This project was built and designed by Caleb from Caleb’s Fine Woodworking. It features a detailed and visually stunning end grain cutting board with a 3D basket weave pattern made from a mix of hardwoods.
The build focuses on careful planning, creative recovery from mistakes, and thoughtful finishing. The end result is a high-quality cutting board that looks like a work of art while holding up to everyday kitchen use.
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Choosing the Right Materials
To get the layered basket weave look, Caleb uses three hardwood species—maple, cherry, and walnut. These contrasting tones create visual depth in the pattern while also offering long-lasting durability.
Many of the pieces come from offcuts saved from previous projects. This not only makes the board more sustainable, but also adds unique character through color variations and grain direction.
Milling and Preparing the Stock
The first stage of the project involves resawing the hardwoods to a manageable thickness. Each board is then planed to a consistent dimension so they’ll align properly during glue-up.
Once the boards are prepped, they are ripped into strips of varying widths. These widths are carefully chosen to help build the visual illusion of a woven pattern when the board is assembled.
Caleb takes extra care at this stage to label and organize his pieces. With so many strips and multiple glue-ups involved, organization becomes just as important as precision.
The First Glue-Up
To start forming the structure of the cutting board, the strips are glued edge to edge. Tape is used along the joints to create a hinge effect, which helps hold the pieces tight during the clamping process.
The glue is spread evenly using a brush to make sure each surface gets full coverage. Clamps are applied in both directions—horizontal and vertical—to eliminate gaps and ensure strong joints.
As the first section dries, Caleb prepares additional strips from the remaining stock for the next rounds of glue-up. Each batch builds on the last to gradually form the woven pattern.
Creating the Illusion
Once the initial glue-up is cured, it’s time to cut the panel into new strips—this time in the opposite direction. These are carefully measured and cut to ensure consistent thickness and alignment with the original grain orientation.
Relative measuring is essential here. Rather than relying on fixed numbers, each piece is sized based on the previous cut. This method prevents slight variances from stacking up and keeps the pattern tight and symmetrical.
The second glue-up brings the 3D effect to life. As strips are rotated and flipped, the color combinations create depth that mimics the appearance of woven bands. Watching the pattern emerge at this stage is one of the most satisfying parts of the build.
Fixing a Mistake Mid-Build
During one of the glue-ups, a couple of strips were accidentally flipped, throwing off the design in part of the board. Rather than scrap the project, Caleb opted to fix the mistake with an inlay patch.
Using a router, he carefully removed the misaligned section. After chiseling clean edges, he created new pieces to fill the gap, matching both the grain direction and species used in the original.
The fix required precision and patience but was nearly invisible once the patch was sanded smooth. It’s a great reminder that mistakes in woodworking can be corrected without starting over—and sometimes result in an even better outcome.
Final Surfacing and Detail Work
After all the glue-ups were complete and corrections made, the board was flattened using a drum sander. This step helps eliminate any small height variations and prepares the surface for finishing.
The edges are trimmed to square, and a roundover bit is used to soften the corners. This makes the board more comfortable to carry and easier to use, especially with its heavier weight.
All sides are sanded smooth by hand with 220 grit sandpaper to remove any sharpness and prepare the surface for the finish.
Finishing and Presentation
A generous coat of food-safe mineral oil is applied to bring out the contrast in the woods and seal the grain. The finish gives the board a rich appearance and makes it safe for kitchen use.
Caleb recommends reapplying oil periodically to maintain the wood and keep the surface protected over time. The final result is a board that looks like a premium product and performs like one too.
A Challenging But Rewarding Project
This end grain basket weave board is a technical project that pushes your skills with glue-ups, precision cuts, and pattern planning. It’s a great challenge for intermediate woodworkers ready to take their craftsmanship to the next level.
Caleb’s approach, including how he recovers from mistakes, makes the project feel approachable while still encouraging accuracy and patience. The result is a piece that’s as beautiful as it is functional.
Please support Caleb by visiting his website: https://www.calebscustomwoodworks.com/.