piece through very, very slowly as you reach the end, being careful not to force the blade. Too fast and the corner of your tile will likely chip off.

Use your fence to make sure your cuts are straight. You may have to trim off ends if you tile is staggered, as ours was. Place the trimmed end to the outside, where it will be covered with molding.

How to Tile a Fireplace: adhering the tile

Tile adhesive comes either pre-mixed or in powder form. Pre-mixed is great for small jobs like a fireplace, but either route is fine. Use the notched trowel to spread the adhesive on the back of the tile piece, covering the entire back.

The notches will leave tracks, like so:

Position the tile where you want it and push firmly, wiggling it around a bit so those tile tracks fill and the tile is firmly adhered along every point to the fireplace.

If you are grouting between your tiles you will use spacers around each piece. The pieces we used required being set close together to mimic the look of the “preset” tiles. We used the adhesive to fill any small gaps that did show. Again, be sure to check out Brittany’s grouting tutorial if you plan to use grout.

Continue adding the tiles to the desired pattern. Be sure to account for how your final row will fit, as it will in all likelihood require cutting the tile crossway to fit correctly. The good news is you will be able to hide the seam at the top with some molding.

This fireplace required tile down on the hearth as well, which meant notching around the mantle. To make those cuts be sure you are cutting the tile face up and draw lines to help guide your cuts. The blade will undercut a bit farther than your top cut, but it will be hidden underneath. You’ll quickly discover that most lines are not square, and probably have a gap something like this. Use some caulking to seam it all together and it will look just fine.

Finishing the Fireplace: adding trim

Molding completes the finished product and hides those seams. Quarter round is a great option for the fireplace. Paint the molding to match the mantle. Attach by driving brad nails through the quarter round at an angle so it goes into the hearth. Caulk around the molding for a seamless look.

Bonus Content: wrapping the hearth

The front of the hearth here had tile, and I decided the better look would be to wrap it in wood instead to tie it into the white of the mantle and break up the tile a bit. It’s the same look I created when we redesigned our own fireplace.

To create this look you will need a piece that is the same width as the height of the hearth front inclusive of the tile you just added. If you are lucky you won’t have to rip a piece down to fit.

The sides of that front can be square cut or mitered. To miter the front, cut one end at a 45 degree angle. I prefer to use the saw’s bevel function to get this cut nice and straight.

Place the piece against the front of the hearth and line up where it will sit.

Mark the other end where the short end of the 45 will sit. This is easier and more accurate than simply measuring.

It also helps to sketch the angle of your cut while the wood is in place to ensure you don’t cut the wrong way (it’s easy to do).

Cut 45˚ for the side pieces, then measure and make the 90 degree cuts. You can easily cut those back to fit, so cut a little at a time. Paint the molding. Attach by finish nailing the angles together, and then either nail or glue it to the face of the hearth. We used construction adhesive and clamps, letting them sit overnight.

Stand back and enjoy your hard work!

As you can see, not only are there a lot of options for refinishing a fireplace, there are a ton of options for tile itself. Tiling is a great way to go that doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Our cost for this fireplace was just over $100.

When we started, this fireplace was far from the focal point of the home, as you can see . . .

. . .and here’s the dramatic finished look.

Now it’s your turn! Put those tiling skills to work and tile it up! In no time at all you’ll be chatting with company and casually mention, “Oh yes, the fireplace. I did that. No big thing.” And don’t forget to share your before and after photos so we can all admire the transformation with you.

Happy tiling!

~See More of Sarah’s Projects~

Check out these other posts to up your tiling game!

December 22, 2017/5 Comments/by Sarah Home

Build It, caulking, christmas gift wrap, Crafts, DIY, Do It Yourself, Fix It, Gift Ideas, gift wrapping, gifts, moulding, nailgun, sheet metal

DIY Sheet Metal Gift Trays

8. Complete with "L" brackets on corners. Add gifts and deliver!

DIY Sheet Metal Gift Trays

The holidays are fast approaching and it’s time to start thinking about gift giving ideas! Gift trays are a great way deliver gifts to your friends, neighbors or teachers. The best part of a gift tray is it can be reused for anything they want and nothing goes to waste! Follow along with this tutorial to see how to make these DIY Sheet Metal Gift Trays.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

1/2″ or 3/4″ Plywood scrap wood
2″ pieces of lathe or scrap moulding
[amazon_textlink asin=’B000W49NPC’ text=’Sheet metal scrap’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’4f103892-cbe2-11e7-a00c-3fda84932599′] (large enough to cover plywood base)
[amazon_textlink asin=’B00009OYFY’ text=’Sheet metal snips’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’56db011a-cbe2-11e7-88c9-230adf5bdb2c’]
[amazon_textlink asin=’B000S7ZSTS’ text=’Construction adhesive’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’65c9549d-cbe2-11e7-8619-39ed35fc6585′]
[amazon_textlink asin=’B000DZF2Q4′ text=’Caulk gun’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’6d3fe28c-cbe2-11e7-bb25-e144f3be5a89′]
[amazon_textlink asin=’B00125NQBC’ text=’Sandpaper’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’7f0ff979-cbe2-11e7-b34f-fb2f071c5869′]
[amazon_textlink asin=’B001JYVDSE’ text=’Steel wool’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’8e654c5e-cbe2-11e7-b495-0ffc93a9294c’]
[amazon_textlink asin=’B01I7DNOYA’ text=’Gloves’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’b09e21ba-cbe2-11e7-91af-d908a698cd02′]
Drill
Pencil or Marker
4 – [amazon_textlink asin=’B01N6NID4X’ text=’L brackets’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’de9d5670-cbe2-11e7-84b2-2f143e838863′] and 1/2″ wood screws
[amazon_textlink asin=’B001PNH8D8′ text=’Brad nails ‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’0337c2d4-cbe3-11e7-b1d7-3dfa06c67bf1′]Nail gun

Instructions:

Cut your piece of plywood to the desired size for the tray base. Lay the plywood base on top of the sheet metal and trace with a permanent marker. Use tin snips to cut the metal to size.

Put on your safety gloves and use the sanding block to remove some of the shine from the sheet metal. Smooth over any sharp edges.

Rub the steel wool over the entire sheet metal piece to give it a soft polished finish.

Load a tube of construction adhesive into your caulk gun. Apply a fair amount of adhesive to the plywood. Glue the sheet metal to the top of the plywood.

Press the sheet metal down evenly on top of the adhesive. Wipe off any excess if needed with a paper towel.

Cut the 2″ pieces of lathe or scrap moulding to the length of the two shorter sides. Next, measure and cut two pieces of lathe for the long ends. (Be sure to allow extra length to overlap the short pieces of lathe/moulding. Use the construction adhesive and brads to secure the lathe to the sides of the plywood. Clamp the sides until the adhesive cures.

Once the adhesive is cured, remove your clamps. Attach the L brackets on the lower half of each corner using 1/2″ wood screws. The L brackets will reinforce the sides and add an industrial look.

There you have it! These DIY Sheet Metal Gift Trays are easy to make, look great, and are an extra special and environmentally-friendly way to give gifts!

I hope you love this project. Do you have other ideas for quick gift giving? Please share!